case study

Sometimes it takes years of experience, the right tools and some old-fashioned legwork to track down missing members of fractured families.

Paul Harris died aged 55 in Aldershot, Hampshire, without either a Will or any known relatives and his solicitor contacted Fraser and Fraser in the hope of tracing nextof-kin.

It was clear from the start that this case would not be straightforward. Mr Harris’ death certificate was unusual in that it lacked information about a place or date of birth. Furthermore, even once we had tracked down the actual date, we could find no corresponding entry in the birth indexes.

Something was wrong, but what exactly?

We carried out numerous interviews, speaking to neighbours and friends, hoping to gain some insights into where the truth lay.

Eventually, a former girlfriend of Mr Harris told us that he was illegitimate and that his first name was in fact Peter and not Paul. We also found out that his mother was called Jayne and Harris was the surname of the second husband.

This piece of missing information was just what we needed to find the marriage records for Paul’s mother. He had indeed been born illegitimately, but had initially taken his father’s surname (Gibson). His mother then married his father, divorced him and subsequently remarried. This led to Paul then taking his step-father’s surname, Harris.

This is where the research took an unusual turn. Generally, we would have started compiling an extended family tree, but it became apparent almost immediately that although Paul’s natural father had passed away, his mother was still alive.

As tactfully as possible, we contacted her and one of our Senior Researchers went to visit, to handle the matter sensitively in person. Mrs Harris was in failing health, coping with long-standing heart issues, while also caring for her second husband.

Firstly, her identity as Paul’s mother was thoroughly checked; she was able to provide more than enough information to remove any doubt. For years her son had drifted in and out of contact and she was not wildly surprised that 18 months had passed since she had last spoken to him.

She took the news of her son’s death better than could have been expected and was relieved that someone had taken the time to find her. Despite being the only heir, she was not capable of acting as administrator – and duly granted one of our partners a limited power of attorney.

This case highlights the importance of having the right experience and tools to track down members of fractured families. At Fraser and Fraser we can assist you in locating next-of-kin and ensuring estates are distributed to the correct people.

Names and places have been changed to preserve client confidentiality.

Whether it’s one property or a complex portfolio, we’re here to help.

We can offer professional assistance with all elements of property management including valuation, insurance, clearance and sale of probate property.

The most valuable asset to many estates, is often the property, making it vital to ensure all probate property matters are covered.

One of our partners, Andrew Fraser, is a chartered surveyor and oversees all our probate property management cases.

Probate Sales

We are quick and efficient when it comes to managing the sale of a property. We can arrange sale by private treaty or at auction. We choose estate agents and auctioneers carefully and will coordinate the communication between you and the buyer’s solicitor, their agent and financial advisers to minimise the risk of the sale falling through.

Cost | £75 +VAT

Probate Valuations

You will receive an accurate report on the valuation of the property you are dealing with, providing vital information for the Grant application and in order to sell the property. This involves at least two local agents giving their expert opinion on price and market conditions.

Cost | £195 +VAT

If the property is sold through our parties, the report is free

We can arrange the best insurance for you, as well as replace existing policies invalidated by the property remaining unoccupied. This will protect the property against unforeseeable events.

Cost | £75 per month (inc. Insurance Premium Tax) for properties with a reinstatement value of up to £500,000.

Management And Security

Need to ensure the property is secure and fit for viewings? Leave it to us – we can arrange clearance and cleaning, organise lock changes and add in required alarm systems to maximise selling potential.

Cost | please contact us for costs

Energy Performance Certificate

As a UK requirement, we can supply reports that provide suggestions on how the property could be altered to improve its energy and carbon emission rating.

Cost | £65 +VAT

Property Inspections

Our experienced senior researchers conduct thorough property searches in order to locate paperwork which may be of use in the administration of the estate (including financial documents, wills, deeds, utility information etc), along with personal papers or photographs which the family may like to keep.

Cost | £100 +VAT per hour (max daily rate £600 +VAT, plus disbursements)