Utilising a Deed of Variation in relation to Intestacy
18 October 2023
- Contact Holly James
- Bereavement Team Manager
- [email protected]
- +44 754 877 4754
We go the extra mile to support families through extremely difficult situations, so they can focus on remembering their loved ones and deal with the more personal matters like organising the funeral.
The Client
An individual passed away suddenly at 53 years of age. The family were understandably devastated and didn’t know where to turn. They were introduced to ZEDRA by one of ZEDRA’s partners. Our Bereavement Team expertly guided them through the process of what to do when someone dies and offered our professional service to help alleviate the burden at such a difficult time.
The Challenge
The family were unable to locate a Will but recall the deceased saying he had made one which left everything to his brother.
Under the laws of intestacy, surviving parents would have inherited the estate. The surviving parent wanted their surviving son to inherit, in line with the deceased’s wishes.
Beyond the deceased’s property, the family were unfamiliar with what assets and liabilities existed in order to proceed.
The Solution
We conducted a Will Search and an Asset Search.
Whilst the Will Search came back negative, the Asset Search picked up on some assets and liabilities that were unbeknown to the family.
We also established that the deceased had many items of value inside the property which transpired to be uninsured.
We promptly arranged unoccupied insurance cover, property and contents valuations and for the property to be drained down to help prevent burst pipes and flooding.
The Outcome
The surviving parent decided to do a Deed of Variation to bypass inheritance via intestacy and pass the proceeds of the estate to his surviving son, with which our Legal Team assisted. The family are incredibly grateful for us going the extra mile to help guide them every step of the way during such a difficult time and we are privileged to be of assistance.
At ZEDRA we can help you navigate what do to when someone dies, support you as an Executor or assist individual Executors and Administrators as they navigate the process of probate.
To find out more about how we can help you or how we’ve helped others like this, contact our specialist Probate & Estates Team.
