Author Topic: Tick Box mentality (Read 1756 times)

pgkevet · « **on:** April 20, 2017, 11:04:51 pm »

I went into my Mum's bank branch today with the probate cert and bank form to sort out her account balance. I handed over the probate release to get copied and certified and then got asked if I had her death certificate.
"Madam," I said "When did you last see a certificate of Probate when the person was still alive?"

Then i got asked for id to prove who i was.
"Madam, the form in front of you asks you to send a cheque for the balance in the name of the executor on the form to the address of the executor on the probate form so why the heck does it matter who i am? Yes, i am the executor but I could just as easily be a friend doing a favour."

And just 'cos i was in a cheeky mood I then canvassed all the people in the queue behind me as to whether they'd ever seen a probate form for someone still alive.....

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #1 on:** April 21, 2017, 12:10:32 am »

Poor bloomin' clerk...

He/she will probably pack it all in now and sell baked potatoes from a cart.

Sorry you've lost your Mum

pgkevet · « **Reply #2 on:** April 21, 2017, 05:58:53 am »

Mum was 98 and the last couple of years have been rough - was a classic blessed release.

For anyone who is going to face this... you can do all the probate stuff yourself; quite a paperwork plod on a largish estate but the probate folk are very helpful over the phone. It's the physical stuff of sorting out near a century of accumulated belongings. Solicitors will charge you silly money for doing it.. even probate companies charge more than it's worth 'cos you would have to provide all the answers anyway.

I had it a bit easier because after my Mum in law passed and wifey did that (simple) one, I actually got my Mum to help me fill in a set of dummy probate forms (she thought it was a laugh) and my folk's paperwork was meticulous - when going back to date of birth 1918 and her extended family in former czechoslovakia all now passed on too.

Worst aspect is that her solicitors were bought out by a corporate and they've lost the deeds she lodged with them for 'secure storage'

Most fascinating are the aspects of family history one turns up that weren't so much hidden as just never been told about.

You have to find the humour in all of it.. even if some of it seems like gallows humour

Buttermilk · « **Reply #3 on:** April 21, 2017, 08:35:58 am »

Been there, done that. Sorry about your Mum, mine was praying for a law change so that she could die in her own home, without having to consider a trip to Switzerland. A stroke took that option away from her. She got to die at home with her daughters all there but the dignity had gone.

Sudanpan · « **Reply #4 on:** April 21, 2017, 08:14:52 pm »

Condolences - we lost my Mum 4 years ago now (81) and then Dad died 18 months ago (92) so 2 lots of Probate to deal with, but luckily I'm the youngest with 5 siblings above me so got nowhere near that side of things! However I did register my Dad's death and we had learnt from the previous experience that you can never have too many copies of the Death Certificate - it seems everyone wants to have a piece of the action.
Tough times