“You could be the recipient of a surprise windfall”, says Daniel Curran.
There are currently 9 unclaimed estates in Redditch, Worcestershire. The estates are all of people who have passed away and left behind assets, such as money, property, or personal belongings. The assets are held by the government until the rightful heirs can be found.
Do you recognise any of the names below, as listed on the Bona Vacantia list?
Mitchell, Edwards, Webb, Abbott, Smith, McCarthy, Wilkinson, Speed and Jackson.
The list (www.bonavacantialist.co.uk) is updated every working day and contains information about the deceased person, the value of their estate, and how to make a claim if you believe you might be an entitled beneficiary to the estate.
Daniel Curran, MD Finders International Probate Genealogist comments; “The heirs to the estates are unknown. In some cases, the heirs may have died before the person who left the estate. In other cases, the heirs may have moved away and lost contact with the deceased person.”
If you believe you may be an heir to one of the unclaimed estates, you can contact Danny’s team at Finders International (also known as ‘Heir Hunters’ thanks to the BBC One daytime TV show of the same name) to make a claim. You will need to provide them with information about the deceased, such as their name, date of death, and last known address.
DID YOU KNOW – If you do not claim an unclaimed estate within a certain length of time, the assets will be passed to the Crown. This means that the assets will be used to fund government programs and services.
Danny urges people to ensure that they have a valid, up-do-date will in place to avoid this from happening later down the line.
“Having a will is one of the most important things you can do for yourself and your loved ones. It ensures that your wishes are carried out after you die, and it can help to avoid family disputes.
A will is a relatively simple and inexpensive document to create. It is worth the time and money to have one drafted so that you can ensure that your wishes are carried out after you die, and most importantly, that your assets are not passed to the crown.”
Be aware of Probate Research scammers
Unfortunately, as with many other industries, there are scammers pretending to be from reputable probate research firms. If you are ever contacted by an ‘Heir Hunter’ out of the blue, Daniel Curran MD, Finders International shares his top tips on how best to protect yourself from probate research scammers, in this post.
Winners of ‘Best UK Probate Research Firm 2023’, Finders International trace beneficiaries to unclaimed estates. They have a team of experienced and qualified genealogists who are experts in tracing people and property, using a variety of methods, including online research, public records, and interviews with family and friends. They are also regulated by the International Association of Professional Probate Researchers – IAPPR.
