RootsChat.Com
General => The Common Room => Topic started by: napierite on Monday 29 December 14 06:31 GMT (UK)
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Hi everyone
I ordered two Wills back on the 15 Dec. I got an email on the 27 Dec saying my order has been delivered. I logged onto the site and in My Wills-2 items show and the details are what I ordered so I thought great.
However I can't work out how to download them Or do I have to wait for them to do something else. Their Help page says nothing about how to download. ???
Help :)
Thanks Tracey
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There seems to be a problem with it at the moment, as another thread details
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=708284.msg5515259#msg5515259
It's also happened to me again on the 26th
When it does work, you'll see a link saying "Download Grant" and "Download Will" which you click on to get pdf files
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The links have appeared in my account today so you may want to check yours.
Strangely, the Will is in the same pdf as the Grant but it's all there
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Strangely, the Will is in the same pdf as the Grant but it's all there
Yes that confused me to start with as hadn't realised there were two pages in the "Grant" pdf. :-X Kept clicking on the Will link and got an error. :-\
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I'm in the same position - my wills were "delivered" on 24 December, but there's still no way to download them. :( :(
The "Feedback" link only takes me to the Google Chrome homepage, but I contacted the Gov.UK helpline by a roundabout method, and they said they have passed it on to the HM Courts & Tribunals service team.
Glad to see it's not just me!
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Thanks for the replies.
I'll give it till after new year break and hopefully my two come right if not I'll send them a feed back response.
Regards
Tracey
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I received an email on the 26 th Dec to say my wills were ready but I could not download them, so I sent an email to the feedback link. On Monday morning I received a very apologetic message to say that there was an error at their end and to let them know which email address I had used to register with them. I sent this back and my wills were ready to download within half an hour. I was quite impressed by the service.
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I only have a small gripe about this great new service...there are 67 pages of Smiths in 1873 and I'm after Robert :-\
A Christian name search facility would be a great boon, maybe that's on the cards for a later date :)
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~ Edit
Never mind, just realised that doesn't work as a search. Good luck ladybird!
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If you've got an Ancestry subscription, it might be easier to find the details on there and enter them into the form
I would imagine that changes to the website functionality will mainly be as a result of feedback from the law profession but adding your two-penn'orth can't hurt
The feedback link is a mailto address so if you right-click it and then "Copy email address", you can then paste it into your email program
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I ordered 15 wills on Dec 26, and I got an email notification today that they were available. Downloading was no problem.
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I received an email today also that my wills were delivered, but same problem, nowhere to download.
I tried in Chrome, Firefox, and Internet Explorer (and Safari just for kicks).
I have sent an email off to their "Feedback" address.
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To those people who are having download problems:
It may be that when you click on the link to download and seemingly nothing happens, when in fact, the file has actually been successfully downloaded and you just need to be able to figure out where the downloaded file is stored on your computer.
I suggest that people 'google' the problem; e.g. search criteria such as "where are my downloaded files [firefox] [chrome] [internet explorer]
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Hi Yukon
I don't think that's the problem here, it's that there's no download link to click
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Yes StevieSteve, There is nothing to click onto to download and the only thing in the "download" column is the word "Never". I sent a feed back message to them and rec'd reply 3 Jan :saying "This is to acknowledge receipt of your message. If you have a query regarding placing an order or a placed order, we will endeavour to provide a response as soon as possible."
As yet nothing. ::)
When I have ordered copies of Certificates it has only taken a max of ten days for them to come to New Zealand by post!
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Same here: two emails sent, automated acknowledgment received on 2 Jan, but no answer, and still no download link.
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I only have a small gripe about this great new service...there are 67 pages of Smiths in 1873 and I'm after Robert :-\
A Christian name search facility would be a great boon, maybe that's on the cards for a later date :)
You can search by christian name too if you use the advanced search facility! ;D
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I only have a small gripe about this great new service...there are 67 pages of Smiths in 1873 and I'm after Robert :-\
A Christian name search facility would be a great boon, maybe that's on the cards for a later date :)
You can search by christian name too if you use the advanced search facility! ;D
Only for 1996 and later, before that you unfortunately have to scroll through the pages. :-\ There is no Advanced Search facility for before that date.
I did wonder if say entering a surname that would appear after the one required might take me to the end and I could go back a few pages but this doesn't work. :-X
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If using Firefox there is an arrow pointing down to the right of the search box on the toolbar.
If you click on that it shows you what files have been downloaded, if you then right click on the file it will give the option to go to the folder holding the download. When that folder opens the file will be highlighted.
