01
Confirmation
We value the estate, prepare the inventory and apply to Paisley Sheriff Court, whether the estate is large or small.
Find out morePrivate client solicitors for Paisley and Renfrewshire
Executry solicitors in Paisley: private client lawyers for Renfrewshire families
supportive, expert help when someone has died.
Our private client solicitors help executors in Paisley and across Renfrewshire deal with a loved one's estate, from registering the death and applying for Confirmation to paying the beneficiaries. You get clear legal advice, a written quote before we start and a free first appointment.
Paisley Sheriff CourtConfirmation lodged for you
Written quotebefore any work starts
Paisley and Renfrewshire
Experienced solicitors for executries in Paisley and across Renfrewshire
Paisley is Scotland's largest town and the administrative centre of Renfrewshire, and home to both Renfrewshire Council and the local sheriff court. Much of the legal side of an estate is dealt with here, and our executry team can manage it for you from start to finish.
We act for families in every part of Paisley, including Castlehead, Thornly Park, Glenburn, Foxbar and Gallowhill, and in nearby towns such as Johnstone, Linwood, Elderslie, Bridge of Weir, Erskine and Renfrew. Our office is in Glasgow at 34 Woodlands Road. You can meet us there, or we can deal with everything by phone, email and post, so you do not have to travel.
Executry is the Scottish name for winding up the estate of someone who has died. It is the equivalent of probate elsewhere in the United Kingdom, and the court document an executor needs is called Confirmation.
Local know-how
Dealing with an estate in Paisley: the local steps
The law is the same across Scotland, but the practical steps involve local offices. Here is how each one works for a Paisley estate, and where our solicitors can help.
Registering a death in Renfrewshire
A death in Scotland must be registered within 8 days. In Renfrewshire, registration is done by phone. The doctor sends the medical certificate of cause of death to the registrar with your details, and the registrar calls you, so you do not need to book an appointment or visit an office. You receive a free abbreviated death certificate, the Form 14 for the funeral director and a Tell Us Once reference. Full death certificates cost £10 each at registration, or £15 if ordered later, and some banks ask to see one. Our guide to registering a death in Scotland covers what you will need. 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. For emotional support, see our guide to bereavement support in Renfrewshire.
Confirmation at Paisley Sheriff Court
For someone whose home was in Renfrewshire, the application for Confirmation is normally dealt with at Paisley Sheriff Court, a short walk from Gilmour Street station. The application is made on form C1, which lists every asset in the estate, and it must be sent with the original will. Missing details or blank boxes are common reasons for applications to be returned, which is why we check every one carefully. Paisley also deals with East Renfrewshire estates, as our guide to which sheriff court deals with Confirmation explains. 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
A home that forms part of an estate may be exempt from council tax if it is nobody's main home and the council tax is the responsibility of the estate alone. The exemption has to be applied for, and how long it lasts depends on whether and when Confirmation has been granted, so it is worth contacting the council early. If the person was a council or housing association tenant, see what happens to their tenancy.
Selling a house in the estate
If a Paisley home is going to be put on the market, a Home Report is normally needed first. Once Confirmation has been granted, our conveyancing team can sell the property, or transfer it to a beneficiary, and the sale proceeds go into the executry account. Our guides to selling an inherited house and clearing a house after a death explain the steps.
Practice areas
Our private client practice areas
We specialise in executry, and we are part of a wider law firm, so we can cover the related legal services an estate often needs. We tailor what we do to the estate and your family.
02
Estate administration
We manage the whole estate administration, from collecting in the assets to preparing the executry accounts and paying the beneficiaries. If you are a beneficiary waiting on someone else's executor, see what you can do if an executor is not doing their job.
Find out more03
Inheritance tax
We work out whether tax is due, claim the allowances available and complete the returns to HMRC, including income and capital gains tax during the executry.
Find out more04
Conveyancing for estate property
Selling a family home or transferring it to a beneficiary, handled by our conveyancing team.
Find out more05
Wills and powers of attorney
Many executors want to put their own legal documents in order afterwards. Our private client solicitors can help with a will and power of attorney.
Ask us06
Disputes and family law
If there is a dispute over an estate, or a claim by a surviving spouse, cohabitant or child, our solicitors and family law team can advise.
