Executor *UPDATE* #19

blossomhill_2

Likewise I thought he was still with you; it must be very hard on you to have this to deal with as well as your loss, so my sympathies for your loss, and I hope your sister accepts the situation soon and respects your late father's wishes

getmore4less

Sorry for your loss. its a tough time even more so with disruptive relatives.

Funeral directors seem happy to take instructions from anyone thta can produce the green form.

What sort of changes did she plan to make.

might have been worth stringing her along

might have got a shock when the full bill came her way as there were no assets in the estate.

At least is should be straight forward and not need probate.

redwineguzzler

Well, just a quick update, we have had my fathers funeral, very little was said between us sisters, but I did ask them to sign a 'Statutory Declaration Form' from Skiptons Building Society, to release funds. Herein lies a problem....

Dad had 2 Building Society Accounts with very little in each (between the both of them, it will be just enough to cover the cost of the funeral expenses.

The first Building Society, just wanted death certificate and proof that I was executor, it all went very smoothly, and within a few days I had received a cheque - brilliant!

Skiptons on the other hand, had Death Certificate & Will, no problems there, 'Oh look they said', your sisters are all named as beneficeries, that's correct I said, well you need each sister to print names, sign, date, address's & bank account details on the Statutory Declaration Form to be filled in! all this is to be done in front of solicitor (hav'nt got a hope in hell I'm thinking), anyway, I ask them if they can just send a direct payment to funeral directors instead, apparently not!

Once this form has been correctly filled in, they will then release a cheque to each one of us. Dosen't this make a mockery of being the executor I asked, I also said that even if they filled in this form, I didn't stand a hope in hell of getting anything from them towards the funeral (hence asking them to send a cheque direct to funeral directors), I asked what else I could do,they told me to get probate, there is less than £2.000 in the account.....

Had the funeral, have asked sisters to fill the form in, or they won't be able to get the money they are due (they don't know how much), whether they will fill in the forms I have no idea, so I'm just left waiting. One sister is from overseas, I don't even know when she is going back?

Why can one building society be so great and another have to be a pain in the !!!!! Don' know what else to do - any ideas folks?????

Thankyou.

daska

I would challenge the bank in writing. AFAIK the bank have no legal right to distribute the estate, and certainly should not do so without the executor's permission. For a start the executor has the legal responsibility to pay the debts owed by the estate, first and foremost of which are the funeral expenses. So if there will be no cash left after using the monies in the accounts there is nothing to distribute anyway.

Having said all that you may have to do the Probate application, the bank can insist on having that.

Oh, and, even if the Will stipulates that this specific a/c be split between you the debts have to be paid first.

troubleinparadise

I have not heard of an account being paid out by the financial institution according to the terms of a will. I assume that is because there is not an "executor's account" open to deposit the monies in, and any current account would have been closed.

But it does raise questions as to how a funeral bill might be paid if there is little money available in a cash account.

I'd be interested in hearing how you resolve this. So sorry to hear that problems continue to rumble on

RAS

hi

Get the funeral directors to write the estate (not you personally) an invoice for the rest of the funeral costs (less what you have already paid from the other account).

Present this to the bank and they have to pay the funeral directors from the account.

redwineguzzler

Well, as predicted I have nothing from sisters re: filling inform,so yesterday I wrote a letter of complaint to 'Skiptons', so I'm just waiting to hear a reply.
I have also been in touch with the funeral directors, who I must say have been fab! so watch this space and I will keep you updated.....
Thanks folks.... x

redwineguzzler

UPDATE....

I have eventually received a letter back from Skiptons, had to fill in a form "withdrawl before probate" they will now send a cheque straight to funeral directors.

Why on earth they could'nt do this before I have no idea, but thank goodness that's another job done.

dzug1

I suspect that they skimp on training branch staff

hardpressed

I think I would put in a formal complaint about the way they gave you false information, at least it may save some other family the same trouble.