I believe in Internet Explorer it will open the file, this may look like a blank page if there is no text on the part of the page viewed.
Cheers
Guy
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I only have a small gripe about this great new service...there are 67 pages of Smiths in 1873 and I'm after Robert :-\
A Christian name search facility would be a great boon, maybe that's on the cards for a later date :)
There are 120 pages of "SMI's" in 1967 :o
As mentioned previously, use Ancestry for searching 1858-1966.
Use the HMCTS site 1967 onwards.
There are no plans to improve their page indexing for Grants 1967-1995 for the foreseeable future. The information has been stored as the 1st three letters of the surname at the top left of the page so a search for Smith will also include the names after Smith but where the 1st three letters are still SMI
There are no plans to have a 'go to page' button/facility either although it has been mentioned.
A possible work around is to take the URL at the top of the screen where the first page is found and change the number at the end
eg: Smiths in 1967
https://probatesearch.service.gov.uk/Calendar?surname=Smith&yearOfDeath=1967&page=1#calendar
change the number just before the hash # (119 takes you to Smithers-Smithson) and you will wizz to that page
Grants after 1996 are fully searchable as the records have been electronically strored since then.
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A possible work around is to take the URL at the top of the screen where the first page is found and change the number at the end
eg: Smiths in 1967
https://probatesearch.service.gov.uk/Calendar?surname=Smith&yearOfDeath=1967&page=1#calendar
change the number just before the hash # (119 takes you to Smithers-Smithson) and you will wizz to that page
Ah, hadn't thought about trying that, thanks Dawn, next time I want to look for a common surname, I shall try that one too. ;D
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For those who received notices that their order was complete but can't find the download button -
I sent an email last night through the feedback button and received a reply this morning that they are having ongoing technical problems where customers are receiving confirmation of their order being delivered before it is actually ready. They tell me I should expect the documents to show up somewhere between Jan 9 -11.
So it sounds like their turnaround time at this point is 13-15 days (perhaps their service was more popular than expected). If you have waited longer than that you might want to try emailing them.
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I sent a 3rd email this morning, and finally got a reply from a real person, saying much the same thing about technical problems - however, as I received the notice that my order had been delivered on 24 December, it's taking them a long time to sort out!
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I ordered a will on December 27th and have received an email today saying my order had been delivered but like other people have found there is no way of seeing or downloading it. I presume once they have sorted out the technical issues they will email me again with a link that takes us to where the will can be downloaded.....fingers crossed! ::)
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I presume once they have sorted out the technical issues they will email me again with a link that takes us to where the will can be downloaded
Don't.
Yes, that's exactly what happened the time I emailed them
On the 2nd occasion, though, I didn't feel I need to email them as someone on here had already been told there was a technical problem. I looked a couple of days later and there it was.
So I'd guess that if you've emailed them about the problem, then you'll get a notification once it's there. If you haven't, you won't.
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I have now emailed them and asked them to send me a link to the page so that I can download the will when it is ready
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I ordered a will before Christmas and got an e-mail yesterday (Thursday) telling me my order was delivered. I logged in to their site and on the top right hand corner - next to Basket - there was My Wills. I clicked on that and downloaded the will without any problems.
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Yes you will probably not get a second email when they finally go online. One just showed up for me today and still waiting on the other.
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I only have a small gripe about this great new service...there are 67 pages of Smiths in 1873 and I'm after Robert :-\
A Christian name search facility would be a great boon, maybe that's on the cards for a later date :)
A possible work around is to take the URL at the top of the screen where the first page is found and change the number at the end
eg: Smiths in 1967
https://probatesearch.service.gov.uk/Calendar?surname=Smith&yearOfDeath=1967&page=1#calendar
change the number just before the hash # (119 takes you to Smithers-Smithson) and you will wizz to that page
Thanks Dawnsh
That worked a treat, found my Robert within a few clicks and have ordered ;D
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http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=709603
my experience so far
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I wonder why I didn't have a problem, I downloaded the will I ordered as soon as I received the e-mail a couple of days ago? Probably to compensate for not yet receiving my poppy despite my next door neighbour and her friend a couple of streets away receiving theirs. My neighbour said she ordered hers quite late too. ::)
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my friend ordered 1 poppy months ago, he got his in time for Christmas - his friend ordered three before him and still hadn't received them by Christmas - they he discovered someone else who had ordered more than one and they all came in the same box - goodness knows how you'd present them if they were gifts intended for individuals, as they didn't have their own presentation boxes!
