Finding out the executor

pnw72

Hi

A family member recently died. We are beneficiaries. We’re not sure who the executor is.

is there a way of finding this out? I don’t think Probate has been applied for.

Thank you in advance for any help.

Newly_retired

Is there a closer relative you can ask? Or can you search for Probate online? 

How recently did they die?  It may be too soon for Probate to have been applied for if the ( unknown) executor is still gathering information. 

Marcon

pnw72 said:

Hi

A family member recently died. We are beneficiaries. We’re not sure who the executor is.

is there a way of finding this out? I don’t think Probate has been applied for.

Thank you in advance for any help.

How can you be sure you are beneficiaries if you've not seen the will? Testators have some strange habits, not least telling people one thing but actually doing another! Are you sure there really is a valid will in existence? If not, you're hunting for something you'll never find.

Are there any other close family members who might know more/may have been named as executor(s)? Otherwise I'm afraid it's likely to be a case of sitting tight and waiting for something to happen....frustrating, I know. It could be a year or more before probate is granted, but you could make period checks here: https://www.gov.uk/search-will-probate

doodling

Hi,

Is there a will?  Who has the will?  What does it say?  How do you know you are a beneficiary?

Is there anyone claiming to be the executor?  Have you seen anything which suggests who the executor might be?  Is anyone acting as if they are the executor (clearing out the deceased's home, closing their bank accounts, etc)?

If there is no will then there is no executor and someone will need to apply for Letters of Administration.  Who can do this is detailed on the UK gov website.

If there is a will then it will say who the executor is - find it and read it.

If no-one knows where the will is, all the expected locations have been searched (e.g. the deceased's home, their solicitor, their bank, anywhere else they kept important documents, etc.) and no-one is doing anything then proceed as if there is no will.

Until Probate or Letters of Administration are granted then there is no formal way of identifying who is administering the estate so it is a matter of talking to friends and family of the deceased to find out what is going on.

Flugelhorn

If there is a will then generally the person arranging the funeral is the executor, so start there