Hi
My Mum died suddenly almost 2 years ago. She did not have a will and as we never managed to locate her handbag and purse following her death, it took almost a month to identify her bank account and stop the account etc.
Shortly after her death, we completed the tell it once government notification.
The total amount of the estate was initially about £2300 and after paying her credit card bill and two outstanding utility bills, there was about £600 left over. We did not put a notice in the gazette as the cost was almost £100 and it did not seem worth it considering the amount left.
I kept the remaining £600 separate for just over a year after her death and then, when nothing else owed had become apparent, with agreement from my siblings, shared out the money between her 8 grandchildren.
She had a small local government pension and, on their website, they specifically stated that you could use the tell it once service to advise of the death of someone receiving a pension so I didn't worry about advising them separately.
I have now received an invoice from them dated 25/04/24 for repayment of an overpayment of £157.64 for her pension.
Am I correct in thinking that they should have contacted me before the year was up and that since the estate has now been distributed, there is no obligation to pay them. They have not given any indication of why they have waited so long to contact me and I don't think it is fair to ask the grandchildren, all but one of whom are minors and who mostly spent the money on last treat from Grandma for the money back.
My siblings and I could find it if we had to but is it really reasonable for them to wait so long to ask for the money back?