Unclaimed estate (Allen Genealogy and Research)

Spendthrift83

Hi all,

I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this, but I was wondering whether any of you had heard of Allen Geneology and Research? My mum recently received a letter from them, saying that they were trying to establish the family tree descended from my grandparents and that there's a portion of unclaimed money coming to us via my late dad's estate. Now, obviously I'm suspicious of anything telling me we can get free money, but I'm concerned as to how this person got some of the details included in the letter. I recently started trying to research my family tree on Ancestry.co.uk, so I'm not sure whether he found out some things from that, although there are some details within the letter of people I haven't added to my tree yet, and he's also included a copy of my grandparent's marriage certificate.

To be honest, I'm more concerned about where he's got the information rather than me thinking I have money to claim on, but I was just wondering whether any of you had any encounters/knowledge of this "company"?

Sorry if this isn't the right place to post this.

Browntoa

It's public information so they can access

There's a fee if they make the claim on your behalf

Browntoa

http://allengenealogy.co.uk

PasturesNew

They have access to more records - which they pay for - and, as you know, they actually pay to get the original certificates (e.g. your grandparents' certificate).

All of this information is in the public domain.

If your mother accepts their offer then a huge chunk of her inheritance would go to them in fees - on the other hand if they'd not risked their own money to do it and find her she'd be sitting there not knowing...

The money will be hers.... but can YOU find out who died yourself?

Spendthrift83

Thanks, it's just so weird one of the relatives they referenced in the letter - it must have taken some digging. My grandmother has been dead for years - way before I was born - and the man she married died way before my dad was born, so I guess I'm just suspicious.

Yorkshireman99

PasturesNew wrote: »

They have access to more records - which they pay for - and, as you know, they actually pay to get the original certificates (e.g. your grandparents' certificate).

All of this information is in the public domain.

If your mother accepts their offer then a huge chunk of her inheritance would go to them in fees - on the other hand if they'd not risked their own money to do it and find her she'd be sitting there not knowing...

The money will be hers.... but can YOU find out who died yourself?

Saying the amomt charged is "huge" is not correct. Depending on the company and the size of the estate it can range from 20 to 35%. They do a lot of work and find things an amateur has little chance of finding.

Malthusian

Yorkshireman99 wrote: »

Saying the amomt charged is "huge" is not correct. Depending on the company and the size of the estate it can range from 20 to 35%.

I can see why people would think of 35% of an estate as "huge" given we warn people not to let solicitors take 2% of an estate for acting as executors. To someone unfamiliar with the process they sound like similar jobs - working out who is entitled to the money and distributing it. But of course being an executor is a lot easier to DIY than being an heir hunter, and 65% of an intestate estate is better than nil.

Since the OP has been researching their family tree they should be in a good position to know whether or not they can make the claim by themselves.

Yorkshireman99

Malthusian wrote: »

I can see why people would think of 35% of an estate as "huge" given we warn people not to let solicitors take 2% of an estate for acting as executors. To someone unfamiliar with the process they sound like similar jobs - working out who is entitled to the money and distributing it. But of course being an executor is a lot easier to DIY than being an heir hunter, and 65% of an intestate estate is better than nil.

Since the OP has been researching their family tree they should be in a good position to know whether or not they can make the claim by themselves.

Making a claim to a Bona Vacania estate is not nearly as easy as many people think. Getting all the documentation to substantiate a family tree with certificates costs lots.

pimento

Spendthrift83 wrote: »

Thanks, it's just so weird one of the relatives they referenced in the letter - it must have taken some digging. My grandmother has been dead for years - way before I was born - and the man she married died way before my dad was born, so I guess I'm just suspicious.

My hobby is genealogy and I bet I could have found it.

PasturesNew

The ones that turn up on the telly often end up like: "Born illegitimately abroad...." so it could be an unknown first born of the grandmother's mother, whose grand-child has now died, having been an only child to a woman whose birthname changed twice during two marriage/divorces.

On the other hand - I've seen the telly people trace a 45 year old's living sister/brother.