Role of the Administrator
Role of the Administrator
If you have been contacted by Estate Research, a council, NHS trust or a coroner it is because you have been identified as a potential beneficiary to an estate of a person who has recently passed away. When a person passes away without a Will (intestate), at least one member of the family must act as the Administrator.
This is a straightforward role, should not involve too much time and you will incur no cost. The main role of the Administrator is to appoint a solicitor who will then deal with the administration of the deceased’s estate.
As the Administrator, you can be reassured that Estate Research will provide the following support throughout the administration process:
- A dedicated case manager and support from our team of experienced staff and management
- Assurance that case managers are qualified paralegals and are regulated by the Professional Paralegal Register
- A guarantee that the Administrator and family will not incur any upfront charges or payments
- A policy of full transparency
- Free expert advice from our panel of solicitors
- A guarantee that we are fully insured and ICO compliant
- Assurance that we hold the ISO 27001 and 9001
The paperwork claim
STEP 1
We can assist you in proving your entitlement to the relevant authority by providing a report that evidences how you are related to the deceased and proves who you are (you will be asked to provide ID and proof of address). This report enables the authority to pass on the details of the estate to the solicitors appointed by the family (or direct to the administrator). Please contact us and we will talk you through this process, if you have any questions.
Appointing solicitors and dealing with the funeral
STEP 2
We work with a number of independent solicitors who are on our referral panel. They are experienced in dealing with intestacy and probate matters. The solicitor will contact you before they have been appointed to discuss the next steps; they can also organise the funeral for you if required. The solicitors do not ask for money up front and if the estate turns out to be insolvent or a Will is found, you will not be asked to pay any fees. When there is an estate, all fees are paid out of the estate before it is distributed.
Protection of property
STEP 3
If the deceased owned a property then it is imperative that the property is secured immediately. The solicitors will be responsible for:
- Changing the locks
- Securing and insuring the property
- Draining down the systems
- Searching for relevant paperwork and removal of valuables for valuation
- Removing personal items that may be of value to the family
- Engaging with neighbours who may be worried about the property being empty
- Changing the locks
- Securing and insuring the property
- Draining down the systems
- Searching for relevant paperwork and removal of valuables for valuation
- Removing personal items that may be of value to the family
- Engaging with neighbours who may be worried about the property being empty
Undertake a Will & Asset Search
STEP 4
We will assist the solicitors in undertaking a Will Search. If no Will is located, we will obtain Missing Will Insurance. If a valid Will is located, the estate will then be dealt with accordingly. We can also assist the solicitor in undertaking an Asset Search.
