Tweet
Short version
My aunt put her name on my grandmother’s property to help with setting up direct debits etc, and upon my grandmother’s death, claimed that the bank account and house are hers. If this is a scam that can actually work, I think the general public should be more aware of it.
Long version
My grandmother died recently. Previously, when my granddad (her husband) died, my grandmother moved back to the UK and bought a property to live in. She sold off the overseas property and investments, and she divided the money four ways. I received a quarter, my mother received a quarter, my aunt received a quarter and her son (my cousin) received a quarter of the money. I have a disability that doesn’t qualify me for any benefits, so that money meant that I could live independently while working from home. I make about 90% of my living expenses through work.
My aunt had her name added to my grandmother’s house and the bank account. This was for two reasons: so that she could actually purchase the property while my grandmother was still overseas and so that her and her husband could set up things such as the phone line. Technically, it seems that she was, therefore, the co-owner of the house and the bank account was a joint account. Over the years, her and her husband did handle the setting up of direct debits and utilities for her etc.
When my grandmother died in January, we looked at the will. I haven’t personally seen it myself yet, but basically, it says that a few relatives were to be given gifts of a couple of thousand pounds and the residual should be split four ways. As it happens, my cousin had died a couple of years ago, but the will specified that the estate should still be split four ways so that his son would receive what would have been his quarter. My step uncle and my step father were to be executors of the will and receive four thousand pounds payment each.
We had never found my aunt to be very trustworthy. I hadn’t had many dealings with her over the years, but my mum was always complaining that she couldn’t be trusted and was always out to get things that weren’t hers.
As soon as my grandmother died, my aunt changed the locks on the house and claimed that the house and the bank account were hers. She claimed that she had been told by my grandmother that that was her wish. However, my grandmother and my mother had discussed the issue, and my grandmother was clear that everything was to be divided into four parts. This discussion was quite detailed because my grandmother wanted to be clear that my (dead) cousin would effectively still receive his quarter as his son would receive the money.
As it stands, if my aunt gets her way, I will receive one quarter of basically nothing. It is impossible to believe that my grandmother’s wish was that I would receive nothing. Apart from anything else, I have had a 32 year neurological disability. Unfortunately, it doesn’t qualify me for any benefits, and I have never been able to earn quite as much as my living expenses. My grandmother was fully aware of my situation.
Just to reiterate, my aunt and her husband had their names on the bank account and the house so that they could sign things and set things up. My mother and my step father handled more of the day to day work of doing her shopping for her.
A family friend has advised my mother that there may be nothing we can do. As my aunt had her name on everything as a co-owner, it all reverted to her when my grandmother died. My side of the family are absolutely sick about the whole thing and my financial future has been ruined. Is there anything we can do? My mother will see a solicitor next week, and I’d be grateful for any advice I could pass on to her. Feel free to ask me any questions about the situation if further clarification is needed.
My aunt put her name on my grandmother’s property to help with setting up direct debits etc, and upon my grandmother’s death, claimed that the bank account and house are hers. If this is a scam that can actually work, I think the general public should be more aware of it.
Long version
My grandmother died recently. Previously, when my granddad (her husband) died, my grandmother moved back to the UK and bought a property to live in. She sold off the overseas property and investments, and she divided the money four ways. I received a quarter, my mother received a quarter, my aunt received a quarter and her son (my cousin) received a quarter of the money. I have a disability that doesn’t qualify me for any benefits, so that money meant that I could live independently while working from home. I make about 90% of my living expenses through work.
My aunt had her name added to my grandmother’s house and the bank account. This was for two reasons: so that she could actually purchase the property while my grandmother was still overseas and so that her and her husband could set up things such as the phone line. Technically, it seems that she was, therefore, the co-owner of the house and the bank account was a joint account. Over the years, her and her husband did handle the setting up of direct debits and utilities for her etc.
When my grandmother died in January, we looked at the will. I haven’t personally seen it myself yet, but basically, it says that a few relatives were to be given gifts of a couple of thousand pounds and the residual should be split four ways. As it happens, my cousin had died a couple of years ago, but the will specified that the estate should still be split four ways so that his son would receive what would have been his quarter. My step uncle and my step father were to be executors of the will and receive four thousand pounds payment each.
We had never found my aunt to be very trustworthy. I hadn’t had many dealings with her over the years, but my mum was always complaining that she couldn’t be trusted and was always out to get things that weren’t hers.
As soon as my grandmother died, my aunt changed the locks on the house and claimed that the house and the bank account were hers. She claimed that she had been told by my grandmother that that was her wish. However, my grandmother and my mother had discussed the issue, and my grandmother was clear that everything was to be divided into four parts. This discussion was quite detailed because my grandmother wanted to be clear that my (dead) cousin would effectively still receive his quarter as his son would receive the money.
As it stands, if my aunt gets her way, I will receive one quarter of basically nothing. It is impossible to believe that my grandmother’s wish was that I would receive nothing. Apart from anything else, I have had a 32 year neurological disability. Unfortunately, it doesn’t qualify me for any benefits, and I have never been able to earn quite as much as my living expenses. My grandmother was fully aware of my situation.
Just to reiterate, my aunt and her husband had their names on the bank account and the house so that they could sign things and set things up. My mother and my step father handled more of the day to day work of doing her shopping for her.
A family friend has advised my mother that there may be nothing we can do. As my aunt had her name on everything as a co-owner, it all reverted to her when my grandmother died. My side of the family are absolutely sick about the whole thing and my financial future has been ruined. Is there anything we can do? My mother will see a solicitor next week, and I’d be grateful for any advice I could pass on to her. Feel free to ask me any questions about the situation if further clarification is needed.
Comment