Find out more
A common question
Power of attorney, guardianship and what happens after death
Many executors have been looking after a parent's affairs under a power of attorney or a guardianship order before the death. It helps to know how these fit with the executry.
- Power of attorney is signed by a person while they have capacity, so someone they trust can manage their affairs if they later cannot.
- Guardianship is an order from the sheriff court when a person has lost capacity and there is no power of attorney.
- Both end on death. The attorney or guardian must stop acting, and the executor takes over the estate.
- Records kept by the attorney or guardian help the executor value the estate. If you are unsure what to hand over, seek legal advice.
Clear costs
Ask for a quote from our executry team
Every estate is different, so we do not quote a price until we understand what is involved. We look at the value of the estate, whether there is a will, whether a property needs to be sold and whether inheritance tax is due. We then give you a written quote before any work starts, and our fees are normally paid from the estate.
Sheriff court fees for Confirmation are set nationally. From 1 April 2026 there is no fee for an estate worth up to £50,000, a fee of £351 for an estate worth £50,000.01 to £250,000, and a fee of £705 above that.
- Free first appointment to discuss the estate
- A written quote before we begin
- Court fees and other outlays shown separately
- Fees normally paid from the estate
We do not provide legal aid.
Why us
A specialist executry service with wider legal expertise
Executry Solicitors Scotland is part of Simplicity Legal, a law firm regulated by the Law Society of Scotland. That gives you a dedicated executry service, backed by a wide range of legal expertise across other areas of law, including conveyancing, family law and court work.
Comprehensive
One team for the whole estate
From the court application to the house sale and the final accounts, we provide comprehensive, expert legal advice so you are not passed between different firms.
Supportive
We explain, you decide
We explain each step in plain English and involve you in every key decision, at a pace that suits you and your family.
Nearby
Also helping executors in Renfrew and Glasgow
Renfrew
Executry help for families in Renfrew, where Confirmation is also dealt with at Paisley Sheriff Court.
Executry solicitors RenfrewGlasgow
Our executry team works from Glasgow's West End, helping executors across the city.
Executry solicitors GlasgowDo solicitors in Paisley offer free advice?
Many firms offer a free first meeting, and so do we. Your first appointment with our executry team is free, so you can explain the situation, ask questions and get a quote with no obligation. Please note that we do not provide legal aid.
What services do executry solicitors in Paisley provide?
Executry solicitors help executors wind up the estate of someone who has died. That includes valuing the estate, applying to the sheriff court for Confirmation, paying debts and inheritance tax, selling or transferring property, dealing with legal rights claims and distributing the estate to the beneficiaries. You can ask a solicitor to handle all of it or just the parts you need.
Which court deals with Confirmation for someone who lived in Paisley?
For someone whose home was in Paisley or elsewhere in Renfrewshire, the application for Confirmation is normally dealt with at Paisley Sheriff Court, St James Street, Paisley PA3 2HW. The court is a short walk from Paisley Gilmour Street station. We prepare and lodge the application for you.
How can I contact you, and what are your opening hours?
You can call us on 0141 471 9166. Our office hours are Monday and Friday 9am to 5pm, and Tuesday to Thursday 8am to 6pm. Our office is at 34 Woodlands Road, Glasgow G3 6UR, and we can also deal with everything by phone and email.
What is the difference between a power of attorney and guardianship?
A power of attorney is a legal document a person signs while they still have capacity, appointing someone to act for them if they later cannot. Guardianship is an order the sheriff court makes when a person has lost capacity and there is no power of attorney in place. Both end when the person dies. At that point the attorney or guardian must stop acting, and the executor takes over the estate.
Do I need to use a solicitor based in Paisley?
No. Executry law is the same across Scotland, and any Scottish solicitor can apply to Paisley Sheriff Court on your behalf. If you are seeking an experienced executry solicitor, what matters most is that they deal with executries regularly and explain the process clearly.
Talk to us today
Get in touch about an estate in Paisley
Call us on 0141 471 9166 with a little about the estate and we will discuss your legal needs. Your first appointment is free, there is no obligation, and we will give you a written quote before any work starts.
It helps to have the death certificate, the will and any recent bank or pension statements, but do not worry if you do not have them yet. 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.