Advice please- Dad has died with debt

blueskadoo

Good evening all, I'm really hoping for some help as I have no idea where to start with dealing with my Dad's estate. It's very early on, but due to circumstances with his house (will explain), I need to start sorting everything as soon as possible.
Due to the circumstances of his passing and the way we found his body, it has had to have an autopsy completed- we don't expect the result of this for a few days.
His house is a complete write off- it is a park home (bricked in caravan), which is absolutely full of alcohol bottles, rubbish and god knows what else, the land owners are not putting pressure on, but equally (and understandably) want the area cleaned up soon.
I've been able to salvage a lot of letters from the property and his will in which I am named as executor and myself and my sister beneficiaries. He owed money to several places, most of which have now been sent to debt recovery agencies, and also has had summonses threatening imprisonment for not paying council tax.
He does (so far as I know from a statement from this month) have a current account with lloyds where his pensions are paid, which had a credit balance, no idea if it still does.
He gets state pension, and also a personal pension that he has paid into all his working life (I have contact details to get in touch with them)
Myself and my sister do not have any money to pay for a funeral.

I honestly don't know where to start for what is best- I can't get access to his current account until I have a death certificate, but my sister wants to get started clearing out the propert as soon as possible- I don't know whether it is best to hang on until I've spoken to all of the people he owed money to and to work out what we are dealing with in that respect first?

I feel ok, but have a history of stress and anxiety and don't want to get into states I have done previously over this.

Thank you

missbiggles1

Did he own the park home?

blueskadoo

Hi, yes he does own it but not the land and it isn't registered with deeds or anything according to my mum (they are divorced- I think she is still entitled to half as it was a condition of the divorce that it was sold, but this was seven years ago)

Mojisola

blueskadoo wrote: »

I've been able to salvage a lot of letters from the property and his will in which I am named as executor and myself and my sister beneficiaries.

Myself and my sister do not have any money to pay for a funeral.

I honestly don't know where to start for what is best

I feel ok, but have a history of stress and anxiety and don't want to get into states I have done previously over this.

An executor can refuse to take on the estate.

If an estate is insolvent, the advice is not to get involved.

If there is no money to pay for a funeral, the council will provide a basic cremation.

It's not worth getting involved and making yourself ill.

getmore4less

Do nothing other than secure the property and collect information

if the estate is insolvent the general advise is walk away from administration as it is a lot of work for nothing.

advise sis that if she starts getting involved(intermeddles) she may become the administrator as if the estate is insolvent you will step down.

once you establish solvency or otherwise you can reconsider.

It is a difficult time but take your time discovering the bigger picture before getting too involved.

google insolvent estates plenty of extra info to help starting to understand the issues involved.

Yorkshireman99

blueskadoo wrote: »

Good evening all, I'm really hoping for some help as I have no idea where to start with dealing with my Dad's estate. It's very early on, but due to circumstances with his house (will explain), I need to start sorting everything as soon as possible.
Due to the circumstances of his passing and the way we found his body, it has had to have an autopsy completed- we don't expect the result of this for a few days.
His house is a complete write off- it is a park home (bricked in caravan), which is absolutely full of alcohol bottles, rubbish and god knows what else, the land owners are not putting pressure on, but equally (and understandably) want the area cleaned up soon.
I've been able to salvage a lot of letters from the property and his will in which I am named as executor and myself and my sister beneficiaries. He owed money to several places, most of which have now been sent to debt recovery agencies, and also has had summonses threatening imprisonment for not paying council tax.
He does (so far as I know from a statement from this month) have a current account with lloyds where his pensions are paid, which had a credit balance, no idea if it still does.
He gets state pension, and also a personal pension that he has paid into all his working life (I have contact details to get in touch with them)
Myself and my sister do not have any money to pay for a funeral.

I honestly don't know where to start for what is best- I can't get access to his current account until I have a death certificate, but my sister wants to get started clearing out the propert as soon as possible- I don't know whether it is best to hang on until I've spoken to all of the people he owed money to and to work out what we are dealing with in that respect first?

I feel ok, but have a history of stress and anxiety and don't want to get into states I have done previously over this.

Thank you

Concentrate on the essentials. The local authority have to pay for a basic funeral including cremation. They may try to pressure you to pay. Don't let them. If, as it seems the estae has more debts than assets then the bst thing you can do is nothing. That may go against the grain but if you start what is known as "intermeddling" you can end up being liable for debts. Tell any debt collectors there is no money and that you will not be acting as executor. You have to be hard nosed but don't let anyone bully you. Good luck.

missbiggles1

Just to point out - park homes (assuming that it isn't just a holiday mobile home) can be quite valuable, even if only owned 50%, so no reason to assume that the estate is insolvent.

Yorkshireman99

missbiggles1 wrote: »

Just to point out - park homes (assuming that it isn't just a holiday mobile home) can be quite valuable, even if only owned 50%, so no reason to assume that the estate is insolvent.

If the park home is a tip, and probably needs lots of work on it as the OP comments suggest then it may have very little value. Taking that and a lot of debt it is highly likely the estate is insolvent.

konark

The value of the 'park home' will be dependent on its size, location, condition and the nature and length of the lease. The lease is critical as these can contain all sorts of terms that favour the landowner,( i.e on change of ownership pay me 5 grand for no good reason) so as to make the place virtually worthless. If the lease ends soon you may also be liable for removing the 'park home' from the site.

Just reading between the lines, I don't think your father's 'park home' is worth jack.

theoretica

If there is any money in the bank account then this will be released to pay for a funeral. This comes before paying any debts.

nom_de_plume

blueskadoo wrote: »

He gets state pension, and also a personal pension that he has paid into all his working life (I have contact details to get in touch with them)

This should be investigated as it may have some value.