Genealogy Chat

Snow drop

Finders UK are a heir hunter company my father and several relatives have just received an inheritance this particular company took 33% including VAT from each relative

Rhodolite,

follow the link posted above on 19 August 2011 by InspectorGreenPen.

The link still works and it explains how you track down who is administering the estate.

As Joan says, and the site reiterates, if the relative died a long time ago, there is a chance that claims will no longer be accepted.

The Treasury Solicitor is willing to look at claims up to thirty years after the date of death; alternatively, if the administration of the estate took a long time to deal with, then it is just possible that a longer time limit would be the statutory limit of twelve years after the administration was complete.

I came across a case where the mother had died in 1982 but because her disabled daughter was living in her house, the estate had still not been finalised in 2008.

[EDIT probably a bad example, because the mother's estate would go to the daughter, and claims would be made against the daughter's estate instead - but presumably there are other reasons to delay completion of the adminstration of an estate]

How do I know if my son is an apparent heir?? How do you submit your research and to where? I have been researching 25 yrs and recently found out from another family member about great gm who died intestate and was on the Bona Vicantia web site however it doesnt seem to be there now. Does this mean the claim is finished? The lady was very difficult to trace using several names. I was not married to his dad.
My son was the first born child the father now deceased, of the daughter who had 4 children one dec.who was the dau of this lady. Hope you can all understand this, I find it very confusing. I had contact from a heir hunter....too but look at the commission they make.

I would just sign up with the probate company if it were me. Much less stressful, and has been stated 14% isn't too bad.
Jan

Anyone can make their own claim against an estate and this is what usually happens and where no apparent Will is made it usually goes into the hands of a lawyer to place a notice that anyone having interest in making a claim to contact ,,xyz.

You will still have to make an individual claim as a relative...and any cash will have to pass to a lawyer for division......be careful what you sign and make sure its a legal contract !!even so you could be signing it all way!!!!...... always read the small print.....

Go see a lawyer and get proper legal advise,,,,,,

My neighbour recently became interested in tracing her family history after I had told her about my researches. Whilst checking up on the last couple of generations of her extended family, she came across a death record for a cousin she hadn't seen for some time. Suspecting that there were no other heirs, she put in a claim on the cousin's estate herself, and, after satisfying the Treasury requirements, she received her inheritance a couple of weeks ago.

I think she had to provide copies of quite a few certificates to prove who she was and her relationship to the deceased person, but I don't think there was anything very difficult about the process.

Snowdrop

Why would you not sign. If this company had not done the work to find you, you & the other heirs would be none the wiser.

14% seems very reasonable. Some can charge up to 40%.

Be very carefull

This is a very interesting thread, Snowdrop, good luck with it
Thank you
Peter

This is the list we used: To help me follow it through I used a ruler - each time the answer was none I moved to the next line.

1. spouse/civil partner and/or children (or their children)
2. parents
3. brothers and sisters, and the children of a deceased brother or sister
4. half-brothers and half-sisters and the children of any deceased half-brother or half-sister
5. grandparents
6. uncles and aunts and the children of any deceased uncle or aunt
7. half-brothers and half-sisters of the deceased's parents and the children of any deceased half-uncle or half-aunt
8. The Crown, the Duchy of Lancaster or the Duchy of Cornwall

good luck.

Although their are members signed up with the probate company there will be a cooling off period. They will need to check the small print.

It must be exciting and good luck

Thank you all, I have now contacted the Registry and have received a pack of info. I think I have also solved who all the descendants are although I dont know who is entitled or not as I cant understand the family map of entitlement produced to help me! Anyway this has been fascinating I am definitely hooked! The descendants have now set up a facebook group and we are all sharing photos and stories etc :-)

well I'm not sure yet if i will take it on myself but I certainly have the time and it is quite fun doing the searching although I have got stuck with one part of the tree.
3 have already signed up with the heir hunter but 2 of us have not as yet, I'm not sure what position that puts everyone in. To be honest for myself the £££ are less important at this point than solving the mystery....

This site has some very useful information on the subject, with further links to additional information

http://tinyurl.com/3eoet8y


As far as commissions arew concerned - rates vary from around 15-30 % depending on the work necessary, so 14% is at the bottom end of the scale.

Before proceeding I would contact the Treasury solicitor who can advise you what is involved and your position if you don't sign with a probate company. At least then you will have all the facts before making a decision.

14% seems a fair commission to me. I have heard of companies charging up to 25% and when you think of all the work the firm will have done to find you (buying certificates, using resources, fuel to get about etc.) then I would be inclined to let them do the work and sign up with them (but only when you are sure the firm is genuine)

Kath. x

You can choose to do it yourself, or instruct another firm ...

Jill

Ive now met with the heir hunter, who wants to charge 14% I would like a cap on this though. I'm in contact with all 5 apparent heirs, 3 have signed up myself and one other have not. What is the position where there isn't a consensus, we all get on I just don't want to pay to prove my own case as I'd quite like to do it myself or is it a group thing and all or nothing?

Hi,
just to say that I am not sure of the legal position but I do know that the heir hunters, ie. Fraser and Fraser had to sign an indemnity to cover the fact that they might have "missed" some of the beneficiaries. So I personally would be wary of taking this on myself.

But having said that good luck if you do.

Cheers. M.

Snowdrop

Have a look at this site: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Governmentcitizensandrights/Death/Preparation/DG_10029802
I found it very useful when doing my research. I have to say we were lucky as this was a known relative with another having Power of Attorney.
Can I suggest you talk to someof the other family members see how they feel about it all.

Don't forget, that although there was a house sale it may not have realised much cash if there was a mortgage or other debts.
Personally I'd also be wary of someone who had only just started out doing this. Think about it - most people you come across on here could start doing this as a business.
Doing my own family tree I knew no one was going to come knocking on my door.