Estate Administration

Points to Consider

The first question is:

  1. “Is there a valid Will”?
    If yes, then it should say who the Executors are. They get their powers to deal with the assets comprising the Estate right away. However, some assets in the Estate may need a Court Order (called A Grant of Probate) to be issued to deal with land or property, cash assets, bank accounts, shares, life policies and other investments. This is to protect financial institutions (banks, building societies etc) or the Land Registry from 3rd party claims.
  2. If there is no (valid) Will or no living Executors an Intestacy is said to arise. This will invariably require a Court Order (or in this case a Grant of Letters of Administration) which gives the person(s) managing the Estate, “the Administrators” the legal power they need to deal with the assets. We can help you identify early on who should be the Administrator(s), also known as “Personal Representatives”.

In all cases where a formal Grant is required, an Oath or Statement of Truth is needed and a Tax Return prepared (which can be highly complex if Inheritance Tax (IHT) is involved) and all of these documents are sent to the Court when applying for the Grant.

Other questions are:

“what happens if there is no money in the Estate”?

“are there any assets outside of England and Wales in the Estate”?

“who are the Beneficiaries”?

“did the Deceased make any lifetime gifts”?

We can help you with all of the above and much more besides so please Contact Us for more information.

Peter Redmond is the Managing Director of Kings Solicitors, appointed in February 2025.

With nearly a decade of legal practice at respected firms such as Hine Solicitors, Coffin Mew (now Knights plc) and Dutton Gregory. Peter brings deep expertise in conveyancing and property law. He also serves as the Managing Director of Clutton Cox, a specialist conveyancing firm in based just outside Bristol.

Peter’s leadership is defined by a strategic focus on client care, operational excellence, as well as rapid but sustained growth. Calm under pressure and resolutely outcomes-driven, he remains actively involved in the day-to-day management of the firm, ensuring Kings Solicitors delivers a consistently high standard of legal service.

“We are delighted to announce that effective 2nd July 2026, the established local brand Clutton Cox is officially joining the Kings - Solicitors Limited family, operating as a dedicated local trading name of the firm.

For years, Clutton Cox has built a wonderful reputation as a trusted, specialist conveyancing practice. By bringing the Clutton Cox name under the wider Kings Solicitors regulatory and operational umbrella, we are combining deep local heritage with the strength, advanced systems and support of a rapidly growing regional practice.

If you currently have an ongoing property transaction with Clutton Cox, absolutely nothing changes regarding the day-to-day handling of your move.

Your team remains the same: You will continue to deal with the exact same dedicated conveyancers you know and trust.

Zero disruption: Your file continues seamlessly without interruption.

Local presence: The local brand presence, contact numbers, and friendly high-street service remain exactly where they are.

Complete security: All legal services and client funds are fully ring-fenced and protected under the single, robust regulatory umbrella of Kings – Solicitors Limited (regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority).

Expanding our local offering: Introducing Wills, Probate & LPAs

While specialist conveyancing remains at the absolute core of the Clutton Cox name, this integration gives us the immediate capacity to grow. We are pleased to announce that we are actively expanding the Chipping Sodbury branch to introduce a dedicated Private Client offering and moving forward, existing and new clients will be able to access specialist advice on Wills, Probate, and Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPAs) directly through their trusted local hub – filling a much-needed gap for comprehensive family estate planning in the local area.

Stronger together

By integrating our teams, we have removed capacity barriers and ensured our staff have the extended support they need to deliver an exceptional, stress-free service.

Whether we are helping you buy your first home, move up the property ladder, or protect your family’s future assets, our combined practice is stronger, more flexible, and better equipped than ever to serve you.

We want to thank all of our clients, local estate agency partners, and professional contacts for their continued trust, and we look forward to working with you in this exciting next chapter.”