[Closed] Father died and then the Vultures arrived!

Nasty situation. Symathies for the death of your fatherYes I have seen it - even to the point of people faking wills. Is there a will? Who are the executors? Who is the next of kin?

No one should be taking anything from the house. If its valuable then make sure the executor knows about it or even get the police involved. If its in your power certainly stop anyone taking anything else.

if the will is going to be acrimonious then a lawyer for some advice might be useful

good luck - its the last thing you need right now but all to common I am afraid.

🙁 Can't offer any advice, but maybe the police can with : [i]"they even took some property from the house, without telling me"[/i] ?

Maybe change the locks if they have keys and but no legal right of entrance ?

Crap situation to be in, just try to keep your cool and take sensible level-headed action. Good luck.

When my wife's mother died, one of the neighbours went through her bag and stole all the money in there, around 200 pounds. I found out because one of the kids told me she'd been rifling through it so I confronted her and asked what she was doing. She said she was 'just making sure everything was sorted'..? That one ended up with her husband coming round and starting to make threats. Cock. We got the money back after me, my brother in law and my neice's boyfriend all turned up on his doorstep.

Total scum. That woman's death totally ripped my wife's family apart and yet people who claimed to be her friend would steal from the family.

Cheers TJ,i,m afraid it was the executor for the Will who took the property!It is supposed to be a 50 50 Will,but some people have no respect for the law,or any honour for that matter.They also want to hide payments from the lawyer to save on costs.Having read them the riot Act they now are upset with me.How do you deal with these greedy peasants.Not looking forward to the funeral at all.

If your father has just recently died then the Executor still has no right to do anything with his estate. This should be handled by a solicitor. Removing anything before this has been done is fraud.

GEt teh lawyer involved right away - if the executor took property thats just wrong on so many levels. I would be considering getting the law involved as well. Be very careful and protect your position.

The executor is supposed to be the person who can be trusted!

All the goods have been returned as demanded.It,s not really the Will but the allocation of it,s contents which is now worrying me.Not that i know the content of it.I suspect they want to foist the old rickety property on me,and take the easy money for themselves.

The will contains who gets what. The executor is only there to see that those instructions are carried out, not to make it up as they go along!

Thanks TJ and DRUID etc,but i think these folks just don,t understand the proceedures.The items are of no great value and my legal threats will hopefully make them behave.

You guys and girls have any idea how much approx it would cost for me to hire a lawyer to deal with these matters?Or is that the lenght of a piece of string question.Cheers for your support.mcmd

You should explain to them that for legal/tax reasons, it all needs to be handled by a solicitor - even if the total value of the estate is found to be below the threshold for inheritance tax.

Did your father/family have any connection with a lawyer - perhaps for conveyancing? It may well be that the lawyer already has a copy of the will.

If it all goes smoothly, it will cost in the region of £1,000 to £1,500. However, that will be paid be the estate once it has all been settled.

Oh - I'm executor on my dad/mums estate and currently going through the process for the second time in 12 months.....

these folks just don,t understand the proceedures

Well they're on a loser then I reckon - the whole point of a written will is that everyone knows what's what's concerning the wishes of the deceased, and there are no arguments, they carry quite a hefty legal weight.

Of course you don't need this sort of crap at this particular time, but as TJ says, it's fairly common. I wouldn't have thought that you have much to worry about as far as your father's last will being correctly interpreted though - the law is on your side on that one.

Cheers folks,sympathies druidh.Should i bring my 55r,s to the funeral or just ignore the Barstewards!

A decent lawyer should give you an initial appointment for free to talk thru what is needed. Whereabouts are you? Someone might have a recommendation.

Had a vaguely similar situation which got reasonably nasty. I pointed out that really the dead person would be quite upset that stuff was being nicked against his desires. Made not a jot of difference. Changed locks, police, lawyers etc. Incredible. Family eh ? Interestingly once we got the will sorted every single one that had been agitating was specifically mentioned not to get anything 😀 Brought the rest of us closer together and was painful but necessary.

Was expecting an apology and got a slanging match,i think the "nuclear" in nuclear family is very apt in my case.

Good luck

Thanks alI,I will keep you updated.

something similar with my gran but the sods pretty much cleaned he out before she died.
anything of value in the house just vanished and all that was left wad a couple of hundred quid between the gran kids, the sad thing is that there was never going to be loads of cash as she wasn't well off but the other 1/2 of the family couldn't help themselves quick enough.
it's a shame that some poeple are like that.

Finally seeing the estate solicitor monday.Think with my rotten family he wants to foist this old ran down property on me.CAB told me not to sign anything.Any ideas?

Sorry monkey. That's rubbish. What do you mean "he wants to foist this old property..."? No matter what state property is in it's still an asset worth something. So you've gone to cab too?

The will should state who gets what. If it says to be shared, then everything gets split, e.g. this shack and the holliday villa in marbella to be shared between A and B does not mean 1 each, it means both get half. Stick to this.

Coulda-I think lawyer/sibling would much prefer a pile of easy money than a house in need of repair in this market.Also what could i do with a randown house and very little money?If I say i don,t want the house could thy kick me out?