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:) :) :)
After initiating this thread 29 Dec, I finally have one of my two wills available to "Down load Grant and Will" and it was easy peasy. Now all smiles I wait a lot more happier for the other one to be available.
Thank you for everyone's replies.
And a big thank you to Gov.uk (will send a thank you via their feed back once I get the other copy), for this new service specially for those here in NZ.
Tracey
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Hi Tracey
Thanks for letting us know.
Hope the will contains lots of useful genealogical information.
Dawn
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If you want find to the download programs on you computer (on Laptop or Desktop computer)
Right click Start
a box will come up. (depending on your running system)
It will say, Open or Explore-(Whatever browser(s) you have)
Then the next page that comes up, on the left menu, look for downloads (or any programs you need to find)
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Alternative
Left click start - then left click My Computer ( or Computer) - right click on 'C' drive-In the dialog box that comes up left click 'open'
Then the next page that comes up, on the left menu, look for downloads (or any programs you need to find)
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I haven't had an email to tell me it was ready but when I logged on the site the will I ordered was there and I have now downloaded it
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3 of the 5 wills ordered have arrived - they are not wills just letters - waste of money!
waiting to see if the other two are wills - not hopeful.
and still no email to say they were ready to view!
::)
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Were they described as 'Adminstration ' or 'Probate'
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Also posted in reply to plimmerian's other comment
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=709603.msg5533496#msg5533496
A note of caution (and this might be what happened to plimmerian)
If the calendar says that the entry is for a Letter of Adminsitration, there is little point in paying for a copy of the grant as very little extra information will be given (the address of the personal representative) from what the calendar says.
A letter oif Administration is granted where there is no will.
All you'll get for £10 for a Letter of Administration is an A4 document which shows the name of the deceased, their date of death, confirmation they died intestate, the value of the estate and who the personal representative is.
Only apply for a copy of you see the word "probate"
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Thank you Dawnsh for clarifying that, it is what I suspected may have happened
Rosie
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3 of the 5 wills ordered have arrived - they are not wills just letters - waste of money!
waiting to see if the other two are wills - not hopeful.
and still no email to say they were ready to view!
::)
It should be noted that soldiers wills are likely to be very brief, much as described in the quote.
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I've just logged in again to wills online and the two outstanding wills were there waiting to be downloaded (still no email to notify me and nothing in my junk folder) - yipee they are wills!
(none of them were soldiers though)
A valuable lesson - don't fall into the trap lol
::)
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Were the other three administrations :-\
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hi Rosie - yes they were!
;)
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That is a shame, still at least you now have them all.
I sometimes think that the very old wills make more interesting reading than recent ones especially when they are leaving furniture/linen/clothing/farm inplements/cattle etc.
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I was advised they might reveal funeral details - sadly they didn't!
You live and learn ;)
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I was advised they might reveal funeral details - sadly they didn't!
You live and learn ;)
Unfortunately they only show what people have written, so if they don't leave funeral instructions in the will, you wont see them. Like Rosie, I've found that the more recent wills are often shorter and don't give as much detail as older ones, obviously the style of will writing changed.
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I ordered a will on 27th December, received an email on 8th January to say it had been delivered, but the clickable "Download Grant" and "Will" didn't appear in the 'My Wills' section until the 22nd January.
When I click on "Download Grant" i get a one page PDF of a standard looking letter starting, "You have ordered a copy of a grant based on an entry in the probate calendar."
When I click on "Will" there is no PDF, I just get a one line message on the screen saying "Unfortunately this will is not available at the moment. Please contact support."
Under 'Support' then 'Contacts' I can see no link for support with the wills service. I tried using the 'Feedback' link on the 8th of January when the "Download Grant" and "Will" links were missing, but I never got a reply from them.
Has anyone else encountered this message and if so did the will eventually become available?
Thanks in advance for any assistance
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Hi choobface
I suggest you use the feedback button again and make sure you have the words Urgent Action Required Please in the subject line.
HMCTS are in the process of setting up a dedicated email for the will service but it doesn't work yet.
But also make sure that the entry you have ordered is shown in the calendar as a Probate, not a Letter of Administration.
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Hi dawnsh,
Thanks for responding - I've had another look at the page and see now that some of the entries say Probate and some say Administration. The one I ordered doesn't say either of these, but instead mentions Confirmation and Sealed - could this be why it isn't available?
