I was on the phone to my gran recently. Her half-brother died a couple of months ago. She wants to know what has happened to his house/any will he may have made etc as she’s heard nothing. Sounds like she’s not actually bothered about ‘getting’ anything, more that she feels a bit left out as they were close (or hates the idea someone else may have got it). Anyway, she asked me to look into it, by using my young person’s ‘tinternet’ skills. She doesn’t know that my ‘tinternet skills’ amount to forwarding her question to a MTB forum, but there you go… 🙂

The guy in question had no wife or kids, his closest next of kin are his three half sisters, of which my gran is one.

apply to the local probate office to see if he left a will and ask for a copy, if he didnt leave a will ask relatives what happened to the estate,

Thanks. Hopefully I’ll be able to do that as she thinks she’s too old etc to deal with stuff like this (she’s not). And I don’t think she’s on speaking terms with the other two relatives.

@jambourgie, if you or your Gran is worried about what may have happened you can apply for a “caveat”, this puts a hold on the probate process – its easy to do I looked it up on the internet. I did this when my mother-in-law passed away and it was discovered a “new will” had appeared. As above first steps will be to ask the others. Wills can be lodged with the probate office but that tends to be the exception. I have sadly experienced a couple of instances of deceitful behaviour post the death of a relative, people can behave very strangely with money. Is the house on the market ?

Is the house on the market ?

This was the first thing I did, and no. Doesn’t appear so. It was bought in the fifties so there’s no records that I can find. We all live at different ends of the country so I can’t really just go and have a look.

@jambourgie, search online to see if house is for sale. He may have made a will leaving the money to friends/etc or he (very possibly) will have done nothing at which point your Gran and her sisters can make a claim on the estate. FYI if no one claims it the money goes to the Queen. If he did make a will leaving money to a friend / “dogs home” etc the executor may well not tell you Gran and her sisters, they will just get on with following the will.

I assume there was a funeral and that was paid for etc

This is government website I used to get the caveat

link

jambalaya, thanks for the info. I’ll look into it.

Cheers.