Funds withdrawal of sole bank account when someone dies

Keep_pedalling

Dotty15 wrote: »

Well it's a pity she trusted the wrong person to be Executor he robbed her estate blind.

That is the core problem in this case, normally you would make the major beneficiaries executors, and leave the will stored with the solisitor not at home.

Dotty15

Keep peddling that was the root cause right there but I still feel banks should do more to protect the money held in the account not just necessary assume spouses and children are automatically to benefit and just hand over thousands.

Flugelhorn

Dotty15 - did you ever see the will or know what was in it? Are you sure it wasn't all left to him?

I agree about registering wills - it would be helpful for a lot of people .. but then I can also see a new industry developing of people overseeing the distribution of the estate which is currently left to the executor to do on their own

Yorkshireman99

The problem is that cost would fall on the estate.

Dotty15

Flugulhorn she didn't leave anything to him. He was already well off and his family there is no way she would have left her family without. No way! She adored her great grands and even gave the deeds to her granddaughter for her property abroad. Sadly the Will was hidden and monies taken. The rightful beneficiaries have now been replaced. Anyway I just wanted to know if this was really possible for her money to be taken. Thanks everyone for the comments.

Brynsam

Dotty15 wrote: »

WWILLS SHOULD BE COMPULSORY TO REGISTER AND NO ONE ABLE TO TAKE MONEY OUT OF ACCOUNTS WITHOUT GRANT OR LETTERS. We are too relaxed in the UK opening up loopholes for theft.

It's hard enough getting people to make wills, let alone register them - and if they are changed between registration of an older will and death...

Many estates don't require probate or letters of administration and there are few reported instances such as the one you believe happened, so suggesting every estate should be subject to a load of needless admin is pure overkill. You have first hand experience of one unfortunate episode (although no proof, of course, that your interpretation of events is correct), but there is no indication this sort of thing is widespread. Do remember that a forum such as this is going to attract people who have problems and/or drums to beat, rather than the far larger numbers who have no complaints.

Marcon

Dotty15 wrote: »

We do not have the Will which he would have been executor to and he has since passed away. A will search didn't bring positive results and alot of money stolen from her estate in general. I think where fraud is concerned banks should take this just as seriously as they so money laundering, she had 3 children, 2 grandchildren and 4 great grands he was her children's step father and he took all and did not carry out the instructions in her Will and hid probably burnt it. WILLS SHOULD BE COMPULSORY TO REGISTER AND NO ONE ABLE TO TAKE MONEY OUT OF ACCOUNTS WITHOUT GRANT OR LETTERS. We are too relaxed in the UK opening up loopholes for theft.

Amazing how other people always know what the dear departed would have done with their cash. Maybe she did that most normal spousal thing and left it to her husband?

You might also want to have a read of this before getting too het up about 'loopholes': https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/news/article-3322876/Relief-bereaved-families-banks-raise-probate-limit.html

Two sides to every coin!

getmore4less

The executor of this man's estate can investigate and make any remidies as necessary

Flugelhorn

Dotty15 wrote: »

Flugulhorn she didn't leave anything to him. He was already well off and his family there is no way she would have left her family without. No way! She adored her great grands and even gave the deeds to her granddaughter for her property abroad. Sadly the Will was hidden and monies taken. The rightful beneficiaries have now been replaced. Anyway I just wanted to know if this was really possible for her money to be taken. Thanks everyone for the comments.

But have you SEEN the will? I only ask as lots of people think that someone will have left money to X or Y only to discover that that was not the case.

Yorkshireman99

Flugelhorn wrote: »

But have you SEEN the will? I only ask as lots of people think that someone will have left money to X or Y only to discover that that was not the case.

The OP has not seen the will and expects that it has been feloniously destroyed. In such a case an application can be made to the court if a copy held elsewhere can be found. Otherwise the estate will probably be declared intestate and the intestacy applied. The OP needs to strip away all the emotion and give us some facts. Without that the OP can’t be helped.