YouCanDoProbate

YouCanDoProbate: handle probate without a solicitor from home

YouCanDoProbate is an online platform aimed at those who need to apply for probate of an estate in the UK and prefer to manage it themselves rather than hire a solicitor. The service is presented as a lower-cost alternative: compared to professional firm fees, which the company places between £1,500 and more than £10,000, the platform offers the same result for £499.

It works by entering the same information you would give to a solicitor. From those answers, the system completes the probate and inheritance tax forms, calculates the total financial value of the estate and determines which forms must be submitted depending on the situation of the estate.

Platform features

• Completes the probate and inheritance tax forms, ready to print, sign and send by post.
• Determines the situation of the estate and the forms needed to submit the application.
• Calculates the full financial value of the estate.
• Applies the tax exemptions to which the estate is entitled.
• Includes guidance on probate and inheritance tax and submission instructions.
• Unlimited support by phone, email and chat.

Timescales and pace of work

The company states that the completed forms can be ready within a few hours of signing up and that most clients receive the grant of probate weeks after submission. Progress is saved as you go, so the user can log in to the platform as many times as needed and work at their own pace.

Support and guarantee

The support team is based in the UK and provides help by phone, email, ticket system and chat. The platform allows you to share your screen with the adviser so they can see exactly what the user sees and guide them through the process. The service includes a 14-day money-back guarantee, subject to conditions.

User profile

The platform is designed for anyone who needs to handle probate, with no prior knowledge of the subject. Among the testimonials collected are users with no legal experience, older people and cases where hiring a solicitor had been considered. The company states that you do not need to know anything about probate to complete the application.