Lloyds threatening repossession but refusing payment!

desperateauntie

Hello,

I am a new poster and turning to you in desperation.

Last year my sister-in-law died, leaving her house to her daughter (my niece) who is autistic and severely mentally ill. She owned the house solo with a small mortgage of a few thousand pounds held by Lloyds Bank. My SIL was in a relationship an abusive pedo who squatted in her house after she died, meaning my niece is too terrified to set foot there. (He has now left so we don't need advice on eviction, but it's still a scary and traumatic environment.)

Since my SIL died Lloyds have been sending threatening letters threatening repossession and court dates due to non-payment. But whenever we try to phone up to pay, they say our names are not on the account and that they can't take payment or even speak to us! We've sent them the death certificate and the will so they know the account holder is dead but they say they can't add my niece's name or address to their file at all until probate is granted. But they refuse to put the account on hold until probate is granted.

We WANT to pay, but Lloyds refuse to accept payment. They refuse to send any letters to any address except the property itself, which we can't access. What on earth do we do? It's Kafkaesque that Lloyds Bank are threatening repossession over non-payment when they're the ones refusing to accept payment!

elsien

Is there a will?
If so, who the executor dealing with probate?
If no will, who has requested the letters of administration to deal with the estate?

desperateauntie

Yes, there is a will leaving everything to my niece. Lloyds have a copy of the will, we took the death certificate and the will into a branch and they photocopied both documents.

The executor is elderly so doing everything slowly (my SIL's solicitor who retired since the will was drawn up). Probate is underway but Lloyds refuse to wait for probate to be granted.

kazwookie

Ring them up and ask for the bereavement department, and explain calmly to them what has happened.


Who helps your niece on a daily basis, and looks after her affairs / does she has a WILL?

desperateauntie

We have phoned the bereavement department many times, they flat out refuse to speak to us and say they can't speak to either of us until probate is granted. Lloyds bereavement department have been verbally abusive and slammed the phone down after my niece started making involuntary noises (grunting).

As I said above there is a will and Lloyds have a copy of the will.

My niece doesn't have anyone looking after her except me.

davidmcn

Why do you need to speak to them to make payments to the account? You can just transfer money to it, surely?

Thrugelmir

Why is the application for probate dragging on so long? What complexieties are there.

desperateauntie

We need to speak to them to arrange a repayment schedule.

We don't even know what the balance on the account is, they told us verbally at the original in-branch meeting but we have nothing in writing. And I'm not in a financial position to pay off the entire mortgage in one lump sum! Plus I'm concerned there are excess charges related to non-payment which should not be there.

The point is you can't threaten someone with court action then refuse to speak to them!

Surely people die every day and mortgages pass to other people who live elsewhere?


I have no idea why probate is taking as long as it's taking except him being elderly, but I don't think it is taking excessively long? When my dad died it took about a year.

chunkytfg

Thrugelmir wrote: »

Why is the application for probate dragging on?

''The executor is elderly so doing everything slowly (my SIL's solicitor who retired since the will was drawn up). Probate is underway but Lloyds refuse to wait for probate to be granted.''


Because a Solicitor, albeit retired, is doing it which makes things take 100x longer than necessary. :mad::mad:

Thrugelmir

desperateauntie wrote: »

Surely people die every day and mortgages pass to other people who live elsewhere?

Mortgages are not passed on. The debts of the estate need to be settled.

Thrugelmir

chunkytfg wrote: »

'
Because a Solicitor, albeit retired, is doing it which makes things take 100x longer than necessary. :mad::mad:

Then chase them hard. As that's where your problems lie. Suggest you sit down with them and determine what the outstanding issues are.