Intestacy

JoOlx

My siblings and I were contacted by tracing agents in March 2020 following the death of an Aunt in 2016. She had died without a will and we were told that we were potential beneficiaries to her estate (along with some cousins). It was confirmed by the firm of solicitors which were handling the case that we were (June 2020). Since then the solicitors have been giving us the run around. In April of last year I complained at the lack of information and was told by one of the solicitors that the file had been finalized and we were asked to forward proof of address and photo ID. I assumed (wrongly) that the matter was in hand. By August 2021 we still had not received any further update (we still do not know what our entitlement is) so I began calling their office (as they were not responding to any of our emails) and was fobbed off with excuses such as the solicitor was in a meeting, on holiday, just stepped out of the office etc etc. In November I sent a formal complaint which was responded to and in which we were told they would come back to us within 8 weeks. I very kindly gave them 9 weeks (due the Christmas break) then wrote to them again informing them that because they had not contacted us I would take the matter to the Ombudsman. I received a response immediately apologising and citing the Covid pandemic and heavy workload being the reason why my complaint had not been dealt with but they would come back to me as soon as possible (no timescale). I have contacted the Ombudsman following this response and have been advised to lodge the complaint with them as asking us to wait again for an unspecified amount of time was unreasonable. Has anybody else been in this type of situation and has anybody any idea why this is happening?

theoretica

Are the solicitors heir hunters acting for their own profit, or did someone in the family appoint them?  Have they applied for letters of administration?  I believe you can check that online.

JoOlx

theoretica said:

Are the solicitors heir hunters acting for their own profit, or did someone in the family appoint them?  Have they applied for letters of administration?  I believe you can check that online.

I think it may be my cousin who appointed them as she was aware that the solicitors were trying to find my side of the family. The
tracing agents had contacted us before I found this out though. In April we were told all was finalized and this was also confirmed by my cousin. She has not had any news either, or so I am told.

Marcon

JoOlx said:

theoretica said:

Are the solicitors heir hunters acting for their own profit, or did someone in the family appoint them?  Have they applied for letters of administration?  I believe you can check that online.

I think it may be my cousin who appointed them as she was aware that the solicitors were trying to find my side of the family. The
tracing agents had contacted us before I found this out though. In April we were told all was finalized and this was also confirmed by my cousin.

Told by whom that all was finalised?

If your cousin appointed solicitors, was this purely to trace family members (which would have been better left to the heir hunters), or to apply for letters of administration/wind up the estate?

JoOlx said:

 She has not had any news either, or so I am told.

Have you asked her direct?

JoOlx

After chasing this again in April 2020 a solicitor contacted me to say she had finalized everything and once she had received proof of addresses and photo ID from us she would have it signed off. When I chased this again in August. I was told it had just been sent and a couple of weeks later I spoke to my cousin who confirmed that she had received it in September and had signed and returned it to the solicitor.

Marcon

JoOlx said:

After chasing this again in April 2020 a solicitor contacted me to say she had finalized everything and once she had received proof of addresses and photo ID from us she would have it signed off. When I chased this again in August. I was told it had just been sent and a couple of weeks later I spoke to my cousin who confirmed that she had received it in September and had signed and returned it to the solicitor.

Thanks. To answer your original question about why it's happening - incompetence. Making a complaint, as you have, is likely to be your best bet of getting things sorted out.