Selling my mother's shares

RisingDamp

I am dealing with my mother's estate. There are a number shares from the privatisation era, registered with Equiniti and Capita, and I want to sell them. As a shares novice, I am confused about this but do realise that selling costs vary considerably and as the executor I am responsible of course for optimising any revenue.


I have phoned both companies, but can't say they have been very helpful - they seem to assume some preknowledge which neither I nor my family have. Equiniti have sent me a letter and some forms from which I feel none the wiser.


If I were the only residual beneficiary, I'd probably just reregister them in my own name and decide what to do with them later, but there is another RB (my brother) and it will become way too complicated to split them, and I suspect we'd probably lose more money through fees, etc., if we did so.


I know you can trade online, but the shares have to be in your own name - which these clearly aren't - and to have them reregistered into my name, etc., will undoubtedly drag the process out. With the stockmarket in its current position, I would prefer not to do this as the shares' values are currently pretty stable but the uncertainty around China, etc., will probably affect them eventually. Plus one lot are BT shares, and that is a company with some issues looming ahead.


Presumably the easiest (though not necessarily the least costly) option will be to sell through the registrars, but I am wondering if anyone out there has had similar experiences in recent times and has anything further to suggest.


Many thanks.


PS Please note that I am aware I have posted something about this on another thread before someone helpfully showed me how to create a new thread, so my apologies to anyone who sees me twice

Froggitt

What do the beneficiaries want to do, cash them in or keep them?