If OP asked the question they want an answer to, rather than diverting , it would be a great deal easier to answer.
This is the issue.
"What if I have concerns about my late fathers will. Is there any legal way I can view the contents. I am more interested in the date it was drawn up. "
What the OP wants to know is: if there is a will, and I am not a beneficiary, and the executor will not release a copy, and I think there is something fishy going on............what do I do?
Answer: go to a solicitor and ask for assistance.
And why a will may not need to be probated: all assets were in joint names and fall out of the estate and there is no estate to be distributed. If there is no estate, there is no need for a Grant.
And there is no indication that the solicitor is the executor. OP has asked if the executor has refused permission.
So where did this come from?
Posted by JB
"The hole that I think can be exploited by unscrupolous solicitors is this.
If the solicitor claims that he himself is named as executor then no-one has a right to see the will, and hence no-one can confirm that the solicitor is telling the truth.
So the solicitor can say 'I'm named as the executor, and none of you are beneficiarys, so you all must go away now, that's it, no-one is getting to see the will'.
I understand that it's quite likely to be complicated, and there must be a wealth of previous cases on all issues, so the above probably cannot happen."
This is just silly.
mf