01
Applying for Confirmation
We value the estate, complete the inventory and apply to the sheriff court for the grant of Confirmation that lets you collect the deceased's assets.
Find out moreRegulated by the Law Society of Scotland
Executry solicitors in Glasgow for Confirmation, probate and estate administration
local, compassionate help when someone has died.
Our executry solicitors help executors and families through every stage of winding up the estate of a loved one, from registering the death and applying to Glasgow Sheriff Court for Confirmation to paying the final beneficiary. You get clear legal advice, a written fee estimate before we start and a free first appointment.
Confirmationapplications handled for you
34 Woodlands RoadGlasgow G3 6UR
Based in Glasgow
Executry (probate) lawyers based in Glasgow, acting for families across the city
Executry is the Scottish word for dealing with the estate of someone who has died. It is the Scottish equivalent of probate in England and Wales, and the court document an executor needs is known as Confirmation rather than a grant of probate.
Our private client solicitors are based in Glasgow at 34 Woodlands Road, a short walk from Charing Cross station and St George's Cross subway. We act for executors all over the city, from the West End and the city centre to the Southside, and in nearby areas such as Clarkston, Giffnock and Newton Mearns. You are welcome to meet us at the office, or we can do everything by phone, email and post.
Losing a loved one is hard enough without dealing with the affairs they leave behind. We take on as much of the administration of the estate as you want us to, explain the legal requirements in plain English and keep you updated, so you always know where things stand.
Local know-how
When a loved one dies in Glasgow: the local steps
Executry estates follow the same Scots law across the country, but some of the practical steps are local. Here is how the main ones work in the city, and where we can take the work off your hands.
Registering the death
Every death in Scotland must be registered within 8 days. In Glasgow, registration now takes place by phone, Monday to Friday, 9am to 3.30pm. Once the doctor sends the medical certificate of cause of death to the registrar, the registration team contacts the family. You receive a free abbreviated death certificate, a Certificate of Registration of Death (Form 14) for the funeral director and a Tell Us Once reference number. Our guide on how to register a death in Scotland explains the process step by step. The funeral can then go ahead; our guide to funeral costs and who pays lists the local burial and cremation fees. If the person died in hospital or a care home, or the death was reported to the procurator fiscal, our guides to deaths in hospital or a care home and the procurator fiscal explain what happens.
Applying for Confirmation
For someone whose home was in the city, the executor normally applies for Confirmation to the commissary department at Glasgow Sheriff Court, on the south bank of the Clyde. We prepare the inventory of the estate, known as form C1, and lodge it with the original will. The court needs the original will, not a photocopy, and applications with missing details are sent back. See which sheriff court deals with Confirmation if the person lived outside the city. Our guides to valuing an estate for Confirmation and pensions and benefits after a death explain what goes on the inventory.
Council tax on an empty home
If a home is empty because the person who paid the council tax has died, Glasgow City Council can grant an exemption. It is not automatic, so the executor has to apply. There is no time limit while Confirmation has not been granted, but once it has, the exemption lasts for a maximum of six months. We can provide the solicitor's letter the council asks for. If the person rented from Wheatley Homes Glasgow or a housing association, see what happens to a tenancy when someone dies.
Selling or transferring the home
If a house or flat is going to be marketed for sale, a Home Report is normally needed first. Once Confirmation has been granted, our conveyancing team can sell the property, or transfer it into the name of a beneficiary, and the proceeds are paid into the executry account. Our guides to selling an inherited house and clearing a house after a death explain the steps.
Court fees for Confirmation in Scotland, from 1 April 2026
- Estate worth up to £50,000
- No fee
- Estate worth £50,000.01 to £250,000
- £351
- Estate worth over £250,000
- £705
Court fees are set by the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service and are paid from the estate.
How long does Confirmation take at Glasgow Sheriff Court?
Waiting times change with demand. In July 2025, the Royal Faculty of Procurators in Glasgow reported that the wait for Confirmation had come down to around six weeks, from 12 to 14 weeks previously. An application that is returned because of an error adds weeks to that, so we check every inventory, date and value carefully before it goes to the court.
What we do
Expert executry services in Glasgow
For expert executry help, some executors ask us to handle the whole executry. Others only need legal advice on one part of it. Either way, we keep you informed at every stage.
02
Full estate administration
From assets and liabilities to the final executry accounts, we deal with the administration of the estate so you do not have to.
Find out more03
Intestate estates
When a loved one dies without a will, we apply for the appointment of an executor-dative, arrange the bond of caution and apply the intestacy rules.
Find out more04
Inheritance tax and capital gains tax
We provide legal advice on inheritance tax issues, work out the amount of inheritance tax due, prepare inheritance tax returns and deal with capital gains tax that arises during the executry.
Find out more05
Legal rights claims
We advise executors and family members on legal rights claims by a surviving spouse, civil partner or the children of the deceased.
Find out more06
Advice for executors
Asked to become the executor and not sure what it involves? We explain your duties and can help with a single question or a difficult asset.
Find out more
Clear costs
How much do executry solicitors in Glasgow charge?
