Friends father passed away, not sure how to proceed and help his situation

[SpringBreak]

Hi

Please let me know of any steps or procedures you need me to follow, I haven't been active for some time.

Not sure if I'm entitled to have any advice I did have a subscription and will be renewing from the 19th anyway.

Anyway - I have a friend with some complex mental health needs. Hes been living in the house he shared with his father most of his life. His parents separated when he was about six but out of four siblings only my friend and his father remained living there.
there is a deeds issue, as in we don't actually know who holds them - or who is entitled to them for defibite. Although I had been given the firm idea from his dad that the house was to be given to my friend. His parents separated but never divorced - not sure why that happened. There is some contact with his sister on his father's side, and some also with an older brother and sister as well as his mum.

Anyway... didn't want to rush ahead and look for a will or the executor because the outcome I am intending to try and support my friend to achieve is for him to be able to do the place up and remain living there or however he chooses later on if that makes sense.

Where do I begin or what steps can I take to help him?

Thank you

Robin

[Pezza54]

Hi
Help your friend to search for the property deeds online at the Land Registry to find out who and how the property is owned
Then apart from searching the house for the will, and if he is unable to find one, asking close relatives if they are aware of any will, there's not much more you can do about the house at present
If the funeral hasn't taken place, you could support your friend arranging it, unless other relatives have already done this.

[PallasAthena]

Who notified the death? Did they use the 'Tell Us Once' service?

What to do after someone dies: Tell Us Once - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

How does your friend stand financially in the immediate future? If he was reliant on his father's income then he needs to be aware that once the organisations on Tell Us Once are aware of his father's death benefits and the like will cease and your friend will become responsible for Council Tax and elctricitiy/gas bills.

LegalBeagles no longer requires a paid for subscription so you are OK there.

[atticus]

To clarify post #2, if you go online to the Land Registry site - https://www.gov.uk/get-information-a...opies-of-deeds - you can find out if the title to the property is registered. If it is, you can obtain for £3 a copy of the title document which will give details of ownership, mortgages and any other things which may affect the property.

Beyond that, conversations with the other family members would seem sensible.