Genealogy Chat

Hi, Happy New Year. Please could someone tell me is there any way of finding out whether or not my dad had a will and if so what was in it,i was only 2 when he died and don't know any other relative that i could trust to tell me the truth as i was told my dad left me some money in his will but my mum spent it all, i am not sure if this is true or not a do not speak to my mum because of other things not the above and if she had spent the money she isn't going to tell me is she? My partner says i would have to go see a solicitor is that correct? Thankyou Denise.

Hi You can get a copy of anybodys will, provided they left one of course. See here: http://www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/cms/1226.htm Sam x

Denise Wills, once proven, are public documents, so all you need to do is track down your Dad's Will and order a copy of it, from the National Probate Registry. (Google) You will only need to consult a Solicitor if you think the Will has not been administered properly. OC

It is possible that someone can leave a will, but if the the estate is small it is not necessary for it to go to probate. I dealt with a will in 1990 where the estate was under £5,000, it did not have to go for probate, so was never published. Jennifer

Jennifer is right of course - if the value of the estate was less than a given amount, then the will is not filed and published. And of course, even if there was a Will, people have been known to 'tear them up' and there is nothing much you can do about that. I have a case in my family where a very comfortably-off lady died. A blacksheep cousin who was living with her at the time of her death made the extraordinary statement to family members 'Pamela has died and I cannot find her Will'.Family members are convinced he looked for it, didnt like it, and tore it up, hoping he would get at least something if she was declared intestate. He shot himself in the foot though, because a Solicitor was holding a Will which she had made much earlier, leaving everything to two nieces, who the dastardly cousin didn't even know existed, so he didnt get a penny. OC

i asked for a search recently ,i think i had to state a date of death ,they then search 5 years after that date.i think the search cost a fiver,but it did'nt turn anything up in my case,

Thanks every1 for your help.. Denise