How to find someone's solicitor to see if a will has been read

ajh1978

Hello, I hope someone can help me. My dad died in 2009 and I am 99.9% sure he would have had a will that my sister and I would be named in. However, we haven't been contacted about it. His wife (not our mum) is quite deceitful, nasty and rather enjoyed the high life my dad gave her and I wouldn't put it passed her to not have the will read (and not notify the solicitor of the death) if it meant we would be in receipt of something, especially as she seems to have benefitted without the will being read.
I have done some research and I haven't been able to find the will at the probate office which makes me think its unread. I have also found out that days before he died his businesses were signed over to her; the house in which they were living in was the company's registered address so I know that that property would have been signed over to her because she was now 'director' of the company (she didn't do anything in the business and she wouldn't have known how to run the businesses at all so I think this was purely for will reasons?) My dad had lived in Florida for a few years and had a business and property there as well so I know that there was some equity.
I am not sure, but I think my only option now would be to locate his solicitor and find out if the will is still stored there. I can't find her at all, the last house they lived in has now been sold and I can't find her on social media (although she was on there previously) and I can't find any of her family either. The difficulty here is that as he lived in several places in the years before he died I don't know how to do this?? Has anyone got any ideas? My dad was only married to this woman for a few years and it really grieves me that she has had everything, including sentimental items from my childhood and items that he had from my grandma. She didn't keep in touch with us after he died despite our efforts to do so and she hasn't even told us where she has scattered his ashes. I genuinely think she has broken contact because she is hiding something. Please help.

themull1

Why are you doing this now rather than in 2009? did you not know your dad had died?

Voyager2002

I don't think there is an easy answer... missing wills have been a constant issue discussed in books and in life over the last few hundred years.

Personally, if I had any money I would pay a private detective to look into this. And a good starting point would be the annual reports and accounts and so forth of your father's old company: they should identify some solicitors who had worked for the company, and it could well be the case that the same firms also worked for your father.

And this part of the board is for discussing credit card issues, so look for somewhere more appropriate to post your problem.

mozzy10

Just playing devil's advocate here and not wanting to upset you, but -
If your dad had made a will naming you and your sister as benefactors why had he not told you about it while he was still alive? Why didn't he give you details of where the will is being held and who the executer of his estate is?

If the death was unexpected then it really could be a case of there being no will.

Where did your father die?

CLAPTON

ajh1978 wrote: »

Hello, I hope someone can help me. My dad died in 2009 and I am 99.9% sure he would have had a will that my sister and I would be named in. However, we haven't been contacted about it. His wife (not our mum) is quite deceitful, nasty and rather enjoyed the high life my dad gave her and I wouldn't put it passed her to not have the will read (and not notify the solicitor of the death) if it meant we would be in receipt of something, especially as she seems to have benefitted without the will being read.
I have done some research and I haven't been able to find the will at the probate office which makes me think its unread. I have also found out that days before he died his businesses were signed over to her; the house in which they were living in was the company's registered address so I know that that property would have been signed over to her because she was now 'director' of the company (she didn't do anything in the business and she wouldn't have known how to run the businesses at all so I think this was purely for will reasons?) My dad had lived in Florida for a few years and had a business and property there as well so I know that there was some equity.
I am not sure, but I think my only option now would be to locate his solicitor and find out if the will is still stored there. I can't find her at all, the last house they lived in has now been sold and I can't find her on social media (although she was on there previously) and I can't find any of her family either. The difficulty here is that as he lived in several places in the years before he died I don't know how to do this?? Has anyone got any ideas? My dad was only married to this woman for a few years and it really grieves me that she has had everything, including sentimental items from my childhood and items that he had from my grandma. She didn't keep in touch with us after he died despite our efforts to do so and she hasn't even told us where she has scattered his ashes. I genuinely think she has broken contact because she is hiding something. Please help.

try


https://www.gov.uk/find-persons-will