VW Camper - Keeping my prospective purchase safe

Honest John Back Room » Legal matters
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Fri 18 Jun 2010 19:04
VW Camper - Keeping my prospective purchase safe - Burwood55
I was in the process of buying a VW Camper from an old chap who'd gone into a old foks home. During the negotiations he passed away. I am now trying to find out who is dealing with his estate as he has no relatives so that I can continue with the sale. The van in question is now still parked on the drive at his old home address, before the old folks home. The house is being subject to vandalism and I would hate to see the van suffer the same fate. How would I stand if I could remove it for safekeeping and put a letter through the door to advise the administrators of the estate about who I am, the new location, etc. I feel that if I do nothing it will either be wrecked or nicked! Any advise would be much appreciated. PS the local bobbies aren't interested as nothing has actually happened, yet, and it is parked off the road.
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Sat 19 Jun 2010 06:25
VW Camper - Keeping my prospective purchase safe - LucyBC

You cannot just lift it or it would be theft. You need to buy it off the executors.

The quickest route to identify them is the care home will probably know who is next of kin and executors of the estate.

If they don't, contact the local Probate office. There can be a delay before probate is granted but they should be able to assist you:

http://www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/infoabout/civil/probate/registries.htm

If there is no will they will be the authority to appoint the administrators of the estate.

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Tue 22 Jun 2010 03:20
VW Camper - Keeping my prospective purchase safe - Burwood55

Thanks. The home couldn't help with this at all. I have spoken to the local probate registry and have written to them to ask them to do the search on my behalf with the appropriate fee. I hope this will turn up some information. I realise that my suggestion of removal is a bit radical but would seem to be the only way of ensuring that the van comes to no harm whilst this gets sorted.

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Sat 26 Jun 2010 12:25
VW Camper - Keeping my prospective purchase safe - oilrag

If he was admitted to the care home recently, you might find a Social Worker was recently involved. There may be relatives on a file and your message able to be forwarded to them.

Similarly a financial assessment may well have been carried out by the Local Authority and they may be involved in his affairs.

I would go back and speak directly to the manager of the care home - ask for their contact numbers for the placemenent funding (if any) and give the Local Authority a ring.

Whatever, you can`t touch it if the sale has not been concluded. It would be theft and the same as someone taking your own car off your drive at home. The negotiations have no meaning following his death if they were not concluded and in any case there is sometimes the issue of mental capacity to make decisions to consider even if they had.

If you are firmly rebuffed, all round - it may be that you have inadvertently triggered protection protocols - as there is an awful lot of financial abuse of residents of care homes attempted. Mainly by relatives.

oilrag

Edited by oilrag on 27/06/2010 at 06:36

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