Probate & Property Protection
17 January 2023
- Contact Chris Whittington
- Business & Relationship Manager
- [email protected]
- +44 7936 030 193
Losing a loved one can be an incredibly difficult time for family and close friends. Knowing what steps you need to take in order to administer the deceased’s estate can feel overwhelming at an already challenging time.
The ZEDRA Probate & Estates Team have lots of experience handling unique circumstances.
The Client
A family had travelled over 100 miles from Gloucester to Cheshire to care for a relative who was gravely ill. This relative subsequently died, leaving the family far from home and needing to navigate the probate process. As Executor named in the deceased’s Will, the family contacted ZEDRA to inform us of the passing of their loved one and to obtain guidance and support with next steps.
The Challenge
They sounded exhausted and were keen to return home as soon as possible to focus on grieving without the administrative burden of the probate process. As a death certificate must be issued by the relevant local authorities, the family were deeply concerned they would have to remain in Cheshire to register the death.
The Solution
Hearing of their desire to return home, ZEDRA’s Julie Garnett advised them that they should return home and register the death locally in Gloucester. A death can be registered at any registrar in England and Wales but the death certificate will be issued by the registrar covering the place of death.
Julie worked with Paula Barlow to arrange for a Relationship Manager to be assigned and for them to travel to the deceased’s property to meet with the family. The Bereavement Team took steps to ensure that the property was properly insured and that any valuables were removed.
The Outcome
The next day, the assigned Relationship Manager, Kate Millington, and a colleague, Neil Tomkinson, met with the family, talked them through the estate administration process, the next steps and collected the financial paperwork This put the family’s minds at rest that they were safe in ZEDRA’s hands and they were delighted with the opportunity to meet Kate face to face. The family were able to return home later that day.
At ZEDRA we can help you navigate what do to when someone dies, support you as an Executor or assist individual Executors and Administrators as they navigate the process of probate.
We go the extra mile to support families through extremely difficult situations, so they can focus on remembering their loved ones and deal with the more personal matters like organising the funeral.
To find out more about how we can help you or how we’ve helped others like this, contact our specialist Probate & Estates Team.
