PEOPLE around the county have received the surprising news that they have inherited properties worth hundreds of thousands of pounds.

Law firm Blake Morgan, which operates in Oxford, has won an award for helping reunite people with estates that they had no idea existed – also known as ‘heir hunting.’

One case led by Blake Morgan’s Sam Hardy involved a deceased man’s next of kin inheriting a terraced house in Oxford worth between £100,000 and £200,000.

The family, who had to be traced by genealogists, had no idea their relative had left a will, which was tracked down after an in-depth investigation by Blake Morgan.

The executors named in the will were unable to act, and were renounced.

But the family member was one of the parties named and therefore inherited the estate which they later sold.

Blake Morgan was crowned the Best Probate Law Firm in Central England for ‘outstanding contribution to heir hunting’.

James Greig, head of the wills, probate, tax and trusts team based in Oxford, said: “The death of a loved one is always difficult and a challenging time and so we provide expert advice, assistance and reassurance to make the process of inheritance as straightforward as possible.

“We are proud to be able to reunite families with their inheritance and see the impact that this can have on their lives.”

Latest government figures show there are some 9,000 unclaimed estates in the UK, meaning that there are many cases where property, money, and other assets remain unclaimed.

The law firm, which provides advice on all aspects of wealth protection and inheritance planning for individuals and their families, was commended by judges for providing expert advice to clients under often difficult and emotionally charged circumstances.

Mr Greig said: “While death can be a difficult subject that many of us choose to avoid, the heir hunting process can be complex and lengthy so our advice is to always make sure that you have arrangements in place to ensure that your final wishes are met.”

The UK Probate Research Awards, the first of its kind globally, were created in recognition of the fact that probate research has emerged as a profession, which provides an invaluable public and legal service.

 

This article has been first published in Oxford Mail.