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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To wonder if she can keep the whole inheritance?

62 replies

feelingrobbed · 16/04/2025 21:44

TLDR - my father has rejected his inheritance, will it now come to me and if so how do I make sure I get it?

I’ll start off by saying nothing about my family is normal.

Background- My parents split when I was two. From then until now (38) I’ve seen my dad less than 15 times. I have one DB who was a baby when they split.
My dad went on to have 3 more children.

We do text - quite regularly considering he lives an hour from me and I’ve never stepped foot in his home. He’s never attempted to improve our relationship but sends me regular messages wishing me well and sending me prayers. I don’t know why I reply but we’re always cordial with one another.

My paternal grandmother has always been accessible. But we were never close. I’ve been to her house many times but realised at her funeral I’d never tasted her food! Never slept in her home or spent more than a couple days hours with her. (Not really her fault to be fair)

I invited her and her daughter (my dad’s half sister) to my wedding. I was forbidden by my DM to invite my dad which was fair enough all though at the time I felt a great sense of shame he wouldn’t be there and couldn’t understand why she and my maternal family were so forceful about it.

I received a message on Facebook from my cousin (aunts daughter) saying grandma was sick. I visited and that was the end of comms.
Fast forward to last year grandma died. Despite as I say reasonably regular texts from my dad he never mentioned it. My aunt calls out of the blue and says she died weeks before.
I went to the funeral alone. A mandate had gone out that everyone should wear white but no one told me. I was hurt but I got on with it. My dad was not at the funeral nor were any of his other children.
After funeral aunt and I spoke a few times but nothing came of it.

She calls me yesterday (she did mention once last year I might get some cash when estate was resolved but I thought it was nonsense tbh. Other than telling my brother I forgot about it) she called me FIVE TIMES. Texts me saying urgent call me. I call her. She tells me dad has rejected his share of the money and so it will flow down to his children. We end up video calling - None of them have met my child- and she introduced herself and invited us to meet her in today.

I won’t lie, I was deliriously happy to hear about this money. I am a SAHM and need to get back on my feet due to marital issues however she doesn’t know about this.

I text her a few hours later and say nice talking to you please send me the location to meet you tomorrow. No reply then an hour later I see a missed call - I called her back within 5 mins. No answer or reply.

This morning my kid wakes up excited let’s go and meet this new aunt so despite my reluctance I text again. No fucking reply

I am first of all fuming I let her disappoint my child. I have purposefully not even mentioned them to my DD before this. She knows I have a dad but she thinks he lives far away. He doesn’t. She knows my grandmother died but I hadn’t mentioned this aunt. DD is reception age.

Putting aside my ego - what happens now? I’m presuming she won’t contact me again or will leave it another 5 years. She has major issues with my dad and she is absolutely right to - however she and I have never really had anything at all to do with one another. I’ve met her less than 5 times since I was two and that includes my wedding and grandmas funeral.

She said I needed to send the solicitor my ID and bank details. She has received her share already and said it would happen within 7 days. My dad refuses to discuss his mother it’s senseless contacting him about this. Even as a child on the rare occasions I spoke to him he told me not to visit her. As I say, they are strange people.

Help. Do I need to forget about this or is there a possibility this isnt all a joke and she can just keep it all her self?

OP posts:
TimeForABreak4 · 16/04/2025 23:37

Nevertrustacop · 16/04/2025 23:27

Unless your Dad did a deed of variation, the sum he rejected will not necessarily go to you. The estate will be allocated as if he never existed. So if he was inheriting with someone else, then they will get it all. I can't think he did make a d o v in your favour or you would have had to sign the documents. Unless that's why you are being called to the solicitor. But they will contact you directly, not via family.

My mums will was set up so if any of us died before her or if we disclaimed it, it then would go to our children to be evenly distributed. Ops gran maybe had the same clause.

FrodoTheBlueWhippet · 16/04/2025 23:31

If a beneficiary rejects an inheritance it doesn't go to their children though? It goes back into the estate to go between the other beneficiaries?

Nevertrustacop · 16/04/2025 23:27

Unless your Dad did a deed of variation, the sum he rejected will not necessarily go to you. The estate will be allocated as if he never existed. So if he was inheriting with someone else, then they will get it all. I can't think he did make a d o v in your favour or you would have had to sign the documents. Unless that's why you are being called to the solicitor. But they will contact you directly, not via family.

feelingrobbed · 16/04/2025 22:55

4forksache · 16/04/2025 22:42

It’s worth pursuing as what can you lose?
can you go and knock on the door?

@4forksacheno idea where my aunts house is other than the borough in London. I could just keep ringing her I guess but I don’t want to if it’s all been made up.

I genuinely don’t know these people. My DM was a young adult when she married him and has been out of their lives for over 35 years.
I’ve got no desire to start contacting randoms I don’t know but it’s look like there may not be another option.

My dad never paid a penny of maintenance and we’ve never asked for anything from that family ever. Now that I think of it they didn’t buy me a gift for my wedding but asked me to chip in for the funeral. I think she only remembered to tell me grandma was dead when she realised she needed to top funds up

OP posts:
4forksache · 16/04/2025 22:42

It’s worth pursuing as what can you lose?
can you go and knock on the door?

feelingrobbed · 16/04/2025 22:34

I don’t have any contact with cousin. She has only ever sent me the one message and never responded regarding my visit or when I needed to double check the ward.
The whole lot of them are bloody nightmares and I wouldn’t even bother except it’s a substantial (to me) amount of money even split 5 ways between myself, brother and 3 half siblings.

OP posts:
strawlight · 16/04/2025 22:29

I’d message the cousin to check if her mum is ok, if you can’t get hold of her tomorrow.

feelingrobbed · 16/04/2025 22:23

I’ve just checked on the gov.uk website and it can’t find any record of probate for her. Is there any other way I can check online?

OP posts:
feelingrobbed · 16/04/2025 22:14

She didn’t give me the details of the solicitor. I’m sure when she spoke about it last year she said there was no will although she did have a solicitor. I’ll check and see thank you.

OP posts:
edwinbear · 16/04/2025 21:56

I’d check on line. Probate must have been granted if she’s already had her share, if she left a will, it will be attached to the grant of probate. Costs £1.50 to get a copy.

JustAnotherManicMomday · 16/04/2025 21:51

Contact the solicitor what's the worst that can happen, they say your not in the will. Nothing to loose really is there?

HenDoNot · 16/04/2025 21:49

She said I needed to send the solicitor my ID and bank details

Did she give you the solicitors contact details? Have you looked them up to see if the solicitor actually exists?