Intestate

[7Y]

Having recently been contact by two 'Heir Hunters' companies, I was wondering if there is an alternative way to register an interest in an estate of a cousin who has recently died without a Will.

Any advice would be appreciated

[CaroleW]

If somebody dies without making a will - a family member can apply for Letters of Administration.  Is there a widow or did he have children or siblings?

The line of inheritance for a single person without children&  assuming no parents are living,  is usually siblings first.  If any siblings are deceased then that share goes to their children etc

[SouthseaSteel]

Suggest you contact the HMG Bona Vacantia Dept within the Government Legal department (gov.uk/government/organisations/bona-vacantia)

I imagine that Heir Hunters earn their penny in convincing HMG that the identified heirs are indeed legitimate heirs!!  And I also wonder how undocumnted DNA based heirs work - no documents just a shared CM number!!

Good luck!!

[7Y]

Thanks SS, I have been on the Bona Vacastia site, and it seems one of the company's are linked to them.  I'll give them ago.
Thanks again

[SouthseaSteel]

Its my understanding that all intestate cases would eventually go through Bona Vacantia and that is the bread and butter of professonal heir Hunters.  However some cases can be preempted and notified to Heir Hunters first, prior to HMG, by lawyers, councils, neighbours and other interested parties

[CaroleW]

You say he has "recently" died.  How recently if Heir Hunters are involved?

[7Y]

Last Thursday, but heir Hunters have picked it up off a Police public notice for next of kin

[CaroleW]

That's disgusting in my opinion.  If he is your cousin - do you know if he had siblings who are either still alive or have children?

Don't know how much his estate is worth but don't think there will be much left if HH get involved.  Easier & cheaper if a family member applied for Letters of Administration.

[7Y]

It is disgusting Carole -and it's even more disgusting how much info they have on us all. They even have the mobile number of my nephews wife, get that licked.  Its absolutely brutal.  He had one sister, who died in2017, neither married, but that doesn't mean they didn't have children.  No one is giving things time to emerge. I just wanted to know if I can side step the 'hyenas".  I will wait for it to come up on the unclaimed estates list -there could be a Will yet, in which case all this is for nothing.  I refuse to give them anymore details than they already have on me, which is probably nothing now.

Thanks for your input