Larke v Nugus letter response

jasdog

Hi from a new member my first post. I am executor and a beneficiarie of my late uncles will . I have recieved a Larke v Nugus letter from a firm of solicitors claiming to represent several major charities that were named on a previous now revoked will . My uncles will has been granted probate and is been dealt with by a local firm of solicitors . Does anyone know if the firm dealing with my uncles validated will at the moment will also have recieved the Larke v Nugus letter . My uncle did a diy will and removed these charaties from his last will . Any advice on how to respond to the Larke v Nugus request which contains a long list of things they want me to reply to . I have read on other forums i have no obligation to reply.

xylophone

My uncles will has been granted probate and is been dealt with by a local firm of solicitors 

Pass the letter you have received to the solicitor.

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/all-notices/content/101713

Keep_pedalling

It is unlikely, as they will have only sent the letter to the executor named on the will which is now a public document. You should speak to the your solicitor ASAP as to what to do. 

DIY wills are dangerous things as far as being open to a challenge is concerned, especially if it was made close to the death of the testator.

getmore4less

How did the charities know bout the previous will?

jasdog

Very good question perhaps the solicitor who drew that will up has past on that information 

Dox

jasdog said:

Very good question perhaps the solicitor who drew that will up has past on that information 

Breach of client confidentiality if so. Most unlikely. Possibly your uncle had already made them aware that he intended to leave a bequest to them. Many charities keep a note of who has asked for information about how to leave a bequest to them and indeed ask directly for people to let them know if they are mentioned in their will.

jasdog

The solicitor's letter says they acting on behalf of their clients the major charities who are named in the original will.

Mojisola

getmore4less said:

How did the charities know bout the previous will?

This ^

Was that will made through one of the free will deals where people leave a legacy to a charity?

jasdog

Good point  but no it was made paying the going rate in 2015 the charities were to benefit from the residue of the estate which is most of the value.of estate several charities to receive a percentage each of the residue. 

Flugelhorn

still curious as to how they knew about the will - unless he wrote to tell them he was donating 

Keep_pedalling

Flugelhorn said:

still curious as to how they knew about the will - unless he wrote to tell them he was donating 

That is one possibility, another is that the executor or solicitor of the original will was not aware of the DIY replacement and raised it with the residual beneficiaries. Even if they were aware of the change they may have been concerned enough about a late change in wills to raise it with the effected beneficiaries.