Should I cover myself with Gazette notice?

sassyblue

Hoenir said:

user1977 said:

Hoenir said:

user1977 said:

I think there would only be a small minority of estates where a Gazette notice is remotely useful. Any creditors are 99% likely to be predictable ones, not weirdos coming out of the woodwork long after the death claiming they were owed money.

Surprising what many people don't know about the finances of the estate that are being appointed legally to wind up. The Gazette is a small cost in relation to what many executors claim in say expenses or getting the Council to collect bulky household items. 

It might be a relatively small expense, but that still doesn't mean it's good value for money.

I found that beneficiaries were more agitated about the expenses I claimed. In fulfilling my late mothers wishes. Not least the scattering of her ashes. Which required a 450 mile drive and an overnight stay. 

Exactly the kind of people I'm dealing with.  All I've claimed is one lot of petrol, printer cartridges and postage.  I fully expect complaints about that! 

Thanks all.  I'm SO tempted to do it to annoy them, will mull it over.... 

sassyblue

RAS said:

In most circumstances when the executor has been operating an LPA, I'd ignore the difficult beneficiary. Is your difficult beneficiary a solicitor, because they always do this to protect their own backs, which is why their management of estates always take a lot longer.

But since they are difficult, I'd arrange the advert. Then let everyone know distribution can't take place until the after the closing date. 

Yes.  And from the tone of their letter and accusations I've held everything up it makes it all the more tempting..

'I was completely unaware of the Gazette notice and to protect myself as Executor I have placed the notice today.  I am now unable to distribute the estate until.....  '   

Hoenir

sassyblue said:

Hoenir said:

user1977 said:

Hoenir said:

user1977 said:

I think there would only be a small minority of estates where a Gazette notice is remotely useful. Any creditors are 99% likely to be predictable ones, not weirdos coming out of the woodwork long after the death claiming they were owed money.

Surprising what many people don't know about the finances of the estate that are being appointed legally to wind up. The Gazette is a small cost in relation to what many executors claim in say expenses or getting the Council to collect bulky household items. 

It might be a relatively small expense, but that still doesn't mean it's good value for money.

I found that beneficiaries were more agitated about the expenses I claimed. In fulfilling my late mothers wishes. Not least the scattering of her ashes. Which required a 450 mile drive and an overnight stay. 

Exactly the kind of people I'm dealing with.  All I've claimed is one lot of petrol, printer cartridges and postage.  I fully expect complaints about that! 

Thanks all.  I'm SO tempted to do it to annoy them, will mull it over.... 

Most importantly it gives you peace of mind. Absolves you totally. As you've taken all reasonable steps in the eyes of the law. 

Savvy_Sue

user1977 said:

Hoenir said:

user1977 said:

I think there would only be a small minority of estates where a Gazette notice is remotely useful. Any creditors are 99% likely to be predictable ones, not weirdos coming out of the woodwork long after the death claiming they were owed money.

Surprising what many people don't know about the finances of the estate that are being appointed legally to wind up. The Gazette is a small cost in relation to what many executors claim in say expenses or getting the Council to collect bulky household items. 

It might be a relatively small expense, but that still doesn't mean it's good value for money.

I have wound up estates professionally in the past, and can't remember any surprise creditors cropping up. I can't remember any being discussed in posts here either.

From my memory, we were also recommended to post a notice in the local paper if we were doing the Gazette. The Gazette was a lot cheaper than the local paper! 

All it did was alert the people who want to buy your house, today, for cash, that there might be a probate sale going on. 

Emmia

I advertised in the Gazette when my father died, he'd been acting very strangely for a couple of years before he died and I'll be honest I wasn't 100% certain that he didn't have any creditors as a result.

Anyway I advertised, no-one responded and we all carried on with things.

user1977

Savvy_Sue said:

user1977 said:

Hoenir said:

user1977 said:

I think there would only be a small minority of estates where a Gazette notice is remotely useful. Any creditors are 99% likely to be predictable ones, not weirdos coming out of the woodwork long after the death claiming they were owed money.

