Worried about My late mother's house

Bhaje

Many thanks again to all for the advice and appreciate the help and tips you have given me . I will keep pushing the HMCTS to expedite my application for administration and start the ball rolling. I will keep you posted on this long drawn deliberate mess! 

Bhaje

As mentioned in my posts , the update is that I have been given LOA last week! (De Bonis Non grant) and can now proceed with selling the property. Its taken nearly three years.  Thank you all who contributed in advising me here in this thread.

Flugelhorn

Bhaje said:

As mentioned in my posts , the update is that I have been given LOA last week! (De Bonis Non grant) and can now proceed with selling the property. Its taken nearly three years.  Thank you all who contributed in advising me here in this thread.

glad to hear you have finally got LoA! hope you can now get things sorted out - did you manage to get keys etc to the property?

Bhaje

Yes I gor the keys and next step is to clearout the mess, engage a state agent to sell the property and then involve a solictor to handle the distribution of the net  estate to beneficiaries. I will welcome your advice on how to proceed from this stage. TIA

Flugelhorn

clearing out can be really hard work - often better to get house clearance people involved, might cost £££ but that is payable by the estate and probably worth every penny. Also helps if the garden (if any) is reasonably tidy

when done then get the estate agents in - speak to a few and see what they reckon.

re solicitors for conveyancing - handy if they are local so you can call in with documents and to sign things - the selling part is not as complex as the buying for the solicitor, best to get a few quotes, they tend to be based on the sale price so when the EA have given you a figure to aim at you can start checking out solicitors 

RAS

Once you have the keys, change the locks. If there are any yale type locks, the barrels can be done easily with a screw driver and junior hacksaw.

You've mentioned that your deceased siblings' children are supportive. It's a large family, so you may not want everyone involved at one time but asking maybe one person from each part of the extended family to help with sorting the house might be useful, both practically and to demonstrate openness?

You probably need to clear one space that you can use as a collection point for other keys, window locks, documents, family papers, photos etc. And maybe a few baskets or tubs for stuff that might be wanted by other family members.

You mention that your other surviving sibling lived there but has gone into a care home? So maybe you want another space for any of his belongings. Those can be passed on to his family. 

One you've secured the house and removed the items you want you have options.

You could clear it yourself, with or without family help, or just get a clearance company to remove the lot. Unwanted furniture might go via a charity but anything upholstered or beds need fire safety labels and given when the deaths were those are unlikely to be compliant.

Bhaje

Many thanks for your comments much food for thought!

Bhaje

Following on from my last posting , a question has arisen! The previous administrator did not keep accounts of the estate and did not pay rent to the estate, neither did my other sibling who is now in a care home. Other beneficiaries have suffered financial loss of rent over the past couple of decades, can this be taken out of their share and divided amongst the other siblings?  

elsien

Any obligations to the estate would come from the previous administrator, would it not - is that what you meant? I'm not sure you can remove money from beneficiaries (sorry, your post isn't entirely clear) if they weren't asked to pay rent. 

Bhaje

@elsien The previous administrator failed in his duties and lived in the property until 2007.