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guidance on deceased sons "estate" needed.

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  • guidance on deceased sons "estate" needed.

    My Son passed away a week ago after a 4 month illness, it seems as his next of kin I have the job of sorting out everything.
    In brief, he left nothing but about £200, debts of about £1500 and the meagre furnishings etc in his small, local authority flat.
    His debts were almost £2000 but one debt company wrote of their amounts about 2 months ago and whilst I will not name them and do despise these agencies this one has been helpful and sympathetic to the situation, they did try at first to sneak in a statute barred debt but upon telling them this they withdrew the amount immediately.
    One debt, almost two thirds of the amount, is for his water supply. One other has sent me the statement etc for the debt and it seems he that he purchased by a mail order account goods to the value of about £40, he had paid them over a period over £60, they still want almost £230 for late payment, admin and account charges etc. Right or wrong I have told them to go multiply!!! I have said their client has not incurred a financial loss as the goods they supplied have been paid for.
    At this point I must say that my son was bi polar (diagnosed 3 years ago), not in work for many years due to the addiction (drink)! and after diagnosis they said he had probably been ill since about the age of 14, he was 33 when eventually diagnosed and 36 when he died of a failed liver and heart. He never married and has no children etc.
    i am now left to sort this out and find the money for his funeral as neither his mother, sister or I are receiving any benefits, by the time we/I are finished I would estimate we will have to find £3 to £4,000 to cover the funeral and house clearance cost etc. so to find the money to pay off these debts on top of this is going to take me into my 70's.
    There is no way we can do this, I have told all debtors, except the water board, that his credit rating has been poor to non existent for more than 10 years and they have been irresponsible in extending credit to him without checking and therefore it's their fault for giving a sick man with a zero credit rating credit.
    so now to my questions:- As his next of kin can I just deal with everything that needs to be dealt with as far as his "assets" (£215 + a few bits of furniture) and notification of those who need to know of his passing and then just wrap up the situation and move on. Using a separate bank account as proof of the finances?
    Do or can, those he owed money to have first claim on his estate or do they "just join the queue" and am I obliged as his father or next of kin to pay his debts?
    Tags: None

  • #2
    Re: guidance on deceased sons "estate" needed.

    The first thing the estate pays is the Funeral as it seems there is not enough to pay for this there will be none left for the debts .
    Dont worry about the debts they will get nothing if there is nothing write letters saying there is no money after all its the truth

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: guidance on deceased sons "estate" needed.

      Originally posted by peter p
      As his next of kin can I just deal with everything that needs to be dealt with as far as his "assets" (£215 + a few bits of furniture) and notification of those who need to know of his passing and then just wrap up the situation and move on. Using a separate bank account as proof of the finances?
      It is normal to open an executors account as doing so provides transparency. However, as there is effectively nothing in the estate, I wouldn't bother. Do draw up an accounting however, and back it up with receipts, bank statements, etcetera.

      Do or can, those he owed money to have first claim on his estate or do they "just join the queue" and am I obliged as his father or next of kin to pay his debts?
      The estate - over which you as executor have absolute control - pays the funeral costs first. If there is nothing left after that, then it's just hard luck for everyone else.

      You personally owe them nothing whatsoever. However, be aware that many companies will lie, threaten, and generally try to intimidate you into paying them yourself. Do not allow yourself to be bullied - if they try it on, make a complaint.

      There may be a funeral grant available. Contact the DWP, and possibly the Local Authority about this.

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: guidance on deceased sons "estate" needed.

        Thank you both for your input, you have confirmed my thoughts and yes I have emptied an old bank account to use and even paid the £20 he had in his wallet into it. I have written to all the debtors with a polite covering letter and a photocopy of the death certificate.
        I just wanted to make sure that I was doing things correctly as I didn't want this to rebound on me at a later time. from the replies I am a lot happier and less stressed. thank you

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: guidance on deceased sons "estate" needed.

          Hello Peter and please accept my condolences on your loss.

