Is this theft/morally wrong?

[rainbowoldtrout]

Keeping vague ish for anonymity

Person had an old object let’s say vintage car. Worth thousands. She couldn’t use it anymore due to ill health. Her son restores said old objects for his work. She wanted a crazy price for it. Son suggests selling it for realistic price and buying a project to restore and sell on therefore making more money. All ok with this.

A couple of years pass. She died before project was worked on/finished. Being worked on alongside regular commissions.

Left everything to son in her will. Meanwhile his stepfather is kicking off that the money from the object ( bought before she married him) should be his as they were married.

He was left nothing in her will other than the right to live in her house for as long as he wants. He has his own place rented out and is retired with a good pension and savings. Not short of money.

Stepfather has started to spread rumours about the son in the field in which he works. Accusing son of theft, cheating his own mother etc. He even phoned the new owner of the object.
He is now threatening to call police, see a solicitor.

I can’t think that her son has done anything wrong. Step father was on the scene at the time of the original sale. But she had owned it for 15 years before she married him. They were married for 9 years.
If the object hadn’t been sold it would have been left to son or if money had changed hands that would have gone to son too.

I would tell the son not to worry. He is upset about his good name being spoiled. And relationship with step father who still lives in house has broken down. So he cannot even keep an eye on a property he owns.

Am I missing anything?

Missing nothing. Absolutely not theft or anything near it. In fact the step-father is the CF here, as he has no entitlement to the car or what became of it anyway.

If I was the son I would be asking a solicitor to write a letter to step father, asking him to stop defamatory comments or he will be taking the issue further.

No, it’s not theft or morally wrong at all. The mother sold the car for a price she was happy with, knowing her son would be likely to make money on it once it was restored. It has nothing to do with the stepfather and he has no rights whatsoever to any profit.

Step father is a nightmare.

I cannot think that marriage entitles anyone to the possessions of their spouse. Only things jointly bought.

It’s bad enough he lives in the house. He’s on a great thing.

The same day as the funeral he insisted her clothes were emptied from her wardrobe and told the son her things away. He was giving her books away when she was terminal. He is now in the house with all her stuff and treating her things as if they are his and playing the frail old man card to all who listen.

Step father son said that we should ‘pay him off’ (meaning step father) to end the matter.

He was left nothing in her will other than the right to live in her house for as long as he wants

He can challenge the will

Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependents) Act 1975.

Interesting.

I hope he won’t. He has his own house etc. Was widowed before he married for the second time. So he has nothing really to gain.

If he wanted to challenge the will he needed to do so within 6 months of probate being granted. It sounds like this has passed. He could still ask the court to allow a late application but would only succeed if he could show a good reason why the application is late.

i divorced 2003 after 24 yrs and my x remarried a wealthy woman he was diagnosed within 5 yrs with a terminal illness and our property and his pension was inherited by his new wife he did not leave anything to our 4 sons the youngest at the time was 16 yrs old can I claim after all this time for their rightful inheritance. My 30yr obtained his dads will no mention of sons only new wife.

Just wondering, does the will stipulate that SF is entitled to sole occupation of the house?
Because if not, the son could move in, or move someone else in as a lodger. Preferably someone big and loud. You know, to help with running expenses.
Seriously, SF is a CF, and I'd be playing hardball. Check the terms of the will/trust that allows SF to live there, check who is responsible for maintenance, check if he has the right to sole occupancy.

@Ruse did you not get your share in the divorce? Other than that I think it’s legal

I received a small lump sum to set up rental home for youngest and myself.I believed my husband would financially take care of his sons, so I didnt take half house business or pension as he agreed he would do this. He never fell out with myself or boys. But new wife didnt get on with boys. I dont wish anything other than my sons get a start on the ladder. I read a women divorced years ago then sort compensation as husband became rich and judge awarded her for sons £300,000 as said she was there in the lean years helping him build business and family deserved to reap reward.