How long does it take for an Inheritance with many beneficiaries (and no will) to be sorted?

chompie wrote: »

I thought there was a maximum %age they could take from the estate?

No idea if there's a limit but I know its been complex enough the solicitors has someone working on it part time ! Imagine 50 years of papers in a large rambling house that need to be pored through looking for clues to shares and investments.

And its a big estate (2 large houses both in London one of which is big enough to be subdivided into offices and flats and there is complexity about freeholds and leaseholds) so it will be able to support an astronomic bill, but I dont know if theres a cut off point or what a solicitor would do if they reached that and ,say, hadnt tracked down all the investments yet.

Malthusian wrote: »

How would that work? If a solicitor is working on a complex estate on a time-cost basis and hits the maximum percentage, for legitimately incurred costs, would they have to drop everything and dump an exceptionally complex estate in the laps of amateur beneficiaries? They couldn't give it to another solicitor, because then the beneficiaries would still be paying more than the maximum percentage, with an even higher excess because of the costs of a new solicitor reinventing the wheel. And you can't force anyone to work for free.

There is no maximum percentage set in law. If a solicitor conned someone into agreeing a manifestly unreasonable amount like 90% of the estate I imagine the courts would reverse it if it was challenged, but there is no legal maximum. In the famous fictional case of Jarndyce and Jarndyce (spoiler alert), the solicitors take 100% of the estate, perfectly legally, and I believe Dickens was inspired by real cases.

A complaint about the fees can always be made. They are then assessed formally by an officer pf the court. This process is known as “taxing”. They taxing process is not usually generous to the solicitor.

chompie wrote: »

Almost a year later and this is still going on.

Four months ago they were told it was "all but done" and they would be receiving payments in the next 3 months.

Since then any contact has been met with irritation and no further info...

Anyway to make a complaint (some ombudsmen or another) if this is not being dealt with properly?

Some in the family think this maybe a way of them getting interest on the estate, i don't know whether that is a thing or not, but seems unlikely they would drag it out for a bit of interest, or am i being naive?

Who is contacting who and how often? What method of communication? Who said it was all but done and is now getting irritated?

Key tasks of an executor or administrator includes identifying all creditors, settling all debts, getting proof of that and producing detailed accounts. Selling a property can be nowhere near the 'finishing post' in winding up a messy estate.

With seventeen beneficiaries it would be best to maintain the single point of contact/ liaison. They then copy any noteworthy e-mails from the solicitor to everyone. E-mail because it is (should be) quick, easy and clear. The more work the solicitor has to do fielding queries from different branches of the family the less money will remain to be divided up.

The solicitor should not be discussing cases with 'just anyone', so should be checking their files every single time somebody wants an update. The family would (quite rightly) be up in arms if a nosy neighbour/ thieving toe-rag relative/ disgruntled ex 'phoned the office and had it confirmed that Chompie's Aunt Flo or Chompie's Cousin Bill are waiting on a payout. :eek:

Hopefully all this waiting has encouraged the beneficiaries and their families to make or update their own wills, and generally streamline or 'tidy up' their own finances!