          The advice both Enquirer and Wales have given you is good, solid advice. As to funeral costs, most funeral directors will offer a Basic Funeral, the cost of which will vary depending on where you are. The average cost of a funeral, at this moment in time, is around the £3,440 mark. However, when you instruct the funeral director, do discuss any worries you may have with them as regards payment. On the whole, funeral directors are caring people and will try and help as much as they can at what is often a difficult time.
          Life is a journey on which we all travel, sometimes together, but never alone.

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: guidance on deceased sons "estate" needed.

            Peter P,

            I'm so very sorry for your loss - how harrowing it must be and how bravely you are facing it.

            You don't need any extra financial stress on top of your grief. The advice above is absolutely sound and please don't worry about that side any more - you are doing things correctly, according to the book and can concentrate on grieving for your son.

            Do look into the possibility of a grant for the funeral.

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: guidance on deceased sons "estate" needed.

              Thanks to every one for your input it has put my mind at rest. Will look at the possibility of a grant during the next few days, thanks again.

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: guidance on deceased sons "estate" needed.

                Originally posted by peter p View Post
                Thanks to every one for your input it has put my mind at rest. Will look at the possibility of a grant during the next few days, thanks again.
                All info here for you when you are ready to digest it https://www.gov.uk/funeral-payments

                I am sorry for your loss one of the hardest if not the hardest to cope with.
                Enaid x

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: guidance on deceased sons "estate" needed.

                  Hi
                  Have notified the water board who supplied my sons flat and it seems he owed them some money and we have dealt with that sort of thing earlier in the thread but can someone explain this comment from their e mail.

                  We’ve held the account for 12 months while the Grant of Probate for the estate is issued. Anglian Water has appointed a probate partner – Phillips and Cohen who will contact you to assist with the outstanding balance.

                  I have told them there will be no probate due to the minimal size of the estate and that I am handling everything but the terminology has confused me a bit, especially the "probate partner" bit and the strange coincidence that my sons surname is also Phillips.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: guidance on deceased sons "estate" needed.

                    When they find there is no money the probate partner will soon disappear don't worry with no money to pay they can all go away

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: guidance on deceased sons "estate" needed.

                      You could try customer services at Anglian Water Group - email anglianwatercustomerservices@anglianwater.co.uk, telephone 0800 1693630 - but, as it's likely you've already tried them for you to have received the daft reply you did, perhaps you should now write to the organ grinder rather than dealing with his performing monkeys?

                      The Managing Director is one Peter Simpson - email psimpson@anglianwater.co.uk , telephone 01522 341000

                      Tell him that your son died intestate, so there will be no Grant of Probate as such and that you will apply (or have applied) for Letters of Administration for his meagre estate as his sole executor. Then state that he died a pauper and that, even with the Death Grant, there will not be enough value in his estate even to cover the cost of his funeral, let alone pay anything to any of his creditors.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: guidance on deceased sons "estate" needed.

                        Originally posted by peter p View Post
                        We’ve held the account for 12 months while the Grant of Probate for the estate is issued. Anglian Water has appointed a probate partner – Phillips and Cohen who will contact you to assist with the outstanding balance.
                        This has a very sinister ring to it.

                        Follow the advice given by CleverClogs. If these people contact you, don't allow yourself to be bamboozled into signing anything or allowing them to 'deal' with the estate.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: guidance on deceased sons "estate" needed.

                          If Anglian Water has been told there is no money left to meet their demands, there is no justification for them to engage Philips and Cohen.

                          Follow Clever Clog's advice and contact the CEO of Anglian Water.
                          Life is a journey on which we all travel, sometimes together, but never alone.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: guidance on deceased sons "estate" needed.

                            I have just found out that he owed them around £900, have no idea how the debt got so large so I can understand why they want to try and recover it. Have had a friend of his contact me who is a solicitor and she has advised that he would be known as "a man of straw" in legal terms. will be e mailing the CEO tonight.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: guidance on deceased sons "estate" needed.

                              Originally posted by peter p View Post
                              I have just found out that he owed them around £900, have no idea how the debt got so large
                              Perhaps he was charged extra after he'd obtained their assurance that all of their water had been personally passed by their Managing Director?

                              Comment

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