Hi I will try to keep it concise! I would appreciate objective views on this.
My dad died in April. Since my mother died 3 years ago, dad vehemently wanted to change his will so the house would stay in the family. My brothers (I have 2) were not interested in the house, I was the only one who wants to live there. It has lots of family history, particularly trees and plants in the garden.
Long story short 1 brother was supportive but the other was not as he felt he would be 'short-changed'. In addition to the house my dad had lots of money and investments. Short-changed brother came up with a spreadsheet which equalised the house so we were all left a percentage (60,20,20) and the investments so they got most of them (grandkids got 5% of investments). At the time the house value was based on estate agents upper valuation. When the will was changed with everyone's agreement, the value to each of us would have been about the same, and my dad was content that the house would stay in the family, as this was the most important thing to him.
Now the house is worth 150k less than on the spreadsheet (RICS valuation) and the investments are worth a lot more than they were then, even after IHT has been paid. I have suggested that the actual figures are put into the spreadsheet and we do a deed of variation to ensure everyone gets the same value, which is what my dad was trying to achieve in the first place. 1 brother is supportive but short change brother wants to leave it as it is. If we do leave it as it is, both brothers will get 90k more than me and I also have to spend money on the house doing things my dad was trying to achieve before he died (so I can live in it). This is quite difficult for me as I am on my own, and don't earn that much.
Am I being unreasonable to want to put the actual figures into the same spreadsheet to get up to date figures? My dad was trying to achieve equity between us, and to make it as easy as possible for me to take on the house and garden. Eldest brother (supportive one) and I do not believe he would have been happy with this degree of disparity between us. Short-change brother's reasoning is that the house is worth more than the RICS valuation (I do not intend to sell the house so I am not sure how we would find out).
I am losing the will to live with it, and I am very disappointed in short-change brother in that he is being very hard-nosed about it, treating is as a business transaction to be negotiated rather than the final wishes of our father, and indeed we were all trying to placate him when my dad (who was terminally ill at the time) put his suggestions into practice (the spreadsheet). With hindsight, we should have found a better method that would allow for market variances, but I was on my knees looking after my dad as well as working full time (I did most of the caring as both brothers were working abroad) and was trying not to upset anyone. Says it all really.
Thank you, in advance, for your replies.