Registers of Scotland are now accepting deceased person’s Wills for registration again, a welcome development in the winding up of estates, ensuring the protection and preservation of Wills following a death.  

It has been just over a month since the courts began accepting Confirmation (Scottish Probate) applications again.  While initially done through a series of regional “hub” courts, they can now be submitted to the same local court as they would have been before the lockdown.

Although we are starting to see the return of successful applications from the court, the resulting backlog has meant that applications are taking longer than normal to be dealt with, in some cases as much as 4-6 weeks, or more, instead of the usual 2-3 weeks. 

We would encourage families to take advice as early as possible following a death so as to try and avoid further delays in the process.  Video conferencing is now commonplace and is particularly useful for Executors subject to travel restrictions or who are shielding or otherwise self-isolating to meet with a Solicitor. 

For help, or to book a consultation, please contact any member of the Private Client team at Stronachs.