My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you have any legal concerns we suggest you consult a solicitor.

Legal matters

Do we have to pay debts for deceased father in law

8 replies

Chasdingle · 24/09/2016 13:32

Fil died during the summer. He lived in a housing association house and only had a couple of thousand in the bank so basically that all went paying for the funeral. A week or so ago we had a council tax demand for just over £100 or now we've just had a letter of dwp saying they have accidentally overpaid £157 and want it back. Dh didn't get on with his father due to issues from childhood and this is effecting him badly as he feels like his dad is still causing him issues even now he is died (sorry if this sound harsh but don't want to how into the detail). Anyway does anyone have any advice on what we should due? Ignore, write and say no estate or pay ourselves.

OP posts:
Report
gallicgirl · 24/09/2016 13:38

Advise there's no money in the estate and tell them to cease chasing for it. Point out the little he had was spent on the funeral and there are no other funds.
. Sorry for your loss and I hope it's resolved easily.

Report
SheldonsSpot · 24/09/2016 13:40

Write back enclosing a copy of the death certificate and say there is no estate.

Report
VimFuego101 · 24/09/2016 13:54

No, don't pay it. If there is no money in the estate then they just have to write it off.

Report
MrsHulk · 24/09/2016 13:56

Just write back saying the person they are claiming from is deceased. You can enclose a copy of the death certificate if you have one, or you can tell them the date of death and they can look it up themselves to get confirmation.

Technically you should have made sure all debts were paid before spending money from the estate on the funeral, but in practice (with such a small estate) that's almost impossible.

The amounts involved here are so small that the council etc are not going to bother pursuing them, they'll just write it off.

Report
prh47bridge · 24/09/2016 15:05

Technically you should have made sure all debts were paid before spending money from the estate on the funeral

That's wrong. Unsecured creditors such as the local council, the government, utilities, etc. only get paid if there is money left in the estate after paying off secured creditors (e.g. mortgage), funeral expenses and the costs of administering the estate.

Report
MrsHulk · 24/09/2016 16:25

Ah that's interesting, didn't know that.

Report
AndWhat · 25/09/2016 08:52

As pp said just write back stating no estate. We had letters like this after MIL died.
With the first one we were so annoyed but by the 3/4 company we realised they were automatic bills expecting funds from an estate.
They all got cancelled once they were told there was no money.

Report
happystory · 25/09/2016 08:56

Don't pay a penny. I had exactly this with my father (also long time estranged) he left debts and had no money. We just advised them that and never heard a word. Your Dh must not let this hang over him, he needs to be able to move on now. I feel for him.

Report
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.