Delivering Excellence in Bereavement Services

We talk to Martin Quinn from the Association of Probate Researchers (APR) to discuss a new regulatory system for probate researchers, who provide a service to local authorities’ cemeteries and crematoria services by tracing their residents’ next-of-kin.

At the Association of Probate Researchers (APR), we are delighted to have been awarded Recognised Body Status by the Professional Paralegal Register (PPR). This new Status means that all of APR’s regulated members can be trusted to carry out their work in a professional and ethical manner.

In order to achieve regulation and to be recognised by the PPR, all members of APR will have to provide evidence that they have reached a minimum of 4 years’ practical experience, and of having worked on over 100 probate cases. As well as experience, our members must adhere to APR’s set of professional standards and ethics code. Members must also sign up to the PPR code of conduct.

For those working in cemeteries and crematoria, this has a positive impact on you. Many local authorities use companies/tracing agents in the field of probate research to assist in locating next-of-kin of some of their residents. Arguably, using these companies is the most cost effective and time efficient process available to them, especially when trying to manage changing budgets alongside continuing to support public health funerals.

The reasons for using reputable research companies/tracing agents are numerous, but most importantly they’re used to confidently safeguard that exhaustive research has been undertaken, that all legal heirs have been located and that the correct estate monies are distributed, including the correct reimbursement of local authority fees. This is a great responsibility, so it is vital to ensure you have the correct person for the job. As such, local authorities have a duty to question how a supplier benchmarks the following:

1. Does my supplier pass the best practice test?
2. Is the Local Authority Procurement Department performing accurate Due Diligence?
3. If problems arise, will my supplier support a robust complaints procedure?
4. Is my supplier independently regulated?
5. Does my supplier have adequate Professional Indemnity insurance in place?
6. Is the research conducted by full time in-house employees?
7. Will my supplier rely on contractors or outsource the work?

Through APR, our member firms can guarantee that employees are regulated in relation to these question.

This is an Industry First; it is great to see the first APR public sector case managers achieve regulation and with high interest being shown by other companies, we will be announcing further members shortly.

To find out more information regarding the importance of regulation, and more about APR, click here.