Landlord has died with no NoK

Shelldean

RHemmings said:

daveyjp said:

The property and assets will go on the bona vacantia list. Any next of kin has 12 years to claim the assets, but in the meantime it appears the council have taken responsibility.

I was surprised to read that no relative can be found. Everyone has relatives, however distant. I would have thought a search through births, deaths, and marriages records would have found living relatives. I'm not saying that a relative should have been found in this case after due diligence. I'm just wondering why one wasn't. I'm guessing that there is a limit as to how far they search, and wonder what this limit is. 

There are certain limits to how far  the relation is to the deceased, those too far related can't claim

Shelldean

RHemmings said:

user1977 said:

RHemmings said:

daveyjp said:

The property and assets will go on the bona vacantia list. Any next of kin has 12 years to claim the assets, but in the meantime it appears the council have taken responsibility.

I was surprised to read that no relative can be found. Everyone has relatives, however distant. I would have thought a search through births, deaths, and marriages records would have found living relatives. I'm not saying that a relative should have been found in this case after due diligence. I'm just wondering why one wasn't. I'm guessing that there is a limit as to how far they search, and wonder what this limit is. 

It requires somebody to think it worthwhile investing their time for a possibly fruitless search. The heir hunters do it because they can potentially sign up the distant cousins and get a share of their inheritance.

Thanks. I would have liked to think that if The Crown was taking over the property, it would be incumbent upon them to search for living relatives first. And, I would have thought that with full access to births, deaths, and marriages, this wouldn't be too onerous or fruitless. Could be much more difficult for a landlord who was an immigrant or perhaps the sole child of immigrants. Though, I don't know how the quality of births, deaths, and marriages changes when going back in time. 

To my knowledge which isn't necessarily correct,the crown simply holds the estate for however long. It's up to the relatives  or heir hunters to claim. The crown doesn't search

Sea_Shell

If any heirs are found, would they be entitled to the rental income from the date of death too?


OP, are you still putting the rent aside, until you are contacted by a new LL (LA or otherwise)?

ChirpyChicken

RHemmings said:

Thanks @user1977 and @Flugelhorn. I'll give Heir Hunters a look when I'm home from work. 

Typical daytime telly 

ChirpyChicken

kkkklinky said:

The property is in the process of being taken by the crown...council have stated I will become a council tenant and that eviction would be pointless in my case since it is a 1 bed flat perfectly suitable for a couple over 35 and they would become responsible for rehoming us regardless, especially since my partner has severe medical needs that make him high priority for accommodation.

I suspected I would not be kicked out as my local council never evicts people in these type of situations not unless they are antisocial or causing damage to the property, if a property is too large they are usually moved to a smaller property.

Totally buzzing about this news as rental prices for council flats of this size are about 25% cheaper than private rent. Tenancies seem to be slightly more secure as well.

Pleased for you. Its weird how things turn out !

RHemmings

Shelldean said:

RHemmings said:

daveyjp said:

The property and assets will go on the bona vacantia list. Any next of kin has 12 years to claim the assets, but in the meantime it appears the council have taken responsibility.

I was surprised to read that no relative can be found. Everyone has relatives, however distant. I would have thought a search through births, deaths, and marriages records would have found living relatives. I'm not saying that a relative should have been found in this case after due diligence. I'm just wondering why one wasn't. I'm guessing that there is a limit as to how far they search, and wonder what this limit is. 

There are certain limits to how far  the relation is to the deceased, those too far related can't claim

Thanks. I wasn't aware of this. I went through a checklist online answering 'no' to every single question until the property went to The Crown. 

Intestacy - who inherits if someone dies without a will?:Information based on your answers

The whole estate goes to the Crown.

Next steps

Find out what happens to ownerless property

Your answers

Start again

Where was the deceased domiciled?

England and Wales

Change Where was the deceased domiciled?

Is there a living husband, wife or civil partner?

No

Change Is there a living husband, wife or civil partner?

Are there any living children or any other living descendants (such as grandchildren or great-grandchildren)?

No

Change Are there any living children or any other living descendants (such as grandchildren or great-grandchildren)?

Are there any living parents?

No

Change Are there any living parents?

Are there any living brothers or sisters, or any living descendants of deceased brothers or sisters (such as nephews or nieces)?

No

Change Are there any living brothers or sisters, or any living descendants of deceased brothers or sisters (such as nephews or nieces)?

Are there any living half-brothers or half-sisters, or any living descendants of deceased half-brothers or half-sisters (such as half-nephews or half-nieces)?

No

Change Are there any living half-brothers or half-sisters, or any living descendants of deceased half-brothers or half-sisters (such as half-nephews or half-nieces)?

Are there any living grandparents?

No

Change Are there any living grandparents?

Are there any living aunts or uncles, or any living descendants of deceased aunts or uncles (such as cousins)?

No

Change Are there any living aunts or uncles, or any living descendants of deceased aunts or uncles (such as cousins)?

Are there any living half-aunts or half-uncles, or living descendants of deceased half-aunts or half-uncles (such as half-cousins)?

No

Even after being told there were limits, I thought it would go further than that. Now I can see that it could be quite easy for a property to go to The Crown even if family records exist.

Smalltownhypocrite

If there was a mortgage/loan against the house then the house will go to receivers. Receivers have to uphold the tenancy and will take over managing it on behalf of the bank/loan company.

kkkklinky

Smalltownhypocrite said:

If there was a mortgage/loan against the house then the house will go to receivers. Receivers have to uphold the tenancy and will take over managing it on behalf of the bank/loan company.

There is no mortgage on the property it was fully paid off as I explained in an earlier post.

I don't have service charges as I don't live in a block of flats, I live in a house that was fully converted into individual flats. Apparently the government is focusing on getting more council housing stock so most crown properties are going to the council especially where I live and it is likely what will happen with this property.

My landlord was born in Austria, that is all I know about her is she apparently told a few neighbours or acquaintances that her family died during WW2 except her mother who passed away many years ago, she was an only child.

Flugelhorn

kkkklinky said:

My landlord was born in Austria, that is all I know about her is she apparently told a few neighbours or acquaintances that her family died during WW2 except her mother who passed away many years ago, she was an only child.

Not surprising then  that there are no cousins 

Section62

kkkklinky said:

I don't have service charges as I don't live in a block of flats, I live in a house that was fully converted into individual flats. Apparently the government is focusing on getting more council housing stock so most crown properties are going to the council especially where I live and it is likely what will happen with this property.

Does the landlord own the whole building, or just your flat?