Heir Hunters TV programme

[Ebch]

A further notice in the Manchester Times two months later,August, says the inquirer is the grand daughter of the late Benjamin Fisk, land surveyor of Mutford.

[FraserandFraser]

Sorry some of your numbers are not a 100% correct obviously we don't want to put our full accounts on the telly. What we say is that in the last 10 years we have HELPED in cases valued at over £100,000,000.00. now this seems a huge amount of money but it works out at £10,000,000.00 per year and we say helped so some of those cases we will have only looked for a single heir or even a single cert and been paid by the hour for that work, (we charge solicitors cost price for certs £7.50, £9 or £9.25 unless it is urgent then it is nearer £25; thought I would make sure people know that unlike some of the other firms we don't charge extras on the cost of certs; however we do charge for research and have a minimum fee, some times it is easier for us just to tell the solicitor how to apply for the cert direct so we get cut out) It would only take 1 big case to mess up out the numbers, even if I was to receive a couple hundred pound in fees.

F&F are a business and we do hope to turn a profit however we are not rolling in cash and don't give bonuses like bankers.

The series we are currently filming has a lot more on our fees and how we get paid

[FraserandFraser]

DudleyWinchurch,
The questions that I have are:
Is there any place/ court etc. where a complete list of beneficiaries would need to be lodged to complete the proceedings? No, you dont have to file a list of heirs

What should have happened to any moneys that could not be distributed because, although a beneficiary was known to exist, they were unable to locate them?placed in a holding client account for 12 years then distributed to the known family if no one came forward to claim the money

There does nor appear to have been a notice in the London Gazette, or at least, if there was, it did not include the name of the deceased.it is usual practise to place notices these can be in several publications, local papers, national papers ect 

[bammy52]

Sorry some of your numbers are not a 100% correct obviously we don't want to put our full accounts on the telly. What we say is that in the last 10 years we have HELPED in cases valued at over £100,000,000.00. now this seems a huge amount of money but it works out at £10,000,000.00 per year and we say helped so some of those cases we will have only looked for a single heir or even a single cert and been paid by the hour for that work, (we charge solicitors cost price for certs £7.50, £9 or £9.25 unless it is urgent then it is nearer £25; thought I would make sure people know that unlike some of the other firms we don't charge extras on the cost of certs; however we do charge for research and have a minimum fee, some times it is easier for us just to tell the solicitor how to apply for the cert direct so we get cut out) It would only take 1 big case to mess up out the numbers, even if I was to receive a couple hundred pound in fees.

F&F are a business and we do hope to turn a profit however we are not rolling in cash and don't give bonuses like bankers.

The series we are currently filming has a lot more on our fees and how we get paid

Thanks Neil, the numbers I had in mind was £2,000,000 p/a which still didn't seem a lot considering your overheads, but thanks for explaining. The programme is very enjoyable and you run a very professional outfit.You only need a dodgy week where people don't sign up or you are beaten to it by the opposition and you have earned nothing a very precarious business you are in, but I note in the programme you enjoy the chase.Cheers Pete

[acorngen]

Neil,

On a recent program I noted that one of the cases you were involved in was refused by the AG yet after new information came to light it was accepted.  The program made out that your company submitted the claim in particular one person.  I was led to believe that a solicitor acting for HH companies had to make the claim.  Can you confirm this is the case please

Rob

[DudleyWinchurch]

DudleyWinchurch,
The questions that I have are:
Is there any place/ court etc. where a complete list of beneficiaries would need to be lodged to complete the proceedings? No, you dont have to file a list of heirs

What should have happened to any moneys that could not be distributed because, although a beneficiary was known to exist, they were unable to locate them?placed in a holding client account for 12 years then distributed to the known family if no one came forward to claim the money

There does nor appear to have been a notice in the London Gazette, or at least, if there was, it did not include the name of the deceased.it is usual practise to place notices these can be in several publications, local papers, national papers ect 

Sorry Neil,

didn't get a notification and missed this one.  Thanks for the clear explanations.  I don't think that I'm going to be able to use this further to confirm the family connections.  However, the names that I already have from the letter concerning this matter do point to the family lines that I have mapped out at present and not to the absurd tree that I found elsewhere suggesting that the family flipped from one side of the Atlantic to the other in between each census leading to the one sister having parallel lives in two countries.

Sheila

[carol8353]

Looks like there's a new series starting next Monday 4th October at 9-15?

It's appeared on my series linked Sky planner already.

Maybe Neil can tell us if it is a new one or not please?

Thanks

Carol

[mshrmh]

Carol - according to the listings in the online Radio Times they're starting with the last two of series three followed by series 4 - from memory Neil has mentioned series 5 as the one being filmed (I haven't checked....). IIRC Neil expected the next series to air in 2011.

[carol8353]

Thanks for that - never thought to look at an online RT 

I know mine isn't delivered till tomorrow 

Neil orginally said they hope to show the new series around Xmas.

Carol