Numerous Debts

karinelleno

My friend's mum has just died. Her younger brother (19) still lived at home with her. The house was own 80/20 with the mum and a friend of hers.

When starting to look through her mum's things she has started to come across a number of debts, gas, electric, water, credit cards, hellofresh and gusto.

Is there any advice or help I can give her in tackling these debts? She doesn't want to sell the house as her brother is still there but will have to pay these debts In order to keep them from claiming against the house.

RAS

Hi

Sorry to hear about your friend's difficulties.

Did the mum have a will?

Has the friend any idea of the value of the house (rightmove), any idea of the value of any mortgage?

Did her mum ever work for a company or organisation that would pay a pension? Or have any life insurance?

It's OK to make enquiries but at this stage she should not start administering the estate until she knows it is solvent.

Once she has some answers, the friend could come on here herself.

Keep_pedalling

RAS said:

Hi

Sorry to hear about your friend's difficulties.

Did the mum have a will?

Has the friend any idea of the value of the house (rightmove), any idea of the value of any mortgage?

Did her mum ever work for a company or organisation that would pay a pension? Or have any life insurance?

It's OK to make enquiries but at this stage she should not start administering the estate until she knows it is solvent.

Once she has some answers, the friend could come on here herself.

I think it highly unlikely that the estate is insolvent if she owned 80% of the house. The depts will need to be paid, and so will the ongoing bills while the son is living there.

Unless there are some significant other assets ( death in service benefits, pensions) then it looks like there will be little alternative but to sell the house.