Please be straight and forwad with me on this situation i have found myself in this weekend.long story i know but i keep short.
My uncle passed away , i have not had contact with him for over 25 years, reason being just lost contact when my father passed. My dad hated my uncle for being gay so never really had much of a relationship with uncle as a kid just a few visits at christmas. If im honest i wanted to make contact with him but just never got around to it and didnt know if he would welcome contact.silly i know. Anyway sadly he passed. His partner contacted my mum so say im due to receive his estate.he left no will and according to his partner its mine. Ok so i get a few quid that i cleary dont deserve at all. Problem is his partner for years will have to find someplace to live. Hes an old man now. Really dont know how to approach this. I feel bit confused and guilt for his partner. I know some will say luck you but dont feel good. Advise anybody ?
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Let his partner live in the house for free and when he passes away worry about what to do next. Or sign it all over to your uncles partner now
Allow the man to stay there until the property becomes empty.
I think on this occasion the strength of similarity says a lot about what the right thing to do would be.
How old are you ? Do you need this inheritance now ? If your only going to put the money in investment for early retirement etc, then you can consider, letting the guy remain at Uncles. Either no rent or what you believe is fair according to his financial position.
No will.
Others will have experience and advise you more clearly but I am having a quick look here- https://www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/en/articles/sorting-out-the-estate-when-there-isnt-a-will
What's clear is this will take some time, whether your uncle's partner or someone else, such as a probate solicitor, is administering the estate. Doubtful if the partner will be made homeless anytime soon. Things have to be valued and ownership confirmed for any assets, and other paperwork.
Were they married or in a civil partnership? If so, the partner will have rights to inherit as with any married couple.
This has to be done properly and according to law. There are rules and procedures of intestacy when there is no will. Each stage must be handled carefully. Other relatives may have a claim (e.g. your brothers/ sisters and aunts/ uncles still alive).
So if it was me i'd firstly be looking to clarify who is formally administering your uncle's affairs. If there is a solicitor then make yourself known to them. Ultimately if your uncle's partner is facing homelessness then you could be able to intervene at that point (some months down the tracks and when you know fully his situation and how much you will inherit) but there is a fair way to go yet. Rest assured there are people who know what to do in this situation, and probate solicitors get paid for this (usually a cut from the estate).
More here-
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/family/death-and-wills/who-can-inherit-if-there-is-no-will-the-rules-of-intestacy
and
https://farewill.com/blog/why-unmarried-couples-need-to-have-wills-25UKHRJRPCQqUyMC06cKSg
All the best to you.
seriously, letting him live there rent free is the right thing to do.
For whatever reason he didn't leave a will so the property is yours to do with as you wish but it seems from your question that you want to do the right thing so, as others have said, find out what the situation is, speak to your uncle's partner and agree a way forward that makes you feel you've done the right thing.
Are you 100% sure that your Uncle and his partner did not have a Civil Partnership or Marriage? If they did then the Estate could be his after all.
However, assuming they didn't, then there is an order of who gets what. Given the age parents are out of it meaning it moves on to siblings or, if deceased, their offspring. In other words your Dad and any other of his brothers and sisters or, if deceased their offspring so you need to be sure there are no others with a potential claim. It might not be just you. Do you have brothers and or sisters? Or other surviving Aunts and Uncles or if deceased surviving cousins?
However, assuming it is just you then letting the Partner live there rent free or, for legal purposes, at a peppercorn rent, which is effectively the same thing, as long as he wishes is probably the moral 'right thing' to do as others have already stated.
I would advise satisfying yourself that you are the only one with a claim to the estate though as you don't want any nasty shocks down the line.
Presumably you will have to administer the Estate too so make sure there are no creditors by advertising in local rags and The Gazette before you settle it for the same reason re nasty shocks down the line.
That you helped him emotionally at a tough time should console you in this time of loss.
The partner sounds like one of life's good guys.
In what has been a nasty, hateful world in the last week in particular your story has given me lift and reminded of the good that there is in most people.
Maybe there will be, as the Isley Brothers sang, a harvest for the world.
Goes without saying that do not part with any money if you are asked for anything and don't sign anything without trusted legal advice.
It is probably all above board and there is more good in the world than bad but worth keeping wits about you at times like this.
Probably what it is at face value of course but always worth exercising caution when dealing with complete strangers out of the blue like this.
Look how our actions and kindness pay forward.
Good luck with it all, Gasman.
You probably don't need extra legal advice, the solicitor handling the estate should sort everything - and charge nicely for doing so, of course.
Still don’t understand why people don’t leave a will. Your Uncle obviously wanted you to inherit but if they’d not been able to track you down his inheritance may have ended up going to the state.
Just updated mine after 5 years, at least you know who its going to and not some long lost relative you've not seen or heard from for years.