Issue in relation to grandparents’ estate - possible compensation

[IWonderWhatItCouldBe]

I’ve received a letter from a solicitor acting on behalf of a bank, in relation to the estates of my grandparents, who died almost 20 years ago.

The letter says that ‘a potential issue may have arisen’ in relation to their estates, ‘that may result in compensation becoming payable’.

They died within a week of each other, intestate. I am estranged from my father (their son) due to domestic violence - he lived with them, and I hadn’t seen them for almost ten years before they died.

I don’t know how these solicitors got my married name or address. My father doesn’t know these details, so it can’t be him that passed that information on to the solicitors.

The bank they’re acting for is the same as my bank.

I’ve needed to confirm my grandparents’ address and my date of birth in order for the solicitor to discuss any further with me. But I got an automated message that they’re out of the office till Tuesday, and I’m going mad wondering what this is all about, what the potential issue is, how they tracked me down etc!

Anyone have any experience of this sort of situation? I’m wondering about the term ‘compensation’ in relation to the mysterious issue with their estates. If there’s a bank account with money in it, wouldn’t that be distributed to my father as next of kin? Unless he’s also died…But they died almost 20 years ago, would their assets have been dealt with by now?

All so curious!

I’d be suspicious it’s a scam. Being a weekend at this point I’d not be providing any info till I’ve called around and double/triple checked.

Are they actually Solicitors or a Heir Hunting company, have you looked them up on google or searched reviews. If you’ve watched any of the TV programmes, the Heir Hunting people search for anyone who could be related to the deceased and contact them. Unfortunately these companies do take a fair chunk of any money and they may ask for a payment from you to proceed with looking into this for you. I could proceed with caution.

What country are you in? I was heir hunted in England and it was a similar time scale to you, decades later.
I initially thought it was a scam or a mix up as I have a very common name, something as common as David Smith.
It was a small amount of money in the end, less than £100 so was surprised they even bothered?

You should be able to look up if there's a death certificate for your Dad. I am thinking if there were no surviving children at the time of your grandparents death it would then be split between grandchildren. Again, if in England.

It’s a real firm of solicitors. In England.
My father definitely outlived my grandparents. As they died without leaving a will, I would have thought any assets would go to their only child, my father. All a bit odd. Also the word compensation was used - which makes me think it’s not a case of passing on inheritance / assets from their estate…

It's the very use of the word 'compensation' that makes it sound fishy. I don't think that's a word that would be used in relation to a will?

They could be spoofing the genuine solicitors fairy convincingly. And using the name of a genuine employee. Does the numbers and email addresses etc on the letter exactly match those on the solicitors website? Proceed with caution.

Could it be something like a life insurance policy or a bank account which wasn’t found at the time? I think banks check through dormant accounts periodically but that doesn’t explain why they’ve contacted you…

Perhaps one of them or both of them did have a will that was discovered much later? Or sometimes there are things like expressing who their pension goes to with the pension company, which could be you.
It's impossible to guess but do update us if you find out OP. Be cautious but also these things do happen

That’s the thing - my grandparents didn’t leave a will. And yes, the phone number and email address in the letter match the website. I received a hard copy letter in the post, asking me to confirm the information by post or email. I’ve found the individual solicitor on LinkedIn - seems she does work for this genuine firm. So I’ll definitely remain cautious until I can get more details but all signs point to this being a genuine communication rather than a scam

Might be that some compensation is/was owed to them - misselling, a dodgy endowment? - which is now payable to their estate. If your father inherited and is now dead then you would potentially be next in line?

Did they have any other children other than your father?

This

I did wonder this. I was very suspicious that they hadn’t made a will. They always spoke about leaving certain paintings and possessions to my sister and I in their will (before the estrangement…) - so even if they subsequently decided not to leave us anything, they’d presumably still have had wills. So maybe ones have been discovered all these years later…the not knowing is driving me round the bend, waiting till Tuesday will be torture

Ok that's reassuring. I guess you'll have to come back and tell us what happens! Hopefully something really good! X

No, just him

If your father is still alive, HE is the person they need to contact about this. What is the exact wording of the sentence that includes "compensation". Who is due to get this compensation, presumably your father as he's an only child and still alive, (is he?). If he isn't his estate + the compensation mentioned via your grandparents will go to you, if you also are his only child, and if you have no contact with father, that may be the case now.

I have to admit that when I read your OP I thought the grandparents' estate owed compensation to someone else! But I reckon that would be statute barred at this late stage. Still, it did cross my mind!

You are being very sensible and doing all the checks possible. Have you any way of approaching the solicitor's office in person to ensure the validity of the letter?

I need to know now so do hope you will come back and tell us! A few years ago I had a communication from HeirvHunters a cousin of my father had died that I had never heard of. I was very happy to give them 10 per cent as anything was a bonus and I ended up with 15 grand which was wonderful

The important question once again is - is your father alive or deceased. That's the key to the letter coming to you, as your father may have died. Sorry to say all this but it's a legal fact finding mission now. If your father died without a will his estate (including the compensation payable) will come to you. If he is still alive, I have no idea why the solicitors are contacting you.

No idea but curious and hoping for an update on Tuesday!

I don’t know whether my father has died. I’ve searched online and he was due to give a talk (he’s an academic) in April this year. I guess he could have died since then.

Trying not to get my hopes up that something similar might be coming to me! I’ll share an update on Tuesday ☺️

My first thought on reading this was that they did have a will lodged somewhere and it was no brought forward or correctly followed. And they left you something you didn't get so now you are owed compensation.

How very interesting. Make damn sure these are real solicitors, check companies House and use verified details.

Exact wording was ‘We would like to write to you about a potential issue that may have arisen in relation to <grandparents’ names> estates that may result in compensation becoming payable, but before we can do so we need to verify that we are corresponding with the correct individual.’ Then goes on to ask me to confirm my grandparents’ address in 1996, and my date of birth and nationality.

I have a sister, she hasn’t received a similar letter.

the solicitors firm has multiple offices, none of them near me, so not easy to pop in.

If your father is still alive, then the only thing I can think of is that you were named as beneficiary of a pension or life policy, or they had put your name on a joint bank account. None of those would form part of the estate and would not have gone to your father under the intestacy.

Of course it could be something else, but knowing it could be this or that is helpful when you speak with the solicitors.

I think I'd supply the details asked of you as it seems they are just trying to verify that you are the person they want to communicate with, but would not give my bank details just yet. If you are due anything I'd ask for it to be given to you in a bank draft or cheque.

Hoping it's a positive outcome for you. I'll be checking back to see what happens.

Have you checked on the SRA website that the law firm is genuine and that the solicitor works there OP?

I was also 'heir hunted' some years back.
They phoned me and I did check them out ( it was actually the company featured on the TV show) before I told them anything.
They did not ask for any personal details except to confirm my dob and full name.
They wanted to know if I knew any other family members / family tree stuff. The person who died was a uncle of my elderly father , I had never heard of this gt uncle until now.
There was several calls and they offered to visit in person too.
In the end it turned out there was a lot of relatives and I got £300 !!
But it was interesting.
I would not worry that your sister hasn't heard anything / had letter. My brother wasn't contacted at all - they found me because a distant cousin of my father recalled my father had 2 children and recalled my name but not my brother's.
That said I would be cautious and ring the bank and ask if they know of any scams going round like this perhaps
Also looking forward to update on tuesday