Locks changed

Trebormint

My brother has recently obtained a grant of responsibility for administering my parents estate and he has subsequently changed the locks at the house.

Is he legally able to do this?

I have received a letter from the solicitors he has appointed and they are asking for a full inventory list of items of my own which are stored at the house and items I may like to keep from the property, but without access I can't do this, so it's all a bit of a catch 22 situation.

I also note he has already advised via the solicitors that he has taken items he wanted from the property, again can he do this?

I thought his role was to ensure the estate was fairly distributed between the inheritors/beneficiaries , i.e. in this case my brother my sister and myself.

Can anyone advise.

Please note there is a family dispute so we are not talking.

Margot123

The executor's primary responsibility is to safeguard the estate, so they have acted in the correct manner.

Can you not make an inventory without entering the property? If you have anything of monetary/sentimental value, then you must be able to bring them to mind.

Keep_pedalling

I thought you had applied to administer the estate ahead of him. What happed to this conflict?

It would help us if you kept to one thread rather than multiple ones.

Margot123

Keep_pedalling wrote: »

I thought you had applied to administer the estate ahead of him. What happed to this conflict?

It would help us if you kept to one thread rather than multiple ones.

OP, this is what you said just a few days ago.........."I am now the administrator and am concerned that my siblings will enter the property and take items so I want to secure the house and change the locks".

When you ask the question above, are you actually asking it in reverse?

Trebormint

I had applied re letters of admin and been assured this was being processed but my brother beat me to it apparently.

The house was already locked and safe so I am not sure what the point of changing the locks was other than to perpetuate the conflict. What I am trying to establish is whether he can deny me access as one of the beneficiaries?

As for an inventory no i can't remember all of the contents as they have been stored for over ten years in some instances and as I have been requested to provide this detailed inventory by the solicitor that has been appointed its a bit awkward as I can't meet with this demand as I don't have a key!!

Margot123

But, a few days ago, you yourself wanted to change the locks if you had been the administrator: ".....so I want to secure the house and change the locks".

Then today, you have said this in reaction to your Brother doing the same: "...... I am not sure what the point of changing the locks was other than to perpetuate the conflict".

Forgive me if this is confusing.

-taff

Unoccupied properites have to be made secure [ if there are lots of sets f keys I can see why he's changed the locks], make safe any valuable items and get the estate valued.

Yorkshireman99

Margot123 wrote: »

But, a few days ago, you yourself wanted to change the locks if you had been the administrator: ".....so I want to secure the house and change the locks".

Then today, you have said this in reaction to your Brother doing the same: "...... I am not sure what the point of changing the locks was other than to perpetuate the conflict".

Forgive me if this is confusing.

Sorry to say but downright suspicious. If the probate office received two applications for LOA they would have queried it. In any case The solicitor acting for the applicant should allow access, probably supervised, to the OP. Also the brother should be asked firmly to account for the items he has taken. Or is this a wild goose chase?

Trebormint

Hi thanks the most constructive response so far.


It is suspicious which is why I am concerned. The house was already secure and the only people with keys were myself, my brother and my sister, so changing the locks withouyt advising me and then taking items, especially as the administrator of the estate is a concern.


I have requested a set of keys via the solicitor so that I can complete my inventory of items which belong to me and then also include a list of itmes I would like from the property which will need to be agreed.


I have also asked for both my brother and sister to return any items they have taken.

Trebormint

The property was already secure.

Trebormint

Re comment that I had wanted to change the locks myself if I had been the administrator is irrelevant and I think you are missing the point. My intention would have been to change the locks and then supply a copy to my brother and sister or at least place a set in the key safe outside. The only reason for this was that at the time there were 2 sets of keys still held with my parents carers which have now been returned to me.


The point is that my broher has changed the locks and not advised anyone in the family, and denying access is illegal I think, and is restricting me from completing an actions requested by the solicitors he has appointed i.e. creating an inventory of my stored items etc.