Liverpool & South West Lancashire FHS - Forum

Hi again, sorry i just need to ask another quick question. Tho not really family history as such. If some dies intestate, would a the file/case with the solicitors only be closed if the person estate had been distributed to beneficaries! Is it possible if only some of the relatives had been found that the estate could have been distributed between them even tho other relatives were out there!

Watching some of the Heir Hunters programmes gives a great insight into this query. The Government's Bona Vacantia site has a lot of advice on this point and this is the department who initially begins a search for relatives of a deceased. They do go to great lengths to find people who are entitled to make a claim, including advertising in the local newspapers etc.

This is just one of the answers from their FAQ page which might have a little bearing on your query.

Is there a time limit for making a claim?
In most cases the claim will become statute barred 12 years after the date that the administration of the estate is substantially completed. The Treasury Solicitor operates a discretionary policy whereby claims may be admitted up to 30 years from the date of death.

When ever I am dealing with an intestacy of an unmarried individual with no issue or an individual with a complicated family, I always use the services of a genealogist to verify the family tree. If there turn out to be potential beneficiaries who can't be trace, I obtain an indemnity policy. This allows the estate to be wound up and the assets distributed to the KNOWN beneficiaries. If an untraced beneficiary turns up at a later date, the indemnity policy will pay out to him/her the sum he/she would have been entitled to have under the intestacy.

I hope this helps.

Mark