What happens if,

pickledonionspaceraider

Hi all

What happens if, someone dies, and no family members have keys to the deceased home to go in and sort / look for a will?
How would a relative know they are entitled (to be in the home) even?

Flugelhorn

I think that you would assume that there was no will until you found one - in this case there is an order of priority as to who manages the estate :

The husband, wife or registered civil partner of the person who has died (but not their unmarried or unregistered partners)
Their children (aged over 18) or their children’s descendants ( e.g. grandchildren, if they are over 18)
The deceased’s parents
The deceased’s brothers or sisters with the same mother and father, or descendants of the brothers or sisters
Their half-brothers or half-sisters (who had either the same mother or the same father) or their descendants
Their grandparents
Their uncles and aunts ‘of the whole blood’ or their descendants
Their uncles and aunts ‘of the half blood’ or their descendants
The Crown

presume you start at the top until you find someone and then if you find a will see where that leads you

pickledonionspaceraider

Thank you

If an estranged child was found, how do they gain right of access to the deceased house to check?

getmore4less

First step it to try and find a keys.

The person that registered the death.
Last know location for personal belongings they had with them
if found dead in the house who got in to find them
...

pickledonionspaceraider

Thanks ever so

The person died in hospital

There is quite a disenfranchised family and a son has been found that hasn't spoken to the deceased in some years

The deceased still lived in own home, and now the son, being the closest relative, is not sure how to proceed. I guess the hospital may have the keys?

Brynsam

pickledonionspaceraider wrote: »

Thanks ever so

The person died in hospital

There is quite a disenfranchised family and a son has been found that hasn't spoken to the deceased in some years

The deceased still lived in own home, and now the son, being the closest relative, is not sure how to proceed. I guess the hospital may have the keys?

First step is to check. Neighbours might also have keys?

Flugelhorn

1) check with the hospital - they may still have property or someone may have collected it
2) check with neighbours - they may have a key
3) see who registered death (though may have been the hospital)
4) how did he get to hospital? did a friend take him? was it an ambulance, they may have record of who was there ? was he being seen by the district nurses (if so - there may be a key box on the house somewhere and they would have the code)

pickledonionspaceraider

Flugelhorn wrote: »

1) check with the hospital - they may still have property or someone may have collected it
2) check with neighbours - they may have a key
3) see who registered death (though may have been the hospital)
4) how did he get to hospital? did a friend take him? was it an ambulance, they may have record of who was there ? was he being seen by the district nurses (if so - there may be a key box on the house somewhere and they would have the code)

No one seems to know anything. The hospital have been contacted and no one went in with them. Neighbours do not have a key, no one was there.Hospital registered death, no belongings to collect

The son genuinely doesn't know what to do or who to contact.

Other than let the deceaseds home become overgrown and go to wrack and ruin - he doesn't seem to have any rights of access to go in and put closure to anything

He just doesnt know where to go from here, or should he do anything at all or just leave it

TonyMMM

He can apply to administer the estate.

With that authority, he would have a right to force entry, or get a locksmith to help him.

Malthusian

TonyMMM wrote: »

He can apply to administer the estate.

With that authority, he would have a right to force entry, or get a locksmith to help him.

Could turn out to be a bad idea if the estate is insolvent, but as the deceased owned their own house, hopefully that's unlikely.

OP - how do you know they owned their own home? It's unclear whether your relationship is with the deceased or their son.

getmore4less

If the house is locked then someone secured it.

How did the relative find out about the death?

How long ago?

The enquires to the Neighbours did as about pets.


The OH had a locksmith to our house, they asked no questions just opened the door and let them in.

Could call locksmith and police to ask if they have any advice on hoe to enter the property.

How local is the son or any other relative that may be interested in the estate?
(eg children of a deceased sibling of the son)