Hi there. First time posting but hoping I could get some advice. Background: my nana died in 2018 after being in a care home with dementia for 9 years. In her 70s she got married to a man who was not pleasant and tried for many years to cause a wedge between nana and her family the point where my mum didn’t see her for a few years until she found out Nana was in a care home with dementia.
Mum was able to visit but by this point Nana didn’t know who she was. The carehome were very good in keeping mum informed of nana’s progress as she visited at different times to the husband, who was not happy she could visit but couldn’t prevent it.
Consequently they advised mum when the husband died - nana was still alive at this point. We then found out that a distant relative of the husband (we think a granddaughter of a previous wife) had disposed of the home they had shared, and whatever possessions still remained.
We assume that he must have left the property to the relative in his will, but what is unclear is how they were able to dispose of anything of nana’s whilst she was still alive, but incapacitated.
Nana died a few months later but we never found her will - she had previously told Mum that she had written one and at which solicitors it was stored but they couldn’t find it.
So my questions are
- were they legally allowed to dispose of nana’s possession whilst she was still alive (but with dementia)
- how do we find out if nana had a will?
Sorry it’s long thanks for bearing with me and appreciate any advice