To ask WWYD re inheritance

[littleteethies]

I'll try to keep this as brief as poss, more of a WWYD I think
DM and DF bought a house 20 years ago (v nice location, meant for their retirement) months before DM passed away (v sudden and unexpected). DF met someone else (let's call her W from witch) v soon after (months) and again v soon after that he retired, sold his business interests and moved in with W into said house.
I did find it all rushed at the time but I was 20 hrs old, devastated after losing DM and just wanted DF to be happy. There was never any conflict between me and W, quite the opposite, although as the years went by I came to realise she was very selfish towards DF and just not a nice person.
About 5 years ago, DF's health deteriorated and I believe he and W have arranged wills. In a casual convo they told me that the agreement is that the surviving partner gets to remain in the house until their death, at which point it will be sold and split equally between me and W's son.
I had no objection whatsoever, my main concern was DF getting better and I even refused to talk about wills and inheritance and things like that. The justification was that W has sold her property whilst living with DF and given DF half the value of the house - I find this vv hard to believe as DF also sold another 2 properties whilst with her (again bought together with DM), had a pension and still worked; there's no way he could have spent all that money. But as it was now her home as well I felt that was the right thing to do.
My DF passed away too a couple of years ago, it completely floored me and the last thing on my mind was this house. Before the funeral she told me it would cost £8k to "read the will" and as we already know what their agreement was, there is no point to waste so much money.
I kept in v close contact with W, mainly because I felt she was a kind of link I had with DF's memory but as months went by this link started to fade and she became somewhat disinterested. However every time I went to see her, take her out for lunch etc she made a point of telling me how her son has given her money for various home improvements and generally pointing out many negatives about the house - they all seemed if not made up, then greatly exaggerated.
This made me somehow suspicious so one day over lunch I've casually asked to see DF's will. All hell broke loose, she started screaming at me, calling me names and stormed off. Just like that.
She has not spoken to me since, although bar a birthday card and a card for an anniversary, I've made no attempt either. I have though searched online and there is no will logged with DF's name; I've also looked up land registry records and the house has been in her name since 2003 (I presume DF's name was also on it and taken off).
I guess my question would be If there's anywhere to go from here? If the house is now solely in her name and I don't have a copy of DF's will, does that mean I have no claim whatsoever? Is there any point paying a solicitor?
It's hell of a lot of money to say goodbye to, but what kills me is it's the house DM bought and envisaged retiring in and this nasty woman got everything DM didn't have a chance to. And why didn't I say anything to DF at the time, but that's another thread.

Wow! Well done op!

Well done OP xx

OP
If the bank are being helpful then they are your friend ask them for who your dad insured the car with

It will be on his bank or credit card statements somewhere so work backwards

Ask for Statments around for 2 months after his death and go back 13 months
On one of those statements will be the car insurance payments either a monthly payment or a one off payment . But it will be there somewhere

You can then approach the insurance company. - you might need to get a letter from a solicitor to get the details of the car but they will definatly have it on their database

If your dad was in the AA / RAC ditto do the same .

If his bank account was one of those packaged type ones they often have free AA/Cover and the bank might be able to assist you with this as you would need to register your car to use it .

Also Try putting her mobile number & her sons and the type of car and the colour and the City she lives in into Google
Use her number and the sons number

So 012345678 blue ford escort for sale Clapham london
And try different variations of the words and don't forget to click on include searches omitted ( it will be at the bottom of the page )

I've just done this and my adds for my car that I sold in January 3 years ago comes up. If I put in my husbands number then a set of tyres that he sold 2 years ago come up ,

Try a few variations of the wording just to be sure if I just put the number up I get my old adds for something else

Also try putting the phone numbers into facebook

If it was a classic car or vintage try some of the car clubs
Most cars club members are brilliant at knowing just about everything about their beloved cars and would probably relish the thought of playing detective and tracing your dads car.

If he was a member of such a club they would haves have the car details as part of the membership

Also try Facebook car clubs that are local to your area

Also if you know the local garage that your dad had the car serviced ask them if they have the registration I

They could do this by the address and your dads name alone. Most guys are pretty anal about taking their cars to the same garages

If you don't know what garage just try a few local ones

The car details are on some data base somewhere and thr car insurance would be the first step

Failing that go to the police it's possible that just by your fathers address and name they may have the registration number if he ever had a crash or sonething . They may be able to give you the details if you have a solicitors letter or if your soLipitor contact them .

