All sorted now

sourpuss2021

All sorted now 

getmore4less

There are quite a few scenario.

If no one does anything a referral to the BV list and council/hospital pick up the funeral and wait(some might do the HH route)

Other extreme is someone picks up the funeral/estate/debts moves in but never does a grant or LR transfer, lives there till they die.

DullGreyGuy

sourpuss2021 said:

Will the council clear and sell the property?

What about hiring a heir hunter/genealogist to track down any distant relatives?

Or will the house just be left to sit empty till kingdom come?

No, there is a whole process that has to be followed but ultimately if no heirs or will is found then the estate passes to the crown.

https://www.gov.uk/inherits-someone-dies-without-will/y/england-and-wales/no/no/no/no/no/no/no/no

Also see https://www.gov.uk/unclaimed-estates-bona-vacantia

RAS

The basics are that if you know when he was born, and have any other information about his "past" it may be possible to identify his birth certificate? A bit easier in England and Wales than Scotland, but...

With that you should learn his mother's maiden name and may also be able to identify possible siblings, whether they are estranged or not. Obviously a lot easier if his surname isn't Smith and his mum's maiden name Jones.

The local library or the local/family history section probably have free access to Ancestry, who have the England and Wales birth indexes online and also the 1939 Register. His mum's death details would add another avenue for research.

Highly likely that someone is already on the case and can locate any descendants of the estranged sister, even if they moved overseas. 

RAS

Do you have access to a decent public library as many now offer free access to the Librrary version of Ancestry that previously required use of the "Family History/Local History" Library miles away?

getmore4less

Anyone can notify an HH there is an estate with a house.

Some councils/hospitals do that rather than refer to the BV list.

HH will decide if they want to get involved known assets with no competition is desirable.

Many HH pick up estates off the BV list but then have competition.

Mean time do nothing or if interested

Check the BV list
Check for mother's probate records.
Are 2 relatively easy steps.


Contrary to what some think there is no oversight or authority that look after people's estates.

getmore4less

It was referenced early in the thread
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/79683377/#Comment_79683377

I followed it for a while and some entries can disappear very quickly as relatives are found.

If the house is worth something decent the HH will be interested.

Marcon

sourpuss2021 said:

Thanks, RAS.   My parents knew his mother well, she lived opposite to them in fact, until her death 20 years ago.  So her name is known, and for someone to do the genealogical research involved to find out whether she also gave birth to a daughter should not be too difficult.   

My own elderly parents do not fancy this task themselves, though they want to do right by the memory of him and his mother.

But I am sure there will not be anyone else on the case!  Unless they would think they would be due to inherit, why would there be?   

Heirhunters - because there are fees for them if they find any relatives. Perhaps use that fact to console your elderly parents, who are of a generation where 'doing the right thing' was usually a priority, so I can see why doing nothing won't come easily to them.

getmore4less

The right thing is to leave alone.

If it was more than some bloke in the village someone would have been helping out prior to the death in hospital.

getmore4less

sourpuss2021 said:

getmore4less said:

The right thing is to leave alone.

If it was more than some bloke in the village someone would have been helping out prior to the death in hospital.

Well - you've not accurately described the situation, but it's not worth going into further detail about it on a public forum.    Thank you for your replies.

Can only go on info supplied, you have described an abandoned property.

Marcon

sourpuss2021 said:

Thanks, both.  Yes, my parents absolutely will be wanting to do the right thing, and to do right by the memory of the deceased and his mother (who died 30 years ago). So for example they have arranged for his ashes to be buried alongside his mother in the village graveyard.  They are also asking around, looking up former neighbours who left the area, etc, to see if they can identify the estranged daughter and/or her descendents. 

So, I think it is unlikely that the situation will drag on for long enough for 'headhunters' to need to become involved.  Unless, that is, it would be the council that appointed them?    The council (and police) have certainly been informed that the property is empty because a neighour reported all the flies in the window. 

Some local authorities certainly do work with heir hunters, so it might be worth checking with the local authority concerned.