Selling properties in probate has become much more difficult, thanks to the pandemic an article in Property Wire warned this week.
The article reported that the process was taking three to four months longer than usual. The pandemic has resulted in a spike in deaths in the UK, especially among the older population.
In addition, there is a shortage of surveyors and estate agents are working with reduced numbers of staff and with social distancing measures in place, making their normal business trickier to carry out than usual.
Rush to complete sales
The demand for surveyors is high because of the stamp duty holiday, which is due to end on 31 March 2021, meaning that many people are trying to complete sales before the holiday ends. Where estates that are worth more than £325,000, the inheritance tax threshold, then the HMRC can demand a valuation from a RICs chartered surveyor.
The other restrictions, such as travel between regions, means that it can be difficult to get to properties and the closure of charity shops has made it harder for people to dispose of furniture and other unwanted items from the properties.
There is also a high demand for tradespeople, so finding individuals and companies that can spruce up or decorate a property adds to the difficulties.
Finders International Estate Agents
Fortunately, Finders International runs its own probate property service through its Finders International Estate Agents. The team includes RICs-accredited staff members, who can make an offer for an immediate sale.
Finders International Estate Agents provide a bespoke service, giving you a single point of contact and a prompt, flexible and efficient process. The services are charged to the estate, rather than individuals, and we protect the estate’s administrator or deputy from any potential claims later down the line by acting in accordance with the current regulations.
The services the team offers include a Covid-19 property decontamination clean. They can also provide a physical or online auction sale, change of locks, securing the property and regular checks, a will and assets search, storage and more.
In addition, our team are in contact with experts who can check properties for items of potential value. Some years ago, we were involved in a case where the deceased owner of a house had a large number of Dinky car models still in their original packaging, which added a substantial amount to the estate’s total value.
We also work with NGI Finance, so if you are looking for a mortgage, loan or development finance, the professionals there can help you out.
You can see all our properties for sale on Zoopla.