Surprising what many people don't know about the finances of the estate that are being appointed legally to wind up. The Gazette is a small cost in relation to what many executors claim in say expenses or getting the Council to collect bulky household items. 

It might be a relatively small expense, but that still doesn't mean it's good value for money.

I have wound up estates professionally in the past, and can't remember any surprise creditors cropping up. I can't remember any being discussed in posts here either.

From my memory, we were also recommended to post a notice in the local paper if we were doing the Gazette. The Gazette was a lot cheaper than the local paper! 

Yes, I don't think there's anything magic about the advert being in the Gazette (unlike certain other legal notices which do require to be in the Gazette), and I would have thought a local paper might be more likely to actually be read by somebody who knew the deceased.

I remember being told of a solicitor of old who would put similar adverts in the News of the World, on the basis it had the highest circulation...

RAS

The only creditors who do seem to come out of the woodwork late in Estate situations are DWP and HMRC. Although live folks' very old debts get resurrected repeatedly. 

Linton

Hoenir said:

user1977 said:

Hoenir said:

user1977 said:

I think there would only be a small minority of estates where a Gazette notice is remotely useful. Any creditors are 99% likely to be predictable ones, not weirdos coming out of the woodwork long after the death claiming they were owed money.

Surprising what many people don't know about the finances of the estate that are being appointed legally to wind up. The Gazette is a small cost in relation to what many executors claim in say expenses or getting the Council to collect bulky household items. 

It might be a relatively small expense, but that still doesn't mean it's good value for money.

I found that beneficiaries were more agitated about the expenses I claimed. In fulfilling my late mothers wishes. Not least the scattering of her ashes. Which required a 450 mile drive and an overnight stay. 

Somewhat off the main topic but...

I too would question whether the executor should claim for expenses from the estate for scattering the ashes.  After all scattering of ashes is not part of an executor's legal duties.  Surely the executor has no more right to getting their expenses paid than any other member of the family who choose to be present.

Hoenir

Linton said:

Hoenir said:

user1977 said:

Hoenir said:

user1977 said:

I think there would only be a small minority of estates where a Gazette notice is remotely useful. Any creditors are 99% likely to be predictable ones, not weirdos coming out of the woodwork long after the death claiming they were owed money.

Surprising what many people don't know about the finances of the estate that are being appointed legally to wind up. The Gazette is a small cost in relation to what many executors claim in say expenses or getting the Council to collect bulky household items. 

It might be a relatively small expense, but that still doesn't mean it's good value for money.

I found that beneficiaries were more agitated about the expenses I claimed. In fulfilling my late mothers wishes. Not least the scattering of her ashes. Which required a 450 mile drive and an overnight stay. 

I too would question whether the executor should claim for expenses from the estate for scattering the ashes.  After all scattering of ashes is not part of an executor's legal duties.  Surely the executor has no more right to getting their expenses paid than any other member of the family who choose to be present.

You've no idea what this wish said. So kindly don't question or assume. Bad enough having family members who don't lift a finger to assist with anything.  But constantly nag they want their money and why is there a delay. 

Hoenir

user1977 said:

Savvy_Sue said:

user1977 said:

Hoenir said:

user1977 said:

I think there would only be a small minority of estates where a Gazette notice is remotely useful. Any creditors are 99% likely to be predictable ones, not weirdos coming out of the woodwork long after the death claiming they were owed money.

Surprising what many people don't know about the finances of the estate that are being appointed legally to wind up. The Gazette is a small cost in relation to what many executors claim in say expenses or getting the Council to collect bulky household items. 

It might be a relatively small expense, but that still doesn't mean it's good value for money.

I have wound up estates professionally in the past, and can't remember any surprise creditors cropping up. I can't remember any being discussed in posts here either.

From my memory, we were also recommended to post a notice in the local paper if we were doing the Gazette. The Gazette was a lot cheaper than the local paper! 

Yes, I don't think there's anything magic about the advert being in the Gazette (unlike certain other legal notices which do require to be in the Gazette), 

People that actually use the data on the Official Public Record aren't looking for magic. Just a single source of reliable data that they can monitor for their own uses.