Losing a loved one can be a stressful time, with the pressure of carrying out their final wishes whilst trying to make everything align smoothly. If there is also the added complication of a dispute over the Will or estate, it is even more difficult for the executor to do their job. Any disputes relating to the Will itself or the distribution of the estate is known as ‘contentious probate’ or ‘Will dispute’.
The team at Probate Valuations have many years of experience dealing with contentious estates so we are here to help you with whatever issues you might be facing around the chattels and other tangible assets of your loved one.
We provide a wholly confidential and professional service, and can also assist relevant parties in buying back any physical assets that they had hoped to inherit but lost due to dispute.
Our team are always happy to help clients through this difficult time and provide them with much needed support and peace of mind.
It can take time to settle a contentious probate
We understand that time is of the essence when it comes to settling probate which is why we will operate at a pace that suits you.
Whilst a contentious probate can take time to resolve, you can rest assured that we will play our part with speed and diligence, to make the process as smooth and quick as possible from our side.
All our clients are treated with empathy and compassion, so you feel well-informed and taken care of throughout our service. We will always put you first.
Case Study
Recently, following a difficult contentious probate that dated back over two decades, our team successfully took a wide range of items to auction, which sold for over £80,000.
After much dispute within the family, we had been instructed by solicitors to re-value the estate and identify any items that might be suitable for sale at auction.
The family were extremely distressed by the dispute, battling grief with the implications of an ongoing contentious probate. They were understandably anxious to get through the pre and post auction process quickly and requested to remain completely anonymous throughout.
Our team understood their needs and deeply empathised with the difficulty of their situation. However, our professionalism and discretion throughout the process quickly set their fears aside. We ensured they understood all the various auction stages beforehand and kept them informed through every stage of the process.
As a result, they were comfortable in helping us establish the provenance of the items and create the marketing campaigns. As we do with all our clients, they were given the opportunity to come into our saleroom and view all the items that were up for sale and were each given an equal chance to bid on them should they have wished.
We liaised closely with all the individuals within the family that were involved, ensuring that all related items from the estate were revalued, carefully collected, researched, globally marketed, and finally sold at auction.
The family were delighted with the outcome and pleased with the speedy and seamless service that brought the contentious probate to a close.