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Original poster

beneficiary Of a will… will they contest it all the way !

74 replies

Lifesforloving1 · 10/04/2022 18:13

Evening,
I am looking for some advice.
My Gradma has recently passed away, it has been a massive shock but she left myself and my sister her house- as you have probably heard before family members are not happy ( her blood children ) I completely understand where they are comming from, but this was her wish and it’s been put in her will ? With two witnesses present ( one being a solicitor ) also a little write up, saying this was her discussion ect ect …. I have been getting nothing but nasty text messages, phone calls and voicemails. It has really upset me ! ( asking me to do the right thing ??? )
I have been my grans career for years- ( they are saying we made her do it ) which upsets me even more. I haven’t responded to any of there nasty messages.
2 days ago probate was started, it has now been stopped my my uncle as they are saying it’s being contested. I’m so stressed with it all. Is this the start of it being contested ? I’ve heard it costs a awful lot of money ? But who knows ??

OP posts:
Unsure33 · 10/04/2022 18:59

@RedHelenB

Seems unfair on the face of it so I can see their pov.
But you know nothing about the family history at all . So if she felt her family had not helped her enough then it might have been very fair . Or she wanted to give the younger generation a good start in life.

Sorry OP that your family are being unreasonable.

Bonbon21 · 10/04/2022 19:10

The solicitor who drew up your grandmothers will must have been satisfied that she had capacity and fully understood what she was doing and what she wanted.
The extended family are completely out of line harrassing you and your sister. Perhaps your grandmother knew them better than they realised!
Keep the texts and messages in case they are needed in the future. Otherwise block and ignore the relatives who are dishonouring your grandmothers memory.
Stay strong... do what your grandmother wanted...she obviously loved you both very much.

over2021 · 10/04/2022 19:18

Was your mum also surprised? It seems odd, and a little cruel, to disinherit her but then name her as executor.

As others have said it's unlikely they will succeed in their claim unless there's a back story of a financially dependent adult child.

colosmbo · 10/04/2022 19:23

Odd to exclude your mum. Tbh if my mum died & left everything to my dc & excluded my siblings & me I'd find it odd but we do get on.

WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 10/04/2022 19:25

Was your mum also surprised? It seems odd, and a little cruel, to disinherit her but then name her as executor.

She hasn't been disinherited as such - just skipped over; but she would/will presumably eventually be leaving what she has to her daughters anyway (or their children, if she follows her own DM's lead).

Apart from the DGDs themselves, it would have been phenomenally awkward for any of her other DC to be named as executor - and they would probably have refused. At least their own DM 'benefits' insofar as her own DDs inherit, rather than somebody else's children.

WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 10/04/2022 19:27

Although it doesn't change the will, I think it's very significant whether or not there were any other DGC or not.

To be honest, I can understand how the other DC are aggrieved, as 'their share' disappears off sideways rather than linear.

WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 10/04/2022 19:27

whether or not there were any other DGC or not.

One too many 'or nots' there!!

Lollypop701 · 10/04/2022 19:30

It was your Dgm money to do with as SHE wished. She could have left it to a cats home and that too would be fine. She wanted you and your dsis to have her money so let them contest. No idea on legal side so will leave that to other MN’s but keep the money and enjoy it

Original poster
Lifesforloving1 · 10/04/2022 19:31

@WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll
What’s DGC & DC ?

OP posts:
Original poster
Lifesforloving1 · 10/04/2022 19:32

@Lollypop701
Thanks for you’re reply x

OP posts:
jytdtysrht · 10/04/2022 19:36

A little write up? - what do you mean by that? A letter of wishes? Because if so they are almost certainly going to be unsuccessful in their challenge.

over2021 · 10/04/2022 19:39

[quote Lifesforloving1]@WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll
What’s DGC & DC ?[/quote]
Darling Grandchildren or Darling Children

How many other siblings do your mum and uncle have? Do you have cousins?

Redshoeblueshoe · 10/04/2022 19:39

If you were my GD and you had cared for me I would leave it all to you as well.
People are asking if she had any other grandchildren, but if they didn't do any of her care that's irrelevant.

VanGoghsDog · 10/04/2022 19:48

@Saintofsanto

It's a long shot but if they go on a no win no fee they may take it far. Do get proper advice and try to push as much of the cost onto them as possible.
No they won't. No win no fee solicitors don't make money by taking dodgy cases, they make money by taking slam dunk winnable cases and they drop anything with under about 80% chance of success like a hot brick. I see it all the time at employment tribunal.
Original poster
Lifesforloving1 · 10/04/2022 20:01

@jytdtysrht
(By a write up ) I mean - the solicitor had obvs asked her why she wanted to do it ect … explaining this would be leaving out her blood children . She understood this and asked the to respect her wishes. It’s all on the solicitors notes.

OP posts:
Malibuismysecrethome · 10/04/2022 20:08

Does your mum have brothers and sisters who also have children.

Original poster
Lifesforloving1 · 10/04/2022 20:11

@Malibuismysecrethome
Yes.

OP posts:
viques · 10/04/2022 20:17

[quote Lifesforloving1]@jytdtysrht
(By a write up ) I mean - the solicitor had obvs asked her why she wanted to do it ect … explaining this would be leaving out her blood children . She understood this and asked the to respect her wishes. It’s all on the solicitors notes.[/quote]
I don’t think solicitors usually do that, so that is something you could let your relatives know, as it won’t look good for them if they are relying on your gran being “coerced” so it might shut them up, or they might decide the solicitor was in cahoots with you ( unlikely unless your gran has left you a stately home with 100 acres of prime land with building consent!)

Soontobe60 · 10/04/2022 20:18

@RedHelenB

Seems unfair on the face of it so I can see their pov.
Fairness has nothing to do with inheritance.
jytdtysrht · 10/04/2022 20:29

Solicitors do offer people the opportunity to include the letter of wishes alongside the will sometimes if the person disinherits their own children.

Georgeskitchen · 10/04/2022 20:34

Wouldn't any decent solicitor advise them that they are unlikely to win?

viques · 10/04/2022 21:25

@jytdtysrht

Solicitors do offer people the opportunity to include the letter of wishes alongside the will sometimes if the person disinherits their own children.
I didn’t know that! Shame my mum didn’t do the same when she wrote her will and disinherited my evil stepfather! He did dispute her will, though only by going through it and challenging individual bequests and trying to claim back some investments he claimed he had put in her name for tax reasons (!) . Bumped up the executors costs ( never make a bank your executor) but he didn’t get anywhere. I still have one of the investments many years later, and I get a moment of joy whenever a dividend cheque is paid in!
LifeIsHardAlways · 10/04/2022 21:30

My grandmother left me and my sister her house, was a total shock. However we did the right thing and immediately reassured our mum and aunt that we’d do right by them and the house was split into quarters. Everyone was happy that way

FrownedUpon · 10/04/2022 21:38

Seems very unfair on your cousins. I’m not surprised the rest of the family are upset.

Redshoeblueshoe · 10/04/2022 21:51

Why do people think its unfair on the cousins if they didn't do any of the care ?