Friend died, exwife taking everything from new partner need advice

Pollycat

POPPYOSCAR wrote: »

I cannot understand why someone would not get a divorce after 10 years of living with someone else.

Especially as the wife sounds like a real piece of work.

Madness.

I can't understand it either.
And I can't understand why he didn't make a will to protect his partner of 10 years.

Very sad.

Keep_pedalling

Why on earth did your friend let her into the flat? All jointly owned assets now belong to your friend, if the ex has already removed them then that is theft, although the police are not likely to be interested if your friend let her in and simply let her do it.

74jax

Pollycat wrote: »

.
And I can't understand why he didn't make a will to protect his partner of 10 years.

Very sad.

Keep_pedalling wrote: »

Why on earth did your friend let her into the flat?

Ah I think I've read it wrong. I thought the flat was rented just by the husband. And was still on friendly terms, although separated from, with his wife. And he and the girlfriend were only moving in together next week. Maybe the op can clarify, apologies if I've got it wrong.....

onomatopoeia99

Pollycat wrote: »

And I can't understand why he didn't make a will to protect his partner of 10 years.

People generally don't think about it and assume they will live until their 70s or 80s or get some warning of death so they can plan. I didn't until I was 25 and bought a house with my ex-girlfriend, as intestacy rules would have meant that in the event of my death she would have found herself part owner with whichever members of my family were alive at the time. I then had to change it again when we split up so she didn't get any part of my estate, of course.

A friend who is a similar age to me and a partner in a surgery where she is a GP made one last year because one of her relatives would have inherited her share (which is mainly in the form of liability for problems / debts, so she left that to the other partners instead).

I know a lot of unmarried people in long term relationships that have no will.

Pollycat

onomatopoeia99 wrote: »

People generally don't think about it and assume they will live until their 70s or 80s or get some warning of death so they can plan. I didn't until I was 25 and bought a house with my ex-girlfriend, as intestacy rules would have meant that in the event of my death she would have found herself part owner with whichever members of my family were alive at the time. I then had to change it again when we split up so she didn't get any part of my estate, of course.

A friend who is a similar age to me and a partner in a surgery where she is a GP made one last year because one of her relatives would have inherited her share (which is mainly in the form of liability for problems / debts, so she left that to the other partners instead).

I know a lot of unmarried people in long term relationships that have no will.

Then point them in the direction of this thread.

It's all well and good saying 'they don't think about it' and they think they will live until their 70s or 80s' but this sadly has proved that is a pretty good but useless ostrich impression.

onwards&upwards

Your friend’s partner has really let her down.

There’s not a lot you can do except support her and be nderstanding if she wants to express anger at him as well as sadness.

Pollycat

onwards&upwards wrote: »

Your friend’s partner has really let her down

There’s not a lot you can do except support her and be nderstanding if she wants to express anger at him as well as sadness.

I think she's let herself down too.
She should have discussed this with her partner.
They had 10 years to sort this out.
It's not all on the guy who's died.
Unless he refused to discuss divorcing his wife and refused to discuss making a will.

MovingForwards

If dependent on your now deceased friend, the partner could look to claim under family and dependent provision act:

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1975/63

For the ones who mentioned not getting divorced for 10 years, my (soon to be ex) husband remained married to his first wife for 10 years after they split, even though both had moved on! There was no way I would.

onwards&upwards

Pollycat wrote: »

I think she's let herself down too.
She should have discussed this with her partner.
They had 10 years to sort this out.
It's not all on the guy who's died.
Unless he refused to discuss divorcing his wife and refused to discuss making a will.

Who knows?

Only he had the power to actually prevent this though. Well, she could have left I suppose, but you know what I mean.

chesky

Who registered the death and obtained the death certificate? Did they have joint bank accounts?