Hoping someone can give me some advice.
My mum passed away early last year leaving me as executor and I and my sister as joint beneficiaries. My sister removed everything she could find of any value from my mother's house on the day of my mother's death and freely admitted it although now is denying that she removed anything except the family photographs. I have never received a list of what she took. I do not want any of the jewellery she took but I do want copies of the photos and my sister has been promising these to me for over a year.
Last year she decided to engage a solicitor who has been making my life an absolute misery. The solicitor has said that I could only have the photos if I gave her client money. It was a struggle to sell the house for enough money to pay off large debts and the amount left over is not a great deal. I have sent a cheque to her now but they then said that I can't have the photos until I provide accounts. I did provide accounts and can account for every penny although I did make a slight mistake on one of the spreadsheets which is easily rectified. But now I have received a response that I can't have the photos until I address where the furniture is (an independent company declared it to have no value and so I paid for its removal), they are disputing my travel costs to take care of the property and costs of the many phone calls I had to make. They are also stating that they have decided that I should pay their fees although the only reason my sister hired them, in my opinion, was because she didn't want to give me the photos.
And, of course, they say that until I hand over any money that they want they will keep the photos.
They have also threatened me many times with court. And have threatened it again in this recent mail implying that if I don't reply immediately they will be taking me to court and making me pay the costs for that too.
What is it that they can actually do? I am so tired of all their demands, threats and bullying. All I want is for them to go away and to give me my photos (which should never have been held to ransom in this way).
But what should I do? Any advice would be greatly appreciated
My mum passed away early last year leaving me as executor and I and my sister as joint beneficiaries. My sister removed everything she could find of any value from my mother's house on the day of my mother's death and freely admitted it although now is denying that she removed anything except the family photographs. I have never received a list of what she took. I do not want any of the jewellery she took but I do want copies of the photos and my sister has been promising these to me for over a year.
Last year she decided to engage a solicitor who has been making my life an absolute misery. The solicitor has said that I could only have the photos if I gave her client money. It was a struggle to sell the house for enough money to pay off large debts and the amount left over is not a great deal. I have sent a cheque to her now but they then said that I can't have the photos until I provide accounts. I did provide accounts and can account for every penny although I did make a slight mistake on one of the spreadsheets which is easily rectified. But now I have received a response that I can't have the photos until I address where the furniture is (an independent company declared it to have no value and so I paid for its removal), they are disputing my travel costs to take care of the property and costs of the many phone calls I had to make. They are also stating that they have decided that I should pay their fees although the only reason my sister hired them, in my opinion, was because she didn't want to give me the photos.
And, of course, they say that until I hand over any money that they want they will keep the photos.
They have also threatened me many times with court. And have threatened it again in this recent mail implying that if I don't reply immediately they will be taking me to court and making me pay the costs for that too.
What is it that they can actually do? I am so tired of all their demands, threats and bullying. All I want is for them to go away and to give me my photos (which should never have been held to ransom in this way).
But what should I do? Any advice would be greatly appreciated
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