Abandoned property, no probate

Cloudy_day

We bought a semi-detached last year and the attached property is abandoned. A family come from time to time to clear it out, but it's a mess and we get rats. We later found out it's been empty around 10 years, lady died 3 years ago.

I've checked Land Reg and property still registered to lady who passed away. Probate check and no will.

I imagine she left it to the family, possibly to avoid care home fees? I want the LA to force them to sell or move in. I feel there is something strange going on here, anyone have any ideas??
Thanks in advance. 

GDB2222

It has to be seriously bad for the LA to interfere. They’re more likely to react if you can get a lot of neighbours involved. Have you spoken to them about it? 

Cairnpapple

Some councils have an empty homes team that you could contact, but it seems very inconsistent across different councils. 

Cloudy_day

Thanks I have contacted the council previously as have other neighbours. They sent them an Enforcement notice to clear up, but they made a start then stopped. Still a mess.
In new year I will get the other neighbours views.
It's a scam of some sort, I can't figure out what! No one leaves an empty property in SE, even in that condition it's worth something!!

_Dolly_Rocker_

There's a house like this over the road from me. 

Exactly same issue, guy next door is getting rats due to the mess. 

I've been living hear nearly 4 years and it's still the same. 

Hope you can manage to get it sorted out.

Jude57

Cloudy_day said:

Thanks I have contacted the council previously as have other neighbours. They sent them an Enforcement notice to clear up, but they made a start then stopped. Still a mess.
In new year I will get the other neighbours views.
It's a scam of some sort, I can't figure out what! No one leaves an empty property in SE, even in that condition it's worth something!!

The Council clearly know how to contact the family if Enforcement notices have resulted in some clean up efforts. The property will also be attracting Council Tax liability at whatever multiple rate the local authority have set. Someone, somewhere, is racking up a large debt and the Council Tax Recovery team WILL pursue it.

Have you actually spoken to anyone from the Council about what action they have taken or plan to take? Within reason, there's no reason why they couldn't give you some idea of how they intend to deal with the situation. You could always contact your local Councillor (if you don't know who that is, their information will be on the Council's website) and ask them to find out what the plan is. It's exactly what your Councillor is elected to deal with and it doesn't matter whether you voted for them, so involve them!

Keep_pedalling

It won’t be a scam no one has anything to gain by leaving a property empty and fall into dereliction. 

Cloudy_day

I will follow up with the Council again and speak to the Councillor. Good plan, they aren't paying any bills, we had water people come round and ask questions. 
They hadn't informed the council it was empty and I believe council tax has started. Given the number of debt collectors knocking, I'm sure they don't pay anything.
I gave the council the family details. I will follow up.

It's weird there is no will, or that name not changed on deeds. I wonder if they did it to avoid care home fees, but I don't know enough on how this works!

RAS

It is not that there is no will. The issue is that without probate, they can't sell the property.

In the absence of a will, someone in the family can apply to administer the estate (probate where there is no will),.or maybe there is a will but there is a family reason that they can't or don't want to sort it out. For example an executor who is overseas or whose whereabouts are not known? Mean-time the family may not have access to any money to maintain the property?

Keep_pedalling

Less than 50% of people make wills and they only become public when someone get round to applying for probate. If there was no will then someone needs to apply for letters of administration which will usually fall to one of the beneficiaries under intestacy rules.

If there are outstanding care fees they will form a debt owed by the estate which needs to be paid before the beneficiaries get anything. Outstanding utility bills and council tax will also be building up estate debt.

Cloudy_day

Thanks all. I know they have little money, but there are 5 siblings and we've offered to help clear it out, but they stop responding.

Thank you for information about the will vs probate. I wonder then if outstanding care fees are on the property and therefore it's not worth them selling it? 

I take it that even if a family member owns it now, they don't have to update the Land Reg?