Refund

trickyleccy

Hi
My Aunt passed last year leaving me as next of kin and executor. I have dealt with everything easily as she didn't have a property and very little in the bank who did not require Grant of Probate to release the funds. Outfox The Market are now the last service I have to deal with and they are refusing to release a refund of almost £500 without Grant of Probate, despite have sent the Death Certificate and copy of the Will showing me as executor. The outstanding amount is  sat in an OTM account which is in MY NAME!!!!
DO I really need to go through the bother of gaining Grant of Probate for this refund??
HELP!

Ginger70

If you didn't need probate do you have letters of administration allowing to you to distribute funds?
I thought you had to have one or the other?

Lorian

Was it always in your name?

Keep_pedalling

Ginger70 said:

If you didn't need probate do you have letters of administration allowing to you to distribute funds?
I thought you had to have one or the other?

No, you don’t. Probate is applied for if there is a will, LOA when there is no will. They are only required if assets are held that can’t be relied without such as a property or land. Considering a lot of banks only require it if more than £50k is in the accounts OFTM are being unreasonable in demanding probate which would cost the OP £300 to obtain.

I would raise a complaint with the company and escalate to senior management if you don’t get anywhere. 

trickyleccy

Thanks all.....I am definitely NOT going to probate just to get this refund. I'm sticking to my guns and will raise a complaint with OFTM. The account hasn't always been in my name as it was my Aunt's up until last October. However, since then OFTM changed it into my name and have very happily accepted bill payments from me!!! 
I should also charge them for the interest on the amount owed me. 

Largs

This seems to be common with this supplier.  This was what they sent me in 2023 when my dad passed away and I was executor.  I had previously supplied his certificate of death to them.

We are sorry for your loss and our deepest condolences to the family. 
We understand your circumstance and we wish to make the closure of the account a smooth process. In order to close down the energy account and have it in someone else's name, we need the following: 

• A meter reading
• If the property was rented, could you kindly provide us the details of the landlord/agency
• A copy of the will/grant of probate

 
If you are waiting for the grant of probate we understand this may take a while and we are happy to be patient. 

FreeBear

trickyleccy said:

Thanks all.....I am definitely NOT going to probate just to get this refund. I'm sticking to my guns and will raise a complaint with OFTM. The account hasn't always been in my name as it was my Aunt's up until last October. However, since then OFTM changed it into my name and have very happily accepted bill payments from me!!! 
I should also charge them for the interest on the amount owed me. 

If the account is in your name, and you yourself have not passed away, there should be no need for probate or death certificate. Time for a formal complaint methinks, and if that doesn't yield anything, off to the Energy Ombudsman.

Currently dealing with an institution that is demanding certified copies of will & death cert, but refuse to accept a Grant of Probate...