The Bona Vacantia is a government department which deals with estates of people without known heirs. In 2013/4 they dealt with banked more than £14 million in unclaimed inheritances.
There is an allowance of time to make a claim, normally this 12 – 30 years, so if an heir is found they can step forward and claim their inheritance plus any accrued interest.
They contacted us as they had been informed that the person who had died had a legal will at the time of death.
Our research revealed that they had been misinformed, the deceased an original dated some years before marriage, and her marriage had revoked the previous will. Her husband had died, when she died there were no blood relatives alive.
A somewhat sad turn of events, which means that eventually the money will go to the Treasury. Unless of course one of the “heir hunting” companies find a relative.
A reminder, perhaps, of the necessity of keeping your legal documentation up to date.
