An executor is usually a son, a daughter or a spouse who has never administered an estate before. They are dealing with a bank that wants a document they have never heard of, a house that cannot be sold yet and a sibling asking when things will be settled.
They are not looking for legal argument. They are looking for someone to explain what happens next.
What executors ask
Executors usually ask what probate is, whether they need it at all, what a grant of probate does, how long it takes, what it costs, whether the firm handles everything or just the application, what they need to gather, what happens with a property, what happens if there is no will, whether they are personally liable for anything and how inheritance tax is dealt with.
Example conversations
These scripts use information a firm might publish. Your answers should come from your own pages.
Executor: Do I even need probate? The house was in joint names. Assistant: It depends on how assets were held and what the institutions require, so a solicitor needs to look at the details. The probate page explains the two service levels offered, one where the firm handles the whole administration and a lower fixed fee for the grant application only. Could you share roughly what the estate includes and whether there is a will?
Executor: How long will it take? Assistant: The page explains the typical stages and how long each usually takes, along with what tends to cause delays, such as property sales and waiting on institutions.
Executor: What do I need to gather? Assistant: The checklist on the page lists what is usually needed, including the will, the death certificate, details of accounts, property, pensions and any debts.
Two service levels
Many firms offer a full administration service and a cheaper grant-only option. Publishing both, with what each includes, lets families choose based on how much they feel able to handle themselves, and it captures work that would otherwise go to a cheaper provider entirely.
Costs explained honestly
Whether fees are fixed, hourly or percentage-based, and what disbursements apply. Families are often paying from an estate with relatives watching, so clarity protects everyone.
Timescales and expectations
Probate is slow, and families are frequently shocked by how slow. Setting honest expectations at the start, including what the firm cannot control, prevents months of chasing.
Intestacy
When there is no will, the rules are fixed and the process differs. Explaining that the firm can guide them, without setting out who inherits, keeps the conversation useful and safe.
The wider process
Probate sits alongside other practical work such as clearing the property, covered in house clearance enquiries from families after a loss, and often follows a will written earlier, as described in will writing enquiries that need a gentle first step.
Tone and timing
These enquiries arrive at all hours, often late at night when someone cannot sleep. The tone should be plain, warm and unhurried, with urgent matters routed properly as described in after-hours emergency triage. Fee clarity matters here as much as in fee and process questions before a divorce consultation.
Getting started
Publish your service levels, fees, timescales and a document checklist, then capture estate details gently at any hour. SpideyChat for law firms answers from your published pages. Try SpideyChat on your own site, or read about capture on the features page.