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Yes, because confirmations are Scottish wills, the person who died must have had a financial interest in England or Wales for the confirmation to be resealed here.
You'll need to apply for a copy from Scotland.
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Great, thanks dawnsh
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Just wanted to add to this to say that I ordered a will about 3pm on Wednesday and it was ready to download at 2pm today (Friday) so it looks as if they have improved the service.
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Hi all,
I didn't want to start a new thread for my query, so I thought I'd ask it here; I have an entry in 1941( which the person has also died in 1941) that says "probate Llandaff" , so I gather this is a Will (?), fair enough, this looks good to order, But the same 1941 entry , underneath in handwriting , it says further grant in 1979.( and the entry in 1979 says "1941 Probate Llandaff")
If I ordered the 1979 one what exactly would I be getting? Would I get the will that the person wrote in 1941 too? Basically what I am asking, Do I need to order both entries to obtain the will and what ever went on in 1979? What would I get back in the 1979 one?
I don't want to waste 20 pounds, when ordering the 1979 maybe enough to obtain the will too.
Kind Regards :)
Ps I have an original HM His Majesty's court of justice stamped document "the probate registry of Llandaff" regarding the above will of this person ( it's from my husband's late grandparent's possessions , the child of the above person)
I'll post it up later when I have five minutes(it's too big a file at the moment to post and I'm running late for an appointment) . I also do not want to be ordering something that I already have the original. I don't quite understand what the document that I have is.
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I think you would only get the grant from 1979 not another copy of the will. I would always apply for the earlier entry.
The later grant would have a different probate valuation on it but may not explain why the later grant was required. So unless you require it for legal purposes, the 1941 entry of the grant and will should do for family history purposes.
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Hi,
Dawnsh below is the original document that I have (well my in-law have it in their possession. It's from the late father's possessions, which is the son of the above in the document. I took the photo of it when I was back home, the paper is very delicate, on verge of ripping ). excuse the wording over it ( I'm fed up of people pinching my photo's without asking for my permission)
The executor in the will was George's son-in-law. He and his wife (one of George's daughters) were living in George's house for a time ( After George's death, I think).
The money entries in the calendars; the 1941 is the same amount as in the document that I have - 385. The 1979 is 10 thousand (10000).
So this below document that I have is from 1941 and not from 79? ( I know it says 41 on it, but it may have been given out in 79 for some odd reason).
Would there be an actual written Will in 1941 that went with the below document that I have? I've also attached the two entries from the gov site , it saves people searching for them at the site (mods, please remove the two pictures of the entries if it infringes copyright)
If I order the 1941 entry will I get a written will, to whom George leaves his possessions to?
The 1979 one , will it tell me if anyone has contested the will or would there not be much detail in the document ? ( apparently, the only son of the above was going to fight the will, family seem to recall that the George left most of it to his daughter, wife of the executor in the will and the son and the other daughters were angry about it and there was talk of the son fighting it - whether he did or not, they don't know)
I'm not sure what I should do to find out more, or what is this document that I have - Do I order both of the entries, 1941 and 1979, or just order the 1941 one as the 1979 would be a no use to me? I really do not want to unnecessarily spend 20 pounds, when one of the entries at 10 pounds would be enough.
Thank you for any help
Kind regards :)
ps oops edited to add, I saved my below picture as 1841 instead of 1941 ( I'm so used to typing 18 something instead of 19 something ;D )
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The photo seems to show the original grant. If you applied now for a copy of the grant and will from 1941 you would get another copy of this grant and also the will that goes with it. If you order now from HMCTS you must stipulate on the order that you want both the grant & will.
The grant may/could also be a copy issued in 1979 at the time the further grant was extracted. It's going to be hard to tell because I'm no paper expert and I don't know whether the details are written in real ink or is a copy.
If you ordered the 1979 document, you would only get the grant but it would show who the administrator/executor was and their address at that time. Grants generally contain little in the way of genealogical information or explanation.
At one time you could have requested the file for the further grant but I think that service has been withdrawn but it could be worth asking. The probate dept in London at Holborn now only deals with new probate applications for recent deaths not requests for historic copies.
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Hi,
Thank you very much for your help Dawnsh.
I'll just order the 1941 will for now.
Hopefully it will give me a bit more insight to what went on. One of George's Granddaughters remembers her father and the rest of his sisters being angry over the will, something about fighting the will and the son-in-law (who was executor of the will), whether George's son did fight it we don't know. (all George's children and their spouses are now dead )
Families eh ::)
Kind regards :)