9-week wait for bereaved son
DAVID Crisp has been waiting nine weeks for probate after his mother Wilna passed away aged 89 in January.
His application for legal authority to distribute the contents of his mother’s will was sent to the Ipswich office at the start of March – but he still does not know when it will be granted.
When he called the probate registry they did not answer the phone. It was only later that he saw on their website that his documents had been sent to Newcastle because of the backlog.
The retired chief executive said he is furious that despite paying a six-figure amount in inheritance tax from the estate, his family still cannot claim their inheritance. He fears market volatility could dent the value of the legacy, much of which was invested in shares.
Mr Crisp, 64, from Woodbridge, Suffolk, said: ‘What is galling is we paid a horrendous six-figure sum – and in return we get such poor service.
‘There’s been a complete lack of communication from the probate registry. I have spent ages calling and recalling them and there is no information on the website. Even now they still can’t give me a timescale.’