Unusual Probate Scenario & Estate Advice

silvercar

Heir hunters may be interested in helping track down your father, though they will want a cut of any inheritance 

RAS

It might be worth asking the solicitors if they've already use the Salvation Army tracing service?

Flugelhorn

would father be interested if he though there was an inheritance?

Yorkie1

rjsdavis said:

8: Indeed, something that I've raised with the French authorities, as when I was first informed of what had happened, one of my earliest thoughts I assumed that he still lived in a UK property somewhere (I really figured that he would never have sold his beloved flat in London for anything), so that if there were a will, it would likely have had a copy there. Since he appears to have lived nowhere permanent, unless a copy is knocking about in the Folkestone hotel room, I can't even imagine where or how you'd track something like that down. If it's with a firm of solicitors somewhere, that could be any firm, anywhere. 
. 

I seem to remember notices in the Law Society Gazette, asking solicitors if they have any records of doing a will for Person X.

RAS

Yorkie1 said:

rjsdavis said:

8: Indeed, something that I've raised with the French authorities, as when I was first informed of what had happened, one of my earliest thoughts I assumed that he still lived in a UK property somewhere (I really figured that he would never have sold his beloved flat in London for anything), so that if there were a will, it would likely have had a copy there. Since he appears to have lived nowhere permanent, unless a copy is knocking about in the Folkestone hotel room, I can't even imagine where or how you'd track something like that down. If it's with a firm of solicitors somewhere, that could be any firm, anywhere. 
. 

I seem to remember notices in the Law Society Gazette, asking solicitors if they have any records of doing a will for Person X.

Indeed, once asked a local solicitor to circulate local solicitors to ask if any had the relevant files. 

Section62

rjsdavis said:

8: Indeed, something that I've raised with the French authorities, as when I was first informed of what had happened, one of my earliest thoughts I assumed that he still lived in a UK property somewhere (I really figured that he would never have sold his beloved flat in London for anything), so that if there were a will, it would likely have had a copy there. Since he appears to have lived nowhere permanent, unless a copy is knocking about in the Folkestone hotel room, I can't even imagine where or how you'd track something like that down. If it's with a firm of solicitors somewhere, that could be any firm, anywhere. 

Just checking - did you ask the solicitors administering the estate of your late grandmother if your uncle had his own will with them?

Also, were they the same solicitors who dealt with the sale of his London flat?  If not, it might be worth tracking down whichever solicitors did that, as it may be he made a new or updated will at the same time.  In the old paper-based system the deeds would probably include documents drafted by that solicitor, but I don't know whether the Land Registry would retain that information in the new systems, or if they have any record of their own of which solicitor was involved in a given transaction.  Maybe ask Land Registry for advice on identifying the solicitor who dealt with the sale?

WYSPECIAL

rjsdavis said:

DE_612183 said:

question - how old is your Father?

how distinctive is his name?

you could try 192.com

also if you know a previous place of work that might lead you to a pension provider etc.

would you have somewhere his NI number?

There are Relative Finders who change about £500 - not sure if that constitutes burning through cash, as I appreciate your circumstances have to be taken into account as well.....

Thank you for your further reply. 

Father is now 81 (b. 1944)
Not particularly distinctive name, and I have tried 192.com on a number of occasions. No results. 

I used to have a reasonable idea of where he lived, as for a little while he lived in his mother's old house before it was sold, and then remained in the same area. I've seen him in the city several times over the years, and the last time I saw him was pre-Covid in the city centre. He had been shopping in a supermarket and was walking (presumably home) carrying his shopping. Therefore, I assumed that he was within walking distance of the supermarket - not terribly far away from where I actually live, or where his mother used to live.

I've tried scanning through the primary Council Tax list at the local Council offices, but couldn't see him, but I don't actually know what road he lives on, or at least lives on at the time. The Police do seem to know this, but even they weren't able to make contact with him. 

My father hadn't worked in decades - even though he was also a chartered accountant. He wasn't a popular chap in the places that he had worked earlier in his career, and found it difficult to hold down work due to his exceptionally arrogant and ultra aggressive personality (my uncle was the same - they were two peas in a rotten pod).

I'm not sure that I do have my father's NI number. I'm pretty sure that I do have my uncle's.  

If you know where he lasted lived try ringing the local council to see if Court of Protection or social workers are involved. His affairs may be being looked after if he no longer has capacity. 

rjsdavis

Savvy_Sue said:

rjsdavis said:

gwynlas said:

It might be that your uncle based himself in Folkestone in order to make frequent return trips to France living in an hotel for convenience.

If you ave his bank details there might be a travel insurance element involved or given his frequent visits evidence of purchase of an annual policy which would cover death.

If there is no evidence of a will that sets out wishes for internment I would simply arrange cremation in France and recover his cremains should you wish.

You really need to know if your own fathers circumstances as if your uncle was intestate he would take precedence over you in distribution of the estate

Yes, agree with this. 

But the crucial question remains: Where my father cannot be located by solicitors, the Police and/or anyone else - and refuses to engage and is making himself scarce (for whatever reason) - what happens then? 

After seven years, https://www.gov.uk/get-declaration-presumed-death becomes an option ... 

Thank you Sue - I need to look into when the clock for this officially (or formally) would be considered to have started... 

rjsdavis

Flugelhorn said:

would father be interested if he though there was an inheritance?

I honestly can't answer that. 

Both of them (father and uncle) were awful, awful people, and worse, they hated each other... it's an awful thing really, to have watched both brothers abandon their own mother (neither of them had any idea at all when she passed away), my father has no idea that his brother has died (and probably doesn't even care). My father still has no idea, that his own ex-wife, our mother, has passed away. 

They do say that 'you can't choose your family' and this is so, so true for myself and my sister.  

Flugelhorn

rjsdavis said:

Flugelhorn said:

would father be interested if he though there was an inheritance?

I honestly can't answer that. 

Both of them (father and uncle) were awful, awful people, and worse, they hated each other... it's an awful thing really, to have watched both brothers abandon their own mother (neither of them had any idea at all when she passed away), my father has no idea that his brother has died (and probably doesn't even care). My father still has no idea, that his own ex-wife, our mother, has passed away. 

They do say that 'you can't choose your family' and this is so, so true for myself and my sister.  

that is so difficult for you and makes handling all this very difficult - good luck in sorting it all out