Will Nightmare - MIL not been paid her inheritance!!

[superloopy]

I will try not to ramble but I would love some advice from any legal minds out there.

Approx 18 mths ago DHs paternal Grandfather died. Only 1 of his 4 children is alive, DHs Aunty. There has been not mention of any will in this time and all that DH has from his GF are some photos which he was offered after the funeral.

Last week MIL got a copy of the will and the first thing mentioned is money left to MIL and 3 other Step-children. Each getting £4000 cash. Everything else is left to DHs Aunty - house owned outright and a new car.

This Aunty is also named as executor and her husband too. It seems that the house has been changed into their names (we checked the lands registry and confirmed this) and their daughter is living there with her family.

So it seems that Aunty and her husband have sorted themselves out by getting probate several months ago and keeping everything!!

What can we do?? I have no legal brains but this totally stinks!!

There is also a very large coin collection and Grandmothers (inexpensive but sentimental)jewellery collection which have disappeared - apparently GF sold them according to Aunty.

The weird thing is that before all of this happened everyone got along really well but Aunty has stopped talking to us now.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

bump

First stop I guess would be to see them and ask what is ahppening about the distribution of the inheritance...?

If they don't play ball then a trip to the solicitor is in order I'm afraid.

Go to the CAB pronto and seek legal advice ....

I'm not a lawyer but there was a question in the Guardian Money section about this on Saturday. They advised the questioner to get a solicitor to write the executer a stiff letter, reminding her that if she does not distribute the estate in line with the will the eventual penalty can be imprisonment.

But don't be too quick to judge - it can take ages to wind up an estate and the cash sometimes doesn't get released for quite a while (though 18 months is pushing it).

Thank you all very much.