Cheque Received From Heir Hunter But No Contract Signed

Reg1988

Dear all

Some months ago I received a letter from an Heir Hunter advising me that I was eligible for an inheritance. The letter contained a contract detailing the fees that would be due etc and a request to sign it and return it.

I did not sign the contract, but I know that a relative who also received the same letter did sign her contract.

This week I received in the post a cheque from the Heir Hunter along with a letter. The letter states "By banking this cheque you are indicating you accept the terms and conditions as set out in my Estate Claim Contract, which was sent to you previously".

I have not yet banked the cheque.

As I did not sign the contract can I be charged the same fees as other beneficiaries or can I tell the Heir Hunter to issue another cheque but with fees not deducted? Looking at the paperwork I can see that the Heir Hunter has deducted fees from my amount despite me not signing the contract.

Wisdom very welcome and thank you in advance
Andy

Yorkshireman99

Reg1988 wrote: »

Dear all

Some months ago I received a letter from an Heir Hunter advising me that I was eligible for an inheritance. The letter contained a contract detailing the fees that would be due etc and a request to sign it and return it.

I did not sign the contract, but I know that a relative who also received the same letter did sign her contract.

This week I received in the post a cheque from the Heir Hunter along with a letter. The letter states "By banking this cheque you are indicating you accept the terms and conditions as set out in my Estate Claim Contract, which was sent to you previously".

I have not yet banked the cheque.

As I did not sign the contract can I be charged the same fees as other beneficiaries or can I tell the Heir Hunter to issue another cheque but with fees not deducted? Looking at the paperwork I can see that the Heir Hunter has deducted fees from my amount despite me not signing the contract.

Wisdom very welcome and thank you in advance
Andy

The bottom line is no sign no money. You will not get a better deal.

Dandylion

Are you sure Yorkshireman99?

I understood that the estate administrator is legally obliged to distribute the estate according to the law.

You’re suggesting that because Reg1988 hasn’t signed a contract with the heirhunting company, the administrator will simply not pay them their inheritance.

Yorkshireman99

Dandylion wrote: »

Are you sure Yorkshireman99?

I understood that the estate administrator is legally obliged to distribute the estate according to the law.

You’re suggesting that because Reg1988 hasn’t signed a contract with the heirhunting company, the administrator will simply not pay them their inheritance.

In the real world yes. The HH will have expended considerable money researching the estate. IMHO the cheapest and easiest thing for the OP is t o accept. If he took it to court or would be costly and uncertain.

TonyMMM

Whoever is administering the state is required to distribute according to the intestacy rules, so you should get your full share without signing up.

The HH has to rely on signing up enough of the beneficiaries to cover the costs of their work and to make it worthwhile for them to do.

Dymphna60

But if you are contacted by an Heir Hunter won’t that be because nobody was administering the estate ?
I understand you can claim independently but you would have to produce the same proof of entitlement that the HH did .
You could send the cheque back but why would the HH send you one with his fee taken off rather than say ok you make your own claim? Or provide you the proof of your entitlement? Wouldn’t make much of a living then .

nom_de_plume

Linked to this thread.

Apologies for so many questions. I have been in contact with Bona Vacantia estates and in order for me to do the claim myself I need a lot of info that I will not be able to get sadly.

The fee stated was 15%. Would the OP mind sharing what sort of sums on monies are involved? On the face of it, 15% seems reasonable.

Flugelhorn

Just looking at this and the other thread, in a normal situation there is a pecking order as to who can apply for administration

If there is no valid will, and you are the next-of-kin, you can apply to be an administrator in the following order of priority:

you are the married partner or civil partner of the person who has died
you are the child of the person who has died
you are the grandchild of the person who has died
you are the parent of the person who has died
you are the brother or sister of the person who has died
you are the nephew or niece of the person who has died
you are another relative of the person who has died.

Maybe Aunt is actually closer up the list and hence can appoint someone to do it on her behalf? then the fees agreed to would come out of the estate before being divided up.
Not a lot different if someone in the family had known of the death and appointed someone else to do this on their behalf

TonyMMM

Where there are no relatives (or any willing to do it), Heir Hunters do routinely act as administrators of estates, or employ a solicitor to do it for them.

getmore4less

You can check who the grant was issued to.

Now you know who the deceased was you can decide if you want to collect the evidence of your relation to them and put a claim into the administrator.

You should not have to provide the full tree that is the job of the administrator.

Dymphna60

Just genuinely interested. Would the OP necessarily know who the deceased was ?
My daughter was contacted by an heir hunting firm and they certainty didn’t tell her - huge family , dozens of cousins of her dads many unknown to her . She hasn’t heard from them again so maybe the firm gave up or a closer relative was found . Maybe you would find out if a cheque was sent ?
They did tell her if she signed with them and was entitled they would sent details of deceased and family tree.