Probate is the legal right to deal with someone’s property, money and possessions (their “estate”) after they die. The word is also used for the process of applying for that right. In England it ends with a grant of probate where an executor named in a will applies, or letters of administration where there’s no will.
How it works
If there’s a will, the executor it names applies. If there isn’t, the closest living relative usually applies to be administrator. Not every estate needs probate: GOV.UK says you may not need it if the person “only had savings”, or owned money or property jointly so that it passes to the surviving owner. “Every organisation has its own rules”, so ask each bank or provider what they need.
While you wait, GOV.UK advises: “You should not make any financial plans or put property on the market until you’ve got probate.” That’s where storage helps. If the home needs emptying before it’s sold or handed back, a unit keeps the belongings safe, together, while the family decides what to keep, share or sell. Check with the executor or the estate’s solicitor before selling or giving away anything of value.
At Wigwam
We know this is rarely an easy time, so we keep the storage side simple.
- An executor doesn’t have to wait for probate: you can rent a unit for the estate straight away, with the agreement in your name as executor.
- Storage costs you pay while dealing with the estate are generally treated as an estate expense, so keep the invoice we email before each payment.
- Our minimum stay is two weeks. After that the storage carries on until you give notice, normally 14 days, so you’re not tied in once the estate is settled.
- If the person who died already rented a unit with us, nothing needs to happen straight away. Call us when you’re ready and we’ll take it step by step.
Call us on 0800 2545585, or get a price online.
Related terms
Related questions
- Who pays for storage while an estate is sorted out?
- What happens to a storage unit when the renter dies?
- What should I keep when clearing a parent’s home?
Further reading
- GOV.UK: Applying for probate