Help! Acting as an executor to an estate...

Sloeye

I need to obtain copies of bank statements for the deceased to find out what payments are owed to third parties, but the bank have advised me that I have to pay £5 per copy statement and I need four. I know there have been a lot of threads in Bank Charges about how people should ask for details of the charges alone, in order that the bank provides the information for £10 under the DPA, but does this apply in my case? I actually need to be able to track all the outgoing payments, so cannot ask for a sample - does anyone know the answer please?

Many thanks

bigbloke45

You only need to get one copy, surely. You can then photocopy it 3 more times. Maybe a copy of direct debits might be easier as you will need to contact gas, electricity, council tax etc to see what is outstanding.

I have been through the same experience for my mother and father in law. Let me comfort you; it's not that bad. You just need to keep records from now on and watch what correspondence turns up re outstanding bills.

In my experience everyone was sympathetic and helpful and, eventually all was sorted. But it does take time. Be careful not to spend your own money on anything; if the estate runs out of money before all bills are paid, then that's tough for the creditors who will just have to accept this.

Best of luck!

aytch

I am also going through this at the moment for my mother, you can apply the charges against the estate as a debt, and any other fees you have to pay as executor. I have done this with the bank charges and probate fees.

Best wishes, I have found it is not easy to get your head straight when dealing with personal death and estate.

Sloeye

Thank you for your responses, you're right, it is hard when you are emotionally involved. Unfortunately I didn't make it clear that I need four months of statements from August to November, not four copies of one statement. I'm trying to establish what money is owed to a nursing home which has recently been sold on as a going concern, which is why I need to see what money the original owners have already received, before I can establish that the new invoice is valid

I'd prefer not to pass on the costs to the estate, it seems a bit mean, but there again, I don't want to end up paying more to the bank for providing the information than I actually have to...

aytch

Do you have probate, if so you should be able to access bank details as if it was your account and could make an appointment to view statements rather than get copies.
Also, as executor, costs should not fall to you, allowances are made to enable reimbursement from the estate, as are funeral costs. It is not mean, just practical.

Aytch

Sloeye

Yes, we have probate, but the bank has said that as the account is effectively now closed, we can only have the statements by post as 'it can't be called up on the branch system'

aytch

It seems bizarre they can print them off and post them but can't pull them up on a screen.

I suppose the home can't pull off the previous invoices?

I thought as executor you closed the bank account, thats what I had to do, I had to go in and sign it off. Did it happen automatically and if so on who's permission?

I hope you get it sorted, maybe someone in the banking world might read this thread.

Aytch