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Administering and Estate

Trebormint
Trebormint Posts: 72 Forumite
edited 10 January 2018 at 11:29AM in Deaths, funerals & probate
Hi,


After filing papers to obtain letters of administration I was wondering if it was possible to claim a salary for managing this process on behalf of our family.


The reason I ask is that my brother/sister and I have all fallen out, and to date (some 7 months since my dear father passed away) have done nothing to help re the house, post, bills, garden etc. They both live abroad but seem to use this as their eternal excuse for doing nothing and I am left having to deal with everything. There is no valid will so I am taking the necessary steps to ensure probate is managed but do not feel it is either right or fair that I should be the one taking all of my time to address re this process without some form of reinbursement.


Any advsie would be appreciated.

Comments

  • TonyMMM
    TonyMMM Posts: 3,439 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    No, you can't charge for your time - but you can claim reasonable expenses that you incur in dealing with the estate.
  • Hi, thanks/ would reasonable expenses include fuel costs as I have to visit the house every weekend to ensure the house insurance remains valid (a stipulation in the policy) and I have to travel 100 miles each way every weekend to ensure this is covered.
  • Also do you know what else can be claimed?
  • Trebormint wrote: »
    Hi,


    After filing papers to obtain letters of administration I was wondering if it was possible to claim a salary for managing this process on behalf of our family.


    The reason I ask is that my brother/sister and I have all fallen out, and to date (some 7 months since my dear father passed away) have done nothing to help re the house, post, bills, garden etc. They both live abroad but seem to use this as their eternal excuse for doing nothing and I am left having to deal with everything. There is no valid will so I am taking the necessary steps to ensure probate is managed but do not feel it is either right or fair that I should be the one taking all of my time to address re this process without some form of reinbursement.


    Any advsie would be appreciated.
    You can only charge genuine reasonable expenses. Given that your siblings live abroad it is difficult to see how they can help with the everyday things. If the estate includes a property that requires upkeep until it is sold then you can employ staff to do the work and payable by the estate.
  • Trebormint wrote: »
    Hi, thanks/ would reasonable expenses include fuel costs as I have to visit the house every weekend to ensure the house insurance remains valid (a stipulation in the policy) and I have to travel 100 miles each way every weekend to ensure this is covered.
    That ould be reasonable bu consider getting somebody local to do the checking for you.
  • Linton
    Linton Posts: 18,472 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Hung up my suit!
    When my father's house was put on the market the estate agent was happy to check it once a week for a small extra charge. Even if you are arent selling paying someone to do the checking is a reasonable expense to charge to the estate.
  • Mojisola
    Mojisola Posts: 35,574 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Trebormint wrote: »
    The reason I ask is that my brother/sister and I have all fallen out, and to date (some 7 months since my dear father passed away) have done nothing to help re the house, post, bills, garden etc.

    They both live abroad but seem to use this as their eternal excuse for doing nothing and I am left having to deal with everything.

    You could employ a solicitor to manage the estate for you and pay other people to check the house and keep the garden tidy.

    The cost will come from the estate and be shared between the three of you.
  • Margot123
    Margot123 Posts: 1,116 Forumite
    Trebormint wrote: »
    Hi, thanks/ would reasonable expenses include fuel costs as I have to visit the house every weekend to ensure the house insurance remains valid (a stipulation in the policy) and I have to travel 100 miles each way every weekend to ensure this is covered.

    Yes, you can claim fuel costs. I believe the HMRC rate is 42p per mile. So 200 mile round trip x 42p.

    Any costs you incur must come from the estate if you would not normally have incurred them.

    *Also, check your insurance re. central heating. Ours states that the system is either totally drained or the heating is on 24 hours a day at a minimum of 15 degrees.
  • Keep_pedalling
    Keep_pedalling Posts: 22,380 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Make sure you document every penny of your expenses, as you need to provide a full set of accounts for your siblings.
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