My brothers death causing concerns.

[Time4t]

Hi all, my brother passed away last weekend & I seem to be being lumbered with sorting everything out.
Now I live 500 miles away & cannot travel, my father is 93 & lives in a care home near my brothers flat, he remarried about 30 years ago & her kids are not the nicest of people.
They have said that they don't want to get involved with any issues regarding my brothers meager estate.

My brother rented a flat & the thing is, as the police & the coroner are involved with the case & there's only one set of keys ( which the police have at the station ) to the flat, the landlord wants to get in to clear it.

so the question is, do I give permission for the police to release the keys to the landlord, so they can bag up the contents & clean the flat ready to rent it out again, which seems fair, or do I tell the police to keep the keys until the legalities have been sorted out.

The landlord has been very good to my brother, so I want to get things done asap so they are not left to far out of pocket
There is some outstanding rent owed to them & I have suggested that they can sell the contents to recoup any money owed to them but only after other expenses from his estate have been covered!

Does this sound ok?

Phill

[Peridot]

Hi Time4T,
I'm sorry to hear about your brother and the ensuing issues. Are you proposing applying for a Grant to deal with the estate or is it not necessary? Are you certain there is nothing of value at the property? I would suggest that someone needs to attend the property to check for any paperwork before allowing the landlord in to effectively clear everything. There may be documentation that is required in order to deal with his estate?
I appreciate this causes delay for the landlord but if they have been reasonable so far I expect they can wait a little while longer just so you can be certain there is nothing at the flat that is needed?

[2222]

"Now I live 500 miles away & cannot travel" - That's it, really, isn't it. You can't do the impossible. If there is nobody able/willing to check through the flat for any valuables now, then I presume that situation is not going to change in the future. Consequently, you may as well leave it up to the landlord to do.

By the sound of it, this could be an insolvent estate. Do you really want to take steps in the administration that then land you with the full job? If you cannot travel, it may very unfortunately be prudent not to get involved.

[Peridot]

Hi again,
Do you know who will be registering the death once the coroner provides a certificate? It should be that person who deals with matters (although not always the case).

[Time4t]

Hi Time4T,
I'm sorry to hear about your brother and the ensuing issues. Are you proposing applying for a Grant to deal with the estate or is it not necessary? Are you certain there is nothing of value at the property? I would suggest that someone needs to attend the property to check for any paperwork before allowing the landlord in to effectively clear everything. There may be documentation that is required in order to deal with his estate?
I appreciate this causes delay for the landlord but if they have been reasonable so far I expect they can wait a little while longer just so you can be certain there is nothing at the flat that is needed?

Thank you for your response.
My fathers wifes family don't want anything to do with it.
The coroner & the police are being very helpful.

The thing is that the last time I was able to visit my brother was about 3 years ago, on looking around the flat it was obvious that his possessions were of sentimental value rather than monetary.

The landlord is quite trustworthy & has been contacting the council etc., on my behalf.
When I last talked to them, I said that I would give permission for them to get the keys from the police, I also asked them to look for any bank statements or other documents that might help in sorting out the bank & benefits issues.

so as they're willing to do this, then I feel that I can let them have the keys.

Phill

[Time4t]

Hi again,
Do you know who will be registering the death once the coroner provides a certificate? It should be that person who deals with matters (although not always the case).

The coroner has stated that after the post mortem etc., has been carried out & the cause of death established, he will send me & my father a letter on how to proceed from that point.

A grant to handle the estate is not required as the contents do not justify the cost.

As far as I am concerned I am on the verge of telling whom ever it concerns, to deal with my father, he may be old but he still has all his marbles & maybe this would force his wife's family to help him.
His wife has 5 children most of whom are in the area at least once a week, so a lot closer than me!!

Phill

[paulajayne]

Think you need someone trustworthy to check the flat for documents and maybe the £5000 tucked away in a cupboard.

[Time4t]

Think you need someone trustworthy to check the flat for documents and maybe the £5000 tucked away in a cupboard.

Yeh, I know what you mean, my brother was a hoarder & he never threw anything away, so for the landlord to go in & clear it is actually doing me a big favour!

Phill