Heir Hunters

troyster_2

Hi,
I'm looking for some advice.
My elderly Mum has received a letter from a company called Anglia Research advising her that they think she is a beneficiary to an estate. Her 3 brothers and 1 sister have received the same letter.
The company will not disclose the name of the deceased or their relationship to my Mum, or the value of the estate. They want to charge one third (plus vat) commission of the legacy and don't seem keen to negotiate. We have no idea who the deceased could be. Any advice?

battleborn

troyster wrote: »

Hi,
I'm looking for some advice.
My elderly Mum has received a letter from a company called Anglia Research advising her that they think she is a beneficiary to an estate. Her 3 brothers and 1 sister have received the same letter.
The company will not disclose the name of the deceased or their relationship to my Mum, or the value of the estate. They want to charge one third (plus vat) commission of the legacy and don't seem keen to negotiate. We have no idea who the deceased could be. Any advice?

Maggie Thatcher?

System

I would assume that the estate is one of the ones in this list

http://www.bonavacantia.gov.uk/output/advertised-estates.aspx

Your options are to go through the list yourself and see if anyone matches your mothers surname or Mothers mothers maiden name and then see if there are any relation to your mother. Try and build up a family tree from your mothers side of the family as the chances are its going to be someone not that far up the list. Its obviously not your Grandparents but it may be something random like your mum's grandfathers brother/sister

If its nothing obvious though you may have to pay the 1/3rd

pimento

You could do your own family tree and see if you can work it out. Go to the Bona Vacantia site and look at the last few months to see if anything leaps out at you. This will work if you have an unusual name (or your relatives do) but not if you're the Smith or Jones family.

Beaten to it!

pimento

I'll do it for 10%...

maninthestreet

So you have to pay some third party to get an inheritance you are legally entitled to ???

troyster_2

Thanks folks.
I've already spent hours trying to trace who it could be, with no luck. They do have an unusual surname, but there's no name like that on the bona vacantia list. I've tried doing a family tree and I can find a lot of people from way back, but not more recent family members (born 20th century). I think it could be my grandfather's niece or nephew but I don't know their surname.

maninthestreet

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/1168315

System

maninthestreet wrote: »

So you have to pay some third party to get an inheritance you are legally entitled to ???

In fairness though the chances are its something very random like a great great grandfathers cousins son who the OP's mother has never heard of.

The company puts a lot of work into the list to try and find the heirs and on finding the heirs they get a cut. Without their work the OP's mother would be none the wiser.

They aren't going to do all the work for free!

pimento

troyster wrote: »

Thanks folks.
I've already spent hours trying to trace who it could be, with no luck. They do have an unusual surname, but there's no name like that on the bona vacantia list. I've tried doing a family tree and I can find a lot of people from way back, but not more recent family members (born 20th century). I think it could be my grandfather's niece or nephew but I don't know their surname.

You just need someone with a full Ancestry subscription. I have one and would be happy to do a look up for you if you would like me to.

Just PM me. No charge..

PudseyDB

goater78 wrote: »

In fairness though the chances are its something very random like a great great grandfathers cousins son who the OP's mother has never heard of.

The company puts a lot of work into the list to try and find the heirs and on finding the heirs they get a cut. Without their work the OP's mother would be none the wiser.

They aren't going to do all the work for free!

1/3rd of the money seems a bit excessive though!