Monkey - are you living there?

afaik this makes very "lttle" diiference but the emotional "difference" is huge.

You need a solicitor.

Simple.

If there's a will that will state all. If not then generally all gets shared equally with children (assuming deceased's spouse is also deceased). Shared equally will usually involve sale of the main residence.

But - and this is a big but - there is always a row. You are way way better off getting someone to do the arguing for you.

In my own case it was the opposite - dad wanted X. He knew for ages he was gone. Everyone knew his wishes. He'd discussed it with us and we'd agreed. There was still a row!

Get a solicitor.

I have no idea. Sorry about your dad mate.

Thanks Kevevs and coulda.I,ve been thinking about hiring a Solicitor but the cost is a worry.It may also have the effect of holding up the whole process and line the pockets of the lawyers.Household expenses are also about to be dumped on me.Hairyboy

Sorry for your loss mcmd

You sound as though you may be quite young and you really need to heed the advice above regarding your rights, especially as it sounds as though the 'run-down house' in question is where you live.

There are lots of questions which may become clearer after your meeting tomorrow eg.does the estate solicitor have The Will (if there is one) or has he been appointed by another member of the family? If the solicitor is simply administering The Will in conjunction with any executor, then there is not much you can do at this stage.

Best advice I can give is that if you are at all unsure about anything, ask questions, and before you do anything, and I mean anything, get proper legal advice from someone who will act in your interests, even if that just means going back to CAB to point you in the right direction.

Thanks Woody,I'll post again Tommorow night if anything interesting comes up.

monkeycmonkeydo lot of good things being said by folk on this post. Keep talking to people here. It all helps!

There are plenty solicitors on here but I don't know if there are any specializing in probate. Once you have more info it may well be worth posting back any questions.

I may be wrong on this but re worrying about the cost of a solicitor, I think some at least will give you a first appointment free to discuss your case and then advise accordingly, so at least you will have a good idea where you stand before it starts to cost.

Good luck

hiring a Solicitor but the cost is a worry

It is. But. The vultures earn their worth.

I only say this as my brother is one. You need one. Seriously. Your relatives already have one.

And I apogise for not offering my condolences earlier. Sorry.;

You might think the residence is worthless. It isnt. Anyone who tell's you it is is lying.

Asked the probate solicitor to do a survey of the house,before i take any decisions.Trouble is they will only do a superficial inspection,i need a proper building survey.I have concerns about the state of this property.Should i get my own survey done?how much will that cost?Still can,t decide about hiring my own solicitor.King of the swingers.

What is the status of the house ie. does it form part of the estate or has it been left to you specifically ?

Ask my sister she's controlling my father and his finances saw a document gifting her 3 kids £234,000 & nothing to my 2, also set herself up to inherit his fortune, amazing what you can achieve being a manipulative cunning controlling nutcase. Not a lot I can do about it, some very evil people when it comes to money.

Woody-part of the Estate.

If it's part of the estate, then the survey costs should be borne by the estate. Are you considering buying the house and are concerned that the valuation might be too high?

It really sounds like you need to run this by a solicitor who will act on your behalf as it looks like it may get complicated.

very confusing thread,
very confused OP

My uncle used to only visit his sister and mother when he wanted money. My nan had severe arthritis in the years before she died, and he used to come around and mow the the lawn, which my mom though he was doing out of the kindness of his heart. My nan was actually paying him £50 a pop.

When my nan died, she didn't leave much - a small amount to my uncle, and her jewellry (engagement, wedding rings) to my mother (as is family tradition) plus money to cover funeral expenses. My uncle turned up with his third wife, threw a massive tantrum that my nan's jewellery went to my mother, and also said he was glad his mother was dead, as she'd been 'a burden' in her last years, which as you can imagine, upset my mother.

Family - can't live with them, can't shoot them in the face.

Monkey you really need to bite the bullet and see a solicitor, the costs of £1500 should not put too big a dent in your inheritance. Keep lots of records and tape things if necessary as you still sound a bit raw from the death and the vultures will be playing on this.
Relatives can be a pain at the time of a death, it could be worse you could be abroad trying to sort things out in a foreign language with a different set of rules for inheritance! (Family experience here complete with thieving distant relatives).

OP, get a solicitor, ask them for advice, seek expert opinion. Family or not don't let them rob you or anybody else. And talk to people here, vastly therapeutic.
All the best to you and sorry about your Dad.

Ok,it comes down to this.Sell up(if were lucky)and have a load of cash.Or,accept the house,have somewhere to live but less money.Plus repairs to do.Oh and some repairs to do.Thanks for any ideas.The Apes.

Mortgage free property? Have it! Repairs surely less than a couple of years of rent money?

If you like the house? Want to live in it?

lock everything down and tell people that you need time.

Thanks guys,don,t worry Nutt i,m thinking it all over.Have been thinking about staying,simply because that,s the easy thing to do.But is the easy way the best way?

What sort of state is the house in. Would you be doing repairs yourself? Or find the cash (possibly remortgage the house) to pay someone to do it for you? Obviously you don't really want to remortgage, but if it means you can spend £25k and realistically sell for £50k, or have no intention of doing the repairs yourself but it allows you to live there happily, it might be worth considering.

