Problems with the probate website

I'm just about to give that a try @Stephen L and will report back.
However, I would just like to mention a caveat on using the details from FindmyPast or Ancestry. I had a failed order after checking the image on both those sites and it turned out that the probate calendar page on the "government" site had that Folio Number pencilled in number written on it that they always ask for and is rarely there. The other sites didn't have that amendment on.
However - I have just logged onto the site and found that the order details no longer ask for the Folio Number. That means they have just edited the site, which might be why you are getting the error, Stephen? I have often got that just after they've changed the site.....

 

I tried it yesterday, and again today, and got the same message so it's not just you @Stephen L. As it means "internal server error", it is at their end. The folio number box only appears after the registry is selected; maybe it doesn't appear for some registries that never used them, and for later years too. They seem to be trying to reintroduce some of the features of the old site - the registry is now selected off a list, not by your having to type it. Shame the list isn't alphabetic!

 

A good point. I had forgotten about that. I have two word documents containing screen shots of probate calendar extracts for two families that I took from FindMyPast. Many do have folio numbers. A quick check of a few on Ancestry shows that none of the folio numbers are included on the images there.

A good supposition. The words "What is the folio number" appear early but the box for typing it only appears if London or Principal Registry are selected from the drop down menu. The drop down menu was there before yesterday so that is not new.

So it is fine to use images from elsewhere if the grant was at any of the other registries. If the grant was at one of those two avoid using Ancestry to find the required details.

 

In that case, something has changed since a few weeks back, as the image with the folio number (missing on Ancestry) that I had was actually for the Winchester Registry and was rejected because I hadn't included the Folio Number

 

I think that must be a rare case. I have just checked all of the registries including Winchester and none of the others generate a box for the folio number.
So it is actually physically impossible for you to include a folio number for a Winchester grant, at least it is now. Maybe you could ask them to send you the grant as their website will not allow a folio number,

 

I've just realised that my probate order tracking spreadsheet contains this information. Out of 82 ordered wills, 25 had folio numbers, and all were for the London or Principal registry. One of those I think I got OK without entering the number. The latest date was 1926. There were 9 from those two registries with no number, of which the earliest was 1931 (apart from one in 1864, probably misrecorded but I can't check now as the name is not found). The rest had a (longer) reference number printed after the text. None for other registries had a folio number.

 

That's interesting Stephen. This was actually the will that I ordered on the old website and it never turned up! I'd previously ordered it without the Folio Number and it was rejected, saying they couldn't find it. After weeks (months?) of emailing them, they finally emailed me a copy of the grant and will this week. I wonder what will happen with other wills that have a Folio Number if there isn't the facility to enter it....

 

Having finally got round to braving another order, I am now getting this problem too, so I can't get to pay for the will in my basket. Since the system doesn't preserve the basket from one session to the next, That means I have to remember what I ordered - not necessarily easy with a brain functioning like mine is doing....

 

To get around that problem I tried just one will today to test the system.
Maybe if anyone does find it is working it would be useful to report back here.

 

Hello @Stephen L tried again this morning. Still the same. I've emailed them and am not going to hold my breath

 

Hello again @Stephen L Looks like they've partially fixed that particular problem, which now only applies to me if I order a will with a Folio Number. All other orders have gone through ok, so I'm still waiting for them to fix that one!

However, I now have another problem. They've changed the Download so that it displays in the current browser page (not as a separate download as before). This is bearable for old wills where the Grant and the Will itself are given as one file, but for more recent wills, it means that I only get the Grant. (and then have to navigate backwards to get back to the orders list). Are they just editing the site "on the fly"? Have you any comments on this @peter

 

It's worth checking the browser settings for downloads. In Firefox, I found a couple of weeks ago that something (probably an update) had been messing with those settings, so it opened PDFs (and spreadsheets too) in Firefox. I can't check if mine still works now as I don't have any unexpired wills I can download.

 

No - right clicking just opens the main HMRC page, not the download bit.

Thanks Stuart. I'll have a go with a different browser. It's only recently started doing this so it may indeed be the update or whatever that you refer to!

 

Does it work to duplicate the tab, so the previous page is still there when you click the link in the other tab?

 

It's quite interesting - it actually gives me a new session in the next tab that I have to log into and start again. I've not had another website do that at all. It does mean that I can have two sessions going and alternate from one to the other, back-pageing to the orders list when I've finished. What a faff . However, since it doesn't give me the will, only the grant, it's not a lot of good!

Just had a go with Chrome and that allows me to download pdfs as before so it's either a problem with Firefox or IronMountain have not configued it to work with Firefox. I don't like Chrome so I'll keep looking.....

 

For Firefox (I'm using 98.0.2), click the "three bars" symbol to the right of the search bar to open the application menu and select "Settings". About 2/3 of the way down the page, in the applications box, change the settings for PDF to Save File.

 

Thank you very much, @PhilGee (I'm on the same version as you.) I wonder why that setting had changed? It's always allowed me to download it before the last few weeks. Must be that pesky update but now I know I'm not stuck with it, I can forge ahead! Thanks again

 

I am still getting exactly the same problem. It seems that clicking on Place Order for a will with a folio number generates the error message. An order for a will without a folio number proceeds to payment in the usual way. I have sent them another email.

 

that generates the automated reply "We're currently experiencing a high volume of queries which may result in a delayed response regarding your order. We are working to resolve this and aim to respond to you as soon as possible."
So they should be getting the message,