Estate distribution suspended - DWP letter

[Macc12]

Hi

Please could anyone help. Dealing with a will for which I am a beneficiary although not executor. I am not the only beneficiary. House that the deceased owned is now on the market having had the probate application completed. Was looking forward to resolving the estate and moving on but now the solicitor has written attaching a letter from DWP that too much pension credit and housing credit may have been paid.

I'm real stressed and upset that this may delay everything. I don't have any other information. He was renting a flat but owned a house and rented it out. I didn't know that he claimed any benefit.

What are my options? Do I need to leave this with the solicitor? Should I ask how much he'll be charging to sort it out with DWP? Can I ask a different solicitor to sort it out with DWP? Our solicitor has been very slow with the probate application.

Any advice would be much appreciated. I feel out of my depth now!

[enquirer]

Re: Estate distribution suspended - DWP letter

Please could anyone help. Dealing with a will for which I am a beneficiary although not executor.

The solicitors are the executors?

Was looking forward to resolving the estate and moving on but now the solicitor has written attaching a letter from DWP that too much pension credit and housing credit may have been paid.

This is not uncommon, although the DWP do try it on.

What are my options? Do I need to leave this with the solicitor?

Yes.

Should I ask how much he'll be charging to sort it out with DWP?

You can ask, although you will have no grounds for complaint unless his charges are excessive and thereby bite into your bequest to an unreasonable extent.

Can I ask a different solicitor to sort it out with DWP?

If they are the executors, then No, not unless you can show that they are incompetent.

Our solicitor has been very slow with the probate application.

Solicitors move in a different time zone to the rest of the world. Patience.