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General => The Common Room => Topic started by: maidmarion on Wednesday 23 November 22 08:40 GMT (UK)

Title: Issues with GRO probate site
Post by: maidmarion on Wednesday 23 November 22 08:40 GMT (UK)
https://www.gov.uk/search-will-probate

Having big issues with the above site. It’s crashing, unable to do searches and when it finally appears to work it unfortunately won’t accept payment!

Is this an ongoing issue? Anyone else having problems?
Title: Re: Issues with GRO probate site
Post by: Andy J2022 on Wednesday 23 November 22 08:58 GMT (UK)
It has been flaky ever since they started using the new beta version of software, so maybe they are trying to fix things while keeping the site live, and that's causing these problems.
Incidentally the Probate service is the responsibility of HM Courts and Tribunals Service not the GRO. The actual day-to-day operation is provided by an outsourcing company called Iron Mountain (https://www.ironmountain.com/uk/resources/case-studies/h/hm-courts-and-tribunals-service).
Iron Mountain's claim that "Customers enjoy a more sustainable and convenient process" is highly debatable.
Title: Re: Issues with GRO probate site
Post by: carom on Wednesday 23 November 22 09:29 GMT (UK)
I have left a couple of negative reviews on their site after having the same problems as you.

I received a reply that "Our website is fully functioning"
Best laugh of the day!
Title: Re: Issues with GRO probate site
Post by: maidmarion on Wednesday 23 November 22 10:03 GMT (UK)
Thank you both.
I saw it was a Beta site and guessed this could be the issue.
All very frustrating to say the least.
Title: Re: Issues with GRO probate site
Post by: Kevwood on Wednesday 23 November 22 10:33 GMT (UK)
Yes it’s not been great, I keep getting the pages come up in random order not alphabetical when searching!
Title: Re: Issues with GRO probate site
Post by: maidmarion on Wednesday 23 November 22 12:53 GMT (UK)
I’ve just seen that the payment has been taken from my account. Not sure if this is a good thing or not after all the issues. I shall have to wait and see!  ::)
Title: Re: Issues with GRO probate site
Post by: LizzieL on Wednesday 23 November 22 13:05 GMT (UK)
It worked OK for me today, but I was looking up a recent will in the digital search collection for which I knew month and year of death. When I look up older wills the image search brings up a load of irrelevant image pages as well as the one I want.
Title: Re: Issues with GRO probate site
Post by: Kevwood on Wednesday 23 November 22 13:07 GMT (UK)
It worked OK for me today, but I was looking up a recent will in the digital search collection for which I knew month and year of death. When I look up older wills the image search brings up a load of irrelevant image pages as well as the one I want.


That’s exactly what I had and in no particular order as well