Punch Taverns wont refund deceased managers deposit.

[shimmy56]

HI, I am posting this on behalf of a good friend of mine who lost her partner of 11 years to Covid 14 mths ago.
This particular subject has been difficult for her to deal with so I said i would make some enquiries with her full permission.
Basically as part of the original contract with Punch they had to put down a £5000 deposit which came from their joint funds. After he died she asked for their deposit back as he was the license holder but also the pub was closed due to covid anyway and she had no intention to run the premises.
Punch have flatly refused to refund the deposit money to her stating that it belonged to her late partner and not her, but they provided this deposit money between them.
I realise that we are now some 15mths on but is it too late to try and recover the deposit money and if not what would the procedure be please?.
Many thanks

[des8]

Presumably the contract was between Punch and her partner

May I suggest whoever is dealing with the deceased's estate requests the return of the deposit as one of the estate's assets.

It would be good if there was a will naming an executor and a grant of probate.
Lacking that someone could apply for letters of administration (there is an order of entitlement for applicants https://www.gov.uk/applying-for-probate/who-can-apply)

Were they married or in a civil partnership?

[shimmy56]

HI, I am posting this on behalf of a good friend of mine who lost her partner of 11 years to Covid 14 mths ago.
This particular subject has been difficult for her to deal with so I said i would make some enquiries with her full permission.
Basically as part of the original contract with Punch they had to put down a £5000 deposit which came from their joint funds. After he died she asked for their deposit back as he was the license holder but also the pub was closed due to covid anyway and she had no intention to run the premises.
Punch have flatly refused to refund the deposit money to her stating that it belonged to her late partner and not her, but they provided this deposit money between them.
I realise that we are now some 15mths on but is it too late to try and recover the deposit money and if not what would the procedure be please?.
Many thanks

Hi DES8, many thanks for reply. Sorry for my late reply I have a few family problems a distance away..

I think the contract was in her partners name, but the original deposit amount was largely supplied by herself .
Punch are arguing that she had nothing to do with the running of the pub buit it simply isnt true. If you look at reviews of the pub it would always mention them both, eg, she would do all the premises cleaning and the guests breakfasts early in the morning before she went to do her day job.

I think she feels a bit let down by Punch after all the years of service they have provided.
Its worth mentioning that Punch have previous on this type of behaviour.

Re the will, he was only 55 and taken so quickly, within the week from first symptoms.
I shall look into letters of administration.
Yes it was a civil partnership.

Thanks again.

[des8]

As there was a civil partnership in place she is first in line to obtain a grant of letters of administration.
This will confirm she has legal authority to settle her partners estate, and in that position she can pursue Punch for return of the deposit.

As she was not mentioned in the contract, she would have difficulty arguing for return of the deposit money although she may have supplied it to her partner