There is no single price for executry work. Solicitors in Scotland may charge a fixed fee, an hourly rate or a fee linked to the value of the estate, and the right approach depends on the estate. We look at the assets and liabilities, whether there is a will, whether inheritance tax is due and whether there is a property to sell. We then set out our fees in writing in a client care letter before any work starts.
A solicitor who is named as executor, or brought in to act as one, charges for their time in the same way, and the fee is paid from your loved one's estate.
- Your first appointment is free
- A written fee estimate in our client care letter
- Court fees, bond of caution premiums and valuations shown separately
- Fees are normally paid from the estate, not from your own pocket
We do not provide legal aid.
If you are the executor
Asked to become the executor? What the role involves
A will usually appoints someone to wind up the estate, often a family member or a solicitor. Winding up an estate is a real responsibility. The executor is legally responsible for the estate, and mistakes such as paying beneficiaries before all the debts are settled can lead to personal liability. The main duties are:
- find the will and check whether there is a later one
- identify and value the assets and liabilities at the date of death
- apply for Confirmation and pay any inheritance tax due
- collect the assets, and pay the funeral account, debts and taxes
- deal with any legal rights claims and distribute the estate to the beneficiaries
Why us
A compassionate private client law firm that puts executry first
Executry Solicitors Scotland is part of Simplicity Legal, a law firm regulated by the Law Society of Scotland. Our wider private client work covers wills and executries, drafting wills, power of attorney documents and conveyancing, and our family law team can help if an estate raises a family dispute.
Specialist focus
Executry is all this service does
This service is dedicated to executries, so your estate is handled by a team that focuses on the executry process in Scotland, sheriff court procedure and the tax rules that apply to estates.
Compassionate
Plain English, at your pace
We understand that you are dealing with the death of a loved one. We explain things clearly, never rush you, and fit around what you and your family need. Our guide to bereavement support in Glasgow and beyond lists local services if you would like someone to talk to.
Nearby
Also helping families in Renfrewshire
Paisley
Executry help for families in Paisley and across Renfrewshire, including Confirmation at Paisley Sheriff Court.
Executry solicitors PaisleyRenfrew
Advice for executors in Renfrew, with appointments at our Glasgow office or by phone.
Executry solicitors Renfrew
Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions about executries in Glasgow
Call 0141 471 9166How much do executry solicitors in Glasgow charge?
Executry fees depend on the size and complexity of the estate. Solicitors may charge a fixed fee, an hourly rate or a fee linked to the value of the estate. We give you a written estimate in our client care letter before any work starts, and our fees, court fees and other outlays are normally paid from the estate rather than by you personally.
Which court deals with Confirmation for someone who lived in Glasgow?
For someone whose home was in the city of Glasgow, the application for Confirmation is normally made to the commissary department at Glasgow Sheriff Court, 1 Carlton Place, Glasgow G5 9DA. If the person lived outside Scotland, or their home address is not known, the application goes to HM Commissary Office at Edinburgh Sheriff Court.
How long does it take to wind up an estate in Glasgow?
A straightforward estate often takes six to twelve months from the date of death. The time the court takes to grant Confirmation, selling a property, inheritance tax and any legal rights claims can all add to this. Executors are also generally advised to wait six months from the date of death before paying out the estate, because creditors can still make claims in that time.
Can a solicitor act as the executor?
Yes. A solicitor can be named as executor in a will, or existing executors can bring a solicitor in as a co-executor. A solicitor who acts as executor charges for their time, and the fee is paid from the estate. If you would rather keep the role yourself, we can act as your solicitor and do the work while you make the decisions.
What happens if there is no will?
When someone dies without a will in Scotland, their estate is intestate. A relative, usually the closest, applies to the sheriff court to be appointed as executor-dative, and a bond of caution is usually needed. The estate then passes under the Succession (Scotland) Act 1964, starting with the prior rights and legal rights of a surviving spouse or civil partner. A surviving cohabitant has no automatic right to inherit but may be able to make a claim to the court, and the claim must be made within six months of the death, so early legal advice matters.
Do I need to live in Glasgow to use your executry service?
No. Executry law is the same across Scotland, so we can act wherever you live. If you are an executor living elsewhere in the UK or abroad, we can deal with almost everything by phone, email and post.
Can I be an executor and a beneficiary?
Yes. It is very common for an executor to be a beneficiary of the same estate, for example a son or daughter named in a parent's will. As executor you must still treat every beneficiary fairly and follow the will or the rules of intestacy. Our guide on what beneficiaries can do if an executor is not doing their job explains the other side.
Talk to us today
Contact our executry team in Glasgow
Call us on 0141 471 9166 and tell us a little about the estate. One of our executry solicitors will talk you through the next steps. Your first appointment is free and there is no obligation.
If you can, have the death certificate, the will and any recent bank or pension statements to hand. If you do not have them yet, that is fine. Finding them is part of what we do. Our guides explain what a husband, wife or civil partner inherits and what happens to a joint bank account.
- Phone 0141 471 9166
- Office 34 Woodlands Road, Glasgow G3 6UR
- Hours Monday and Friday 9am to 5pm, Tuesday to Thursday 8am to 6pm
The quickest way to reach us
0141 471 9166Call to book your free first appointment, at one of our offices or by phone.
Please note that legal aid is not available for this service.