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Deceased wifes debts.

My wife passed away approx 5 weeks ago and I have now found out that she has online shopping accounts owning £400 plus a credit card debt of just over £2500, which I knew nothing off. My wife had no other funds and our house was in joint names. My wife left no will my question is am I liable for these debts?
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Comments

  • Yorkshireman99
    Yorkshireman99 Posts: 5,470 Forumite
    You are not liable for her debts. You should tell the companies the estate is insolvent. They will probably write the debts off. Don't let then try and bully you into paying,
  • securityguy
    securityguy Posts: 2,465 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    As YM says, you are not liable and should resist any suggestion that you are. You should also, given there are no assets and therefore there is nothing to administer other than debts, refuse to be an administrator. Do not apply for letters of administration.

    In theory, and I stress in theory, the law now stands such that in the case of jointly owned houses (I assume you mean by "jointly owned" that it was a joint tenancy) and insolvent estates, the creditor can force a sale. This will not apply to a couple of grand, which will be written off.
  • Linton
    Linton Posts: 18,481 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Hung up my suit!
    Were there any bank accounts in joint names? How did she pay for things?
  • nortom
    nortom Posts: 6 Forumite
    Thank you for your replies, regarding bank accounts my wife had her own accounts which I had no access to. Her pension was paid direct into her account. We never had joint bank accounts.
  • Alter_ego
    Alter_ego Posts: 3,842 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    nortom wrote: »
    Thank you for your replies, regarding bank accounts my wife had her own accounts which I had no access to. Her pension was paid direct into her account. We never had joint bank accounts.

    In that case her estate (private accounts) should pay her debts. There is a correct order starting with funeral expenses.
    I am not a cat (But my friend is)
  • Keep_pedalling
    Keep_pedalling Posts: 22,441 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    How was the house owned, joint tenants or tenants in common?
  • nortom
    nortom Posts: 6 Forumite
    We brought the house over 30 years ago and paid off the mortage approx 10 years ago.
  • Yorkshireman99
    Yorkshireman99 Posts: 5,470 Forumite
    Do you have children? Is the ihouse held as joint tenants or tenants in common? It is important that you make a will ASAP.
  • nortom
    nortom Posts: 6 Forumite
    house is/was in joint tenants since we purchased the house over 30 years ago, we have 3 children
  • Ms_Chocaholic
    Ms_Chocaholic Posts: 13,311 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    What happened to the money in her bank account? How much (approximately) was there.
    Thrifty Till 50 Then Spend Till the End
    You can please some of the people some of the time, all of the people some of the time, some of the people all of the time but you can never please all of the people all of the time
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