When a person dies, any assets in their sole name will be frozen and, if they exceed a certain value, will remain so until a Grant of Representation is obtained from the Court. This document is usually required by asset holders to prove entitlement to administer the deceased person’s estate
If you have made a Will then your executors will apply for the Grant of Representation. If you have not, then statute decrees who can apply.
The person appointed is your personal representative and is responsible for collecting in your assets, paying debts and distributing the net balance to the people entitled to it. The Grant of Representation is their official authorisation from the Court to receive the money. It is possible to make a personal application for the Grant, but it makes sense to instruct Solicitors to be sure that everything is done correctly and that nothing is overlooked, as personal representatives can be personally liable if they do not administer an estate correctly.
70% of applications made are through the legal profession. It can be extremely reassuring for personal representatives to know that the estate is being dealt with by experienced professionals, as very often people agree to be an executor of a Will without fully appreciating the responsibility that they are undertaking.
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