Or try the local council you never knew your dad may have had a few parking or speeding tickets You will Only need one to get his car details

Well done!

Can not believe your dad’s girlfriend! (Blatant placemark)

Wow good progress op. I can't get over the Ws behaviour. Fraudulent and incredibly unethical! Well done you, I will follow with interest!

Well done for persuing this OP. Good Luck

This is awful! Some people have no shame.

I’m not usually vindictive but you need to absolutely ruin this witch.

Some amazing and thorough advice from Magpiemagpie (I'm assuming you are a super sleuth extraordinaire)!

Well done OP, hope W gets locked up for fraud and you get your inheritance

44pumplane
Lol I wish I just watch way to many CSI and law & Order programmes
There was one where something similar happened and they had to trace a car registration and they did it through speeding tickets 😂. So I can't take thr credit for it

But my dad has a few vintage cars over the years and is member of the car clubs . Now these guys are super dectectives when it comes to their beloved cars and often know each other and their cars through the meetings and rally's that they have

Good work OP, glad you are making progress!

I hope you don't mind if I clarify some terminology. Before I get shot down for legal pedantry it's only because I think it could lead to confusion and misunderstanding which could slow you up when you are trying to get to the bottom of things.

An 'executed' will is a technical legal term with a very specific meaning. It means that the will was signed by the person making it in the presence of witnesses and is valid. It doesn't mean executed in the sense of put into effect or submitted to probate. (Confusing, I know, when the people who put the will into effect are called 'executors').

Just so you aware when dealing with anyone such as solicitors, the bank or the Land Registry that they are likely to understand the term in its legal sense ie your DF's valid will. An 'unexecuted' will doesn't mean it hasn't been put into effect - it means it's not a will (it's just a piece of unsigned paper).

Good luck OP

Good luck

Good luck

Goodness Littleteethies good luck the stress of this must be horrendous.

Well done and good luck!!
Don’t give up OP!!!

Best of luck OP, careful of those solicitors they may try to fob you off if they have not acted appropriately.

An unexecuted will is nothing more than a letter with written wishes and has no legal standing at all. No-one is obliged to recognise it by law and the NOK rules kick in.
Unless your Dads partner can produce an executed will stating she is executor or recipient of your dads wordly goods then you are next of kin (along with any other sibblings).
Her evasiveness and fraudulent at the bank strongly suggest she knows you are a beneficiary whether a executed will exists or not (NOK rules).
The car was your Dads chattel along with all his personal belongings and money/jewellery etc. The claim that her son gave her large sums of money to revamp the property shortly after your Fathers death is highly suspicious especially as she had gained access to your Fathers bank accounts. The bank sometimes releases a sum of money from the deceased persons account to help cover funeral costs but they shouldn't release/close it unless it has gone to probate (unless sums were trivial).

Not an expert but someone who has recently dealt with a relatives estate, clear wishes left in an un executed will, legally no standing and NOK rules kicked in. I also inherited from an executed will some years ago.
Your whole situation stinks to high heaven, If the partner has nothing to hide she should have shown you the will - if it exists. Keep on.
You may find it useful to get a copy of the death certificate.
As others have suggested it should be pretty easy to find details of the car from insurance etc. A sharp solicitor should unpick this for you. Sorry for the loss of your Dad.

I may have used the word executed incorrectly but when I made my will I had to sign it in the presence of my solicitor and the legal secretary or A.N other at the solicitors. This is the bit that turns it from a letter with no legal standing to a functional will.

Have you spoken to a solicitor yet? It may be that you can file for letters of administration yourself.

By the way (off track but might be if relevance ) per the U.K. Gov website you can write your own will , and get it witnessed by 2 people . There is a fairly detailed description and it's what I did as I am too tight to spend £15O

OP keep us posted and I am sure you have to live your life in addition to chasing down this fraudster x

Good luck OP! (Sorry placemarking)

Good luck

Any news OP? How are those ducks lining up?!