Got a photo of the house? Don't know if we are talking about a mid-terrace or a rambling old detached house in the middle of no-where.

oh my goodness, OP. Condolences about your father, and then sympathy for what happens next. Nightmare.

Just about anyone else here will be better informed about property but seeing as the interest rate on money is low, if:

- a) you're renting at the moment
- b) you'd want to live there

The money you'd save on rent would surely be more than the return you'd get from taking the money and putting it in the bank. Wouldn't it?

But at this point you might not want to move everything, go through the hassle etc.

After rushing everything through,probate has been granted on my Fathers estate.After only 4 months since my fathers death i now face a difficult choice.I can only stay in my home if i get the lawyer/executer to accept they,ve overvalued the property.Should i just make a reasonable offer and hope they see sense?

Could you get a few estate agents to value the property to support your idea of the value? That at least would be free. Either way, glad things are moving and it should soon be behind you.

the one thing not to do is rush.. a property is only worth what someones prepared to pay for it. dont take some estate agents valuation as a fact even if its one of half a dozen valuations pound notes is what counts and thats all its worth.

Does anybody know if once probate has been granted,can valuations on things like housing be challenged.Cheers for all your help,the apes.

Monkey

Did you take the advice of almost everyone who has posted and get your own solicitor? It doesn't sound like you did if you are still not happy with things.

As for making an offer on the property, and depending on the market in your area, it may well be worth making an 'under-valuation' offer if all the 'vultures' want to do is get their hands on the money quickly.

Did I mention - see a solicitor. You'll need one anyway if you buy the house and they can give you advice at the same time.

I am not going to buy the house.I will just be given it as my share of the will

i would first get in touch with the police and then a solicitor as a matter of urgency.

Do remember that a house with a sitting tenant has a far lower value than one with no tenant.

Stay put buster.

Had the same fella after my Nan died at 101
Not going into detail, but it just amazes me how shit
people can be and being your family.

Sorry for your loss Fella !!

I am not going to buy the house.I will just be given it as my share of the will

Have you taken any independent legal advice at all?

GWoody I,m on benefits.Lawyers ain,t cheap mate.Cheers all for your advice. PS anybody else having trouble with this website tonight.

Lawyers ain,t cheap mate

Reminds me of the big wing in the local prison reserved for the prisoners who defended themselves without a solicitor.

Obviosly I don't know the ins and outs of your situation, and Laywers aren't cheap, but 4/500 quid spent now really could pay for itself many times over. and most lawyers would wait for payment till after the will has been settled

Sorry to hear about your father and even more sorry about your relatives.

I can't give you advice on wills etc but have had a couple of surveys on properties recently. We were offered three types; valuation, homebuyer survey and building report.
Valuation - basically confirms it's a house and not falling down and estimates a value.
Homebuyer report - estimates a value but also assesses the property for any defects and rates their severity. A lot of the time will advise additional expert surveys. we paid 700.
Building report I believe is more thorough version of above but also identifies the repairs and associated costs.

[url= http://www.rics.org/site/download_feed.aspx?fileID=6087&fileExtension=PDF ]RICS Guide Here[/url]

Talk to a solicitor.

You're labouring under the idea that "I can't afford it" without any idea of cost at all, and your family are taking the pish and laughing all the way to the bank. An initial consultation with a solicitor is often free, and if you're due an inheritance then a portion of this will cover the fees.

Talk to a solicitor.

See also, the first point in this post.

And, talk to a solicitor.

monkeycmonkeydo - Member
GWoody I,m on benefits.Lawyers ain,t cheap mate.Cheers all for your advice. PS anybody else having trouble with this website tonight.

Legal Aid?

I'd def speak to some Est Agents re. valuations or look at what comparable stuff is selling for. You have seen their valuation yes?

You need to argue this stuff hard (with evidence) unfortunately, if you're not comfortable doing so yourself a lawyer will make sure you are taken seriously.

You may also wish to think of the effect of any inheritance on your benefits...CAB?

Talk to a Solicitor who deals with Contentious Probate you will need a larger firm with a specialist family or private client division.

Only accept a valuation in writing from a fully qualified chartered surveyor and then get a second opinion from another fully qualified chartered surveyor.

If inheritance tax has been paid and the property value has gone down HMRC will even rebate some of the tax paid. After all the property market in most of the UK is shot to hell and prices are falling all over so it would be unsurprising if any property with a sitting tenant has seen a significant fall in its value over the last four or five months.

Took your advice people and hired a solicitor. Can't say I feel good about it.Cheers for all your contibutions.Apeman

Monkey, sorry to hear about your family loss.. my dad died just recently and we have been through all the legal stuff too.

This sound like its running too fast... did you check how the solicitors charge their probate fee? Some charge per hour, others charge a percentage of the estate... could that be the reason for the inflated property valuation... ?

Good luck getting it sorted. There is loads of good advice here.

R

You [i]should[/i] feel good about it - the end result will be fair because of your actions.