Heir Hunters

[TownIdiot]

RamraiderVVC said:

My wife was contacted a few years completely out of the blue from one of these companies who similarly had highlighted her as potential to inherit from a deceased person. Of course we were cautious. They gave all the financial details up front including what they would receive from arranging all . My wife gave details to prove she was who they thought and then it was all dealt with by them really easily. It was not massive money, just over £1k as I recall but it was all legitimate.

Thanks for posting

Yes even though it's an estate well into iht territory we can't work out who this person is, and following intestate rules it's difficult to see how it gets to my friend, so she is preparing for some sort of family revelation rather than lottery win. (Initial thought was her dad's pre marriage child they no one knew about for 40 years but her father would have had to be 8 at birth so they seems unlikely)

[Simpo Two]

TownIdiot said:

his mother's maiden name is the same as her father's family name

Without a tree I'm struggling to unravel that - but unlikely marriages and name changes can easily throw genealogists off the scent.

For a bit of light relief I'll leave you with this little song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYlJH81dSiw&ab...

[TownIdiot]

Simpo Two said:

Without a tree I'm struggling to unravel that - but unlikely marriages and name changes can easily throw genealogists off the scent.

I am as well! I am peripheral to it all and can't really spend hours and hours working it out.

Ok I'll admit it have already spent hours and it's been fascinating, but sorting out the family tree is really time consuming once you throw a couple of wild cards in there!

[Simpo Two]

TownIdiot said:

Ok I'll admit it have already spent hours and it's been fascinating, but sorting out the family tree is really time consuming once you throw a couple of wild cards in there!

Ask the heir hunters for a copy - they've sorted it out

[TownIdiot]

Simpo Two said:

Ask the heir hunters for a copy - they've sorted it out

Would have to pay the 20% then

If the solicitor I *think* is handling it will deal direct then she can cut the heir hunters out. If they won't or it's the wrong firm then she may as well just engage them.

[Mercdriver]

20% plus VAT?

[TownIdiot]

Mercdriver said:

20% plus VAT?

Yes

[omniflow]

TownIdiot said:

Would have to pay the 20% then

If the solicitor I *think* is handling it will deal direct then she can cut the heir hunters out. If they won't or it's the wrong firm then she may as well just engage them.

If these people hadn't contacted your friend, would she (or you) have any clue about the possible inheritance?

If the answer is yes, then cutting them out is morally acceptable.

If the answer is no, then you're representing pretty much all that is wrong with the world today.

[TownIdiot]

omniflow said:

If these people hadn't contacted your friend, would she (or you) have any clue about the possible inheritance?

If the answer is yes, then cutting them out is morally acceptable.

If the answer is no, then you're representing pretty much all that is wrong with the world today.

I'll ask my priest what he thinks.

[Actual]

omniflow said:

If these people hadn't contacted your friend, would she (or you) have any clue about the possible inheritance?

If the answer is yes, then cutting them out is morally acceptable.

If the answer is no, then you're representing pretty much all that is wrong with the world today.

It is not required to "claim" an inheritance and if the executor does their job properly then any inheritance will be distributed correctly regardless of external assistance. As the executor is personally liable they would be taking a big risk if they failed to find all possible beneficiaries. The executor themselves could employ a tracing company.

[TownIdiot]

Actual said:

It is not required to "claim" an inheritance and if the executor does their job properly then any inheritance will be distributed correctly regardless of external assistance. As the executor is personally liable they would be taking a big risk if they failed to find all possible beneficiaries. The executor themselves could employ a tracing company.

Without wanting to generate an argument my take is that the solicitors could have easily found her much quicker than 3 years.

So whilst I take the point from the post, I'd say any displeasure should be aimed at the people milking the fees.
This is an intestate case with a solicitor appointed 3 years ago. I really don't think it would take much work to find the necessary people if you have all the facts to hand.

Potentially the best part of 200k in fees.
That's not equitable.

[TownIdiot]

Just by way of a quick update.

The solicitor i found is the one who is dealing with the estate - she managed to speak to them on Friday and was told it would be far better to use the estate finding service. Very curt and borderline rude.

So they obviously have a nice cosy relationship, with the best part of 200 grand sliced off the estate.


Doubt she will have the time or the stomach for an argument so she will probably go down that route.

The deceased was her late father's cousin, so pretty tenuous and not someone she knew

[Gareth79]

omniflow said:

TownIdiot said:

Would have to pay the 20% then

If the solicitor I *think* is handling it will deal direct then she can cut the heir hunters out. If they won't or it's the wrong firm then she may as well just engage them.

If these people hadn't contacted your friend, would she (or you) have any clue about the possible inheritance?

If the answer is yes, then cutting them out is morally acceptable.

If the answer is no, then you're representing pretty much all that is wrong with the world today.

The company isn't doing out of the goodness of their heart. They are a for-profit business taking a large chunk of money, and on a larger estate a charging an uncapped percentage fee seems immoral to me. Their business model is such that they can be cut out or undercut. I'd imagine in the majority of circumstances people just pay the fee they are asking.

TownIdiot said:

Just by way of a quick update.

The solicitor i found is the one who is dealing with the estate - she managed to speak to them on Friday and was told it would be far better to use the estate finding service. Very curt and borderline rude.

So they obviously have a nice cosy relationship, with the best part of 200 grand sliced off the estate.


Doubt she will have the time or the stomach for an argument so she will probably go down that route.

The deceased was her late father's cousin, so pretty tenuous and not someone she knew

I was under the impression that if the solicitor instructed them then the beneficiary wouldn't have had to sign a contract, since their job was to find those eligible, and the job was completed? It sounds more likely it was done from published lists.

I guess if you want a lower fee the option is to instruct a genealogy company on a fixed-fee basis rather than a percentage? If you give them the details you have it should be straightforward for them to produce the documents required? Even if it's a week or two's work that's not going to add up to such a huge sum.

[TownIdiot]

Gareth79 said:

I was under the impression that if the solicitor instructed them then the beneficiary wouldn't have had to sign a contract, since their job was to find those eligible, and the job was completed? It sounds more likely it was done from published lists.

I guess if you want a lower fee the option is to instruct a genealogy company on a fixed-fee basis rather than a percentage? If you give them the details you have it should be straightforward for them to produce the documents required? Even if it's a week or two's work that's not going to add up to such a huge sum.

I think once you know the starting point piecing together the family tree is pretty easy.

Effectively it up to the grandparents and then down via her father. However, there is a tetchy family history and this is out of the blue so no doubt she will go for the stress free option.

The attitude of the solicitor was a bit off and I can't help but think they could have done this in a way that was a lot cheaper for the estate. They have had 2 years so no doubt they have got some chunky fees in addition to the estate finder.
Rather than it be done on a (high) percentage I am sure they could have paid a fixed fee for someone to do the work or as they are a firm that specialises in estates do the work in house.

Seems a bit like profiteering to me, but such is the way of the world I suppose.

[Simpo Two]

TownIdiot said:

Just by way of a quick update.

The solicitor i found is the one who is dealing with the estate - she managed to speak to them on Friday and was told it would be far better to use the estate finding service. Very curt and borderline rude.

So they obviously have a nice cosy relationship, with the best part of 200 grand sliced off the estate.


Doubt she will have the time or the stomach for an argument so she will probably go down that route.

The deceased was her late father's cousin, so pretty tenuous and not someone she knew

How can anyone wave goodbye to £200K so easily when they stand to inherit part of it? Solicitors have to be worse at IFAs when it comes to charging loads to do very little, yet somehow they keep getting away with it.