Hi,
I was wondering if any solicitors or others can advise what level of service a solicitor handling probate is expected to provide?
For example, would be expected to verify all monies/asset values or is the onus on the executor to do all that?
To date, we have experienced several "surprises" along the way. To me they were mistakes that are unacceptable, but the solicitor played them down ; when pointed out there was no acknowledgement of the mistakes, and certainly no apology.
An example of this is incorrect amounts reported to probate. A correction was applied after the error was pointed out by executor, and this was explained to be normal practice i.e. normal practice to have to make a correction. Note, probate report omitted several hundred thousand euro that was contained on a "Valuation at death" report received from one institution. Other omissions applied also.
When closing accounts from a bank, the solicitor did not do a reconciliation between the value at the date of death, and the value of the monies received. Is this normal? Pointing out that one institution refunded approx 1500 less than the value at the date of death drew a very uninterested response - along the lines of follow it up yourself if you want.
Emails/phone-calls are eventually followed up on, but it could take weeks, and some questions are just ignored.
Is this a normal level of practice? The solicitors were engaged to provide a level of comfort that things would be done correctly. At this stage the trust is gone, and the client(Executor) in this situation is made to feel very much like an annoyance.
So I am wondering if we were just unlucky with our choice, or is this "normal" and I need to reset my expectations.
I was wondering if any solicitors or others can advise what level of service a solicitor handling probate is expected to provide?
For example, would be expected to verify all monies/asset values or is the onus on the executor to do all that?
To date, we have experienced several "surprises" along the way. To me they were mistakes that are unacceptable, but the solicitor played them down ; when pointed out there was no acknowledgement of the mistakes, and certainly no apology.
An example of this is incorrect amounts reported to probate. A correction was applied after the error was pointed out by executor, and this was explained to be normal practice i.e. normal practice to have to make a correction. Note, probate report omitted several hundred thousand euro that was contained on a "Valuation at death" report received from one institution. Other omissions applied also.
When closing accounts from a bank, the solicitor did not do a reconciliation between the value at the date of death, and the value of the monies received. Is this normal? Pointing out that one institution refunded approx 1500 less than the value at the date of death drew a very uninterested response - along the lines of follow it up yourself if you want.
Emails/phone-calls are eventually followed up on, but it could take weeks, and some questions are just ignored.
Is this a normal level of practice? The solicitors were engaged to provide a level of comfort that things would be done correctly. At this stage the trust is gone, and the client(Executor) in this situation is made to feel very much like an annoyance.
So I am wondering if we were just unlucky with our choice, or is this "normal" and I need to reset my expectations.