Beneficiary of an estate in trust and an unresponsive solicitor

Miyapie

I am a beneficiary of an estate which was in trust to ensure the care of a family member, who unfortunately passed in March. Due to the death of the last of the former trustees in 2019, the trust has been held by solicitors who are now acting as executors, who I feel as I am having issues with.

I emailed them the end of July to enquire to a estimated timeline and status as I had heard nothing since being contacted by them in March, I (maybe too) politely waited 6 weeks in which I called as I had no response. I was told that they had been so busy and hadn't had time due to all the house sales happening at the moment. Within a week of that call I was sent the papers i need to sign to transfer the house to my name, they were received by the solicitors the end of september and as yet have still not been sent to HM land registry.
I called them Thursday to ask for an estimated timeline (which has never been answered) and a status, I was told the solicitor was out of office and was asked to call at 15.30 where they would "make sure" she could talk to me, she could not, she was busy. They said they would get the case out immediately and e-mail me, they have not.

I should add that I am feeling very uncomfortable with the fact that the solicitor has, every time we have communicated, mentioned they have people interested in buy the house even though I have been very clear I am not interested in selling.
Can anybody advise me on where I might find out what may be involved in order to understand why it seems like nothing is happening? and additionally, some advice on how i deal with a very unresponsive solicitor?
Thanks

Savvy_Sue

With the solicitor, you ask for the firm's complaints procedure, and use it. 

thegreenone

May I ask, OP, if you are in Scotland?  I understand solicitors are more involved in offers/sealed bids stage. 

Otherwise, I cannot understand why they would know people interested in buying. It sounds as though they might be stalling in the hope you change your mind, they introduce a buyer and a double whammy for them. 

It's none of their business what you intend to do with the house.  They have been instructed with a task ie have you legally registered as the owner.  What they think should happen is irrelevant and undue pressure.  Only communicate by email or letter from now on.

Thrugelmir

Does the estate have liabilities to settle?  

Miyapie

The estate/trust is in England. I would also add that the house itself is deep in the back end of a neighbourhood, it would seem strange to me that people even know about it being possibly empty.

The only liabilities to settle would be gas, electricity and TV licence.

Keep_pedalling

Miyapie said:

The estate/trust is in England. I would also add that the house itself is deep in the back end of a neighbourhood, it would seem strange to me that people even know about it being possibly empty.

The only liabilities to settle would be gas, electricity and TV licence.

Depending on the type of trust there could also be tax liabilities.

Thrugelmir

Miyapie said:

The estate/trust is in England. I would also add that the house itself is deep in the back end of a neighbourhood, it would seem strange to me that people even know about it being possibly empty.

The only liabilities to settle would be gas, electricity and TV licence.

How was the care of the relative funded? 

Miyapie

Keep_pedalling: I don't know about what kind of tax liabilities it may be liable for in regards to the trust, I only know that it is under the threshold for inheritance taxes. 

Thrugelmir : My relative had their DLA to fund their daily expenses, otherwise there was no "care" required so to speak. The trust was to protect the house and savings from people taking advantage of him. 

Thrugelmir

Miyapie said:

 The trust was to protect the house and savings from people taking advantage of him. 

Such as whom? If IHT wasn't an issue then must have been a line of thinking behind such a move. 

Miyapie

Thrugelmir said:

Miyapie said:

 The trust was to protect the house and savings from people taking advantage of him. 

Such as whom? If IHT wasn't an issue then must have been a line of thinking behind such a move. 

He had in the past been taken advantage of by people claiming to be his friend but all they had eyes on was his money. The trust was from his parents will to ensure he had a home, that bills were paid and the house was maintained for him. He didn't have the capacity to deal with these things himself.