Retired solicitor-judge receives £50 compensation for ‘gross delay’ in probate application

Retired Solicitor-Judge Receives £50 Compensation for ‘Gross Delay’ in Probate Application

A retired solicitor-judge, Stephen Gold, has successfully obtained £50 in compensation from the courts service after experiencing a ‘gross delay’ in his probate application process. Gold, who has been sharing his frustrating experience as the executor of his late aunt’s estate on This is Money, the financial section of MailOnline, recently faced a significant setback in his application.

According to Gold, he applied for probate online on 30 January and was initially informed that the process typically takes 16 weeks. However, by March, the probate service claimed that online applications were only taking an average of 3.1 weeks, excluding any delays due to incomplete paperwork. Despite this, Gold faced a 10-week delay in receiving his probate, prompting him to reach out to HM Courts & Tribunals Service for an explanation.

After numerous attempts to contact the service, Gold finally managed to speak to a call handler who assured him that his application would be looked at soon. Surprisingly, the next day, Gold received notification that his application had been granted, with the probate documents swiftly following. Despite his efforts to seek an explanation for the delay, Gold’s inquiries went unanswered.

Frustrated by the lack of communication and transparency, Gold lodged a formal complaint with HMCTS, which later admitted that his application had initially been rejected for unclear reasons. The service had failed to follow up on the application until Gold intervened. In response, HMCTS offered their apologies for any inconvenience caused and acknowledged a delay of 10.5 weeks in issuing probate.

Following a review by the complaints manager, Gold was offered a ‘without prejudice’ goodwill payment of £50 as compensation for the delay. While Gold considered the amount to be on the low side, he accepted the offer. Surprisingly, the money arrived in just two working days, much quicker than the anticipated 20 days.

Despite the resolution of his complaint, Gold expressed his disappointment with the handling of his probate application and the subsequent delay. The ordeal serves as a cautionary tale for others navigating the probate process and highlights the importance of timely and efficient service from the courts.