• Welcome to the LegalBeagles Consumer and Legal Forum.
    Please Register to get the most out of the forum. Registration is free and only needs a username and email address.
    REGISTER
    Please do not post your full name, reference numbers or any identifiable details on the forum.

Sister died without leaving a will

Collapse
Loading...
X
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Sister died without leaving a will

    Hi my sister died without leaving a will her children were 20&18 at the time and she was only married for 3 years to her new husband having been widowed before he married her after she was diagnosed with cancer my sister wanted to make a will but was talked out of it by him
    so she asked him to put both her children on the tenency as she was the only one on the rent book she lived in a council house with her previous husband and children
    her new husband had had his house reposesed for none payment of morgage
    before she married him
    but he lied about there ages to the council told them they were both under 16
    and so he only put his self down on the rent book
    my niece moved out shortly before my sisters passing
    and after my sister passed he empted her joint account she had with her 1st husband 2nd husbands name was not on it and threw my nephew out nephew went out and when he came back he had changed the locks
    he has kept everything in the house saying it is his now
    and moved a new women in
    my question is has he broken any laws is there anything we can do
    was the council at fault for not finding out my nephews age?
    hope someone can help thanks
    Tags: None

  • #2
    Re: Sister died without leaving a will

    He may of broken the law but as he took money from his wifes account might be hard to get anything done. He may be legally entitled to the possessions you would have to prove he is not?
    Why should the council check their ages would expect they would believe what they were told.
    Sorry your sister has gone but if this guys has behaved like this you will have a fight on your hands to beat him expect trouble from him all the way it will not be nice for you or you sisters children.

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Sister died without leaving a will

      Hi and welcome

      I feel for your nehew and neice, but assuming they are in England or Wales, and your sisters estate was valued at less than £250,000, it all goes to her surviving husband.(https://www.gov.uk/inherits-someone-...d-wales/yes/no)

      However your nephew and neice presumably had some personal property in the house, and this should be returned to them.

      I doubt there is anything to be done about the transfer of tenancy not including your sister's children

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Sister died without leaving a will

        Further to my post above I was hoping that someone with more knowledge would pop up and say "hang on,There is The Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975, which allows for even adult children to make a claim against the intestate estate of their parents".
        ..... so I'm tagging others who will be able to advise in more detail [MENTION=85500]Peridot[/MENTION] [MENTION=87380]Diana M[/MENTION]

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Sister died without leaving a will

          I would also add if the full facts re the tenancy had been told, that the children were old enough to take on the tenancy it was up to the council to decide who took over. The spouse does have priority normally but the kids have rights too re housing. Just mho but he has commited fraud

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Sister died without leaving a will

            Hi Tracy,
            So sorry to hear about your sister. When did she pass away? Was a Grant of Letters of Administration obtained? (Basically Probate but it has different terminology where there is no Will).

            Was she still supporting her children in any way financially at the time she died? If they were receiving any financial support even if mum bought their food shopping regularly for example or paid bills for them, they may be able to bring a claim under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975. However the claim should be made within 6 months of the Grant being made, hence my previous question. There are circumstances when this can be extended but it is not common. They would need specialist advice on this.

            Have the children contacted the Council themselves to flag the issues? As Des8 mentioned if the children have personal belongings at the property they need this to be returned. Have they written to your sister's widower listing any items they believe are theirs and requesting their return?

            Unfortunately any claim they make against their mother's estate will be costly (and if successful the cost will be paid by the estate, so reducing the available pot for any award), so it needs to be considered whether the estate value is sufficient to warrant a claim.

            It may be worth them considering meeting with a solicitor under a free half hour or reduced fee, to obtain some advice on whether they could make a claim and the likely chances of them being successful in any claim, once they have considered the estate value ie savings, shares, property etc.

            In the meantime I would recommend they write to their mother's widower listing items they believe are theirs and requesting their return by a set date, if not then threaten to take legal action. It is really tough as many items are no doubt mementos rather than of any significant value. They should ask at least mind and hopefully they can get some of the personal items returned to them.
            I am a qualified solicitor and am happy to try and assist informally, where needed.

            Any posts I make on LegalBeagles are for information and discussion purposes only and shouldn't be seen as legal advice. Any practical advice I give is without liability. I do not represent people on the forum.

            If in doubt you should always seek professional face to face legal advice.

            Comment

            View our Terms and Conditions

            LegalBeagles Group uses cookies to enhance your browsing experience and to create a secure and effective website. By using this website, you are consenting to such use.To find out more and learn how to manage cookies please read our Cookie and Privacy Policy.

            If you would like to opt in, or out, of receiving news and marketing from LegalBeagles Group Ltd you can amend your settings at any time here.


            If you would like to cancel your registration please Contact Us. We will delete your user details on request, however, any previously posted user content will remain on the site with your username removed and 'Guest' inserted.
            Working...
            X