This is a long winded one - just not sure where to go from here.
My estranged father passed away in November, knowing he had a terminal illness he withdrew most of his cash and gave it away. The majority of his money (approx £60,000) went to the woman he named as executor of will.
Under scots law my half brother and I are entitled to 1/3 of his moveable estate. All that was left was what was paid into his bak account for 2 private pensions and the sale of his car. We are told by his other good friends who assisted in his estate prior to his death that there was atleast £14,000 in the account.
When we received his "administration of accounts" from her we found she had doctored the funeral bill and claimed to have paid it from the money remaining in his bank - the statement showed £11,000 or so pounds and was dated a month after his death when the account was closed.
My father actually put another of his frineds in charge of his funeral and gave her money to pay it all weeks before he died - this I can proove as she has furnished me with all the documents and receipts - all of which went through his lawyer, so were all paid and receipted a 3 weeks before she closed the account. We also believe she has removed money from his account between the date of his death and the statement she sent us. Not only that but she has no idea my dads other friend has given me copies of all the funeral receipts and she has doctored one of them to make it look like its from her.
I sent her a detailed letter thanking her for the cheques she sent us but saying we felt there was errors in the way she had dealt with the estate. To my estimations she ows us still each £1500. Not worth getting a lawyer involved over as it would swallow up what we get should we win.
However the letter i sent 2 weeks ago was today returned unopened saying she had not collected it from post office (sent recorded delivery).
So do we
a. go to police for fraud
b. go to small claims court
c. give up
Am just so angry about it all - my dad walked out on us when i was 3 years old after badly beating both our mothers, he never paid a pennys maintenance and i just feel we are owed now. Our mums deserve it more than a woman he had known 2 years. She also put all of the money he gave her into a safety deposit box as she gets benefits so did not want to declare the money to them.
Really stuck with what to do if she wont take the letters from postman - she is the bloody executor and is stealing from the state - cant believe she can get away with this. Any advice?
Thanks