Howard Raymond speaks about wills and probate

Howard Raymond, son of deceased businessman Paul Raymond, has spoken out about wills and probate matters.

Mr Raymond told Thisislondon.co.uk that on his father's death it appeared that he had been given nothing from his estate.

The senior Mr Raymond died with a £75 million estate and decided to make a will which gave most of his assets to the children of his deceased daughter, Debbie.

However, Howard Raymond said that, although he was not named in this will when it was published, he has now been handed a property portfolio made up of buildings in London's West End.

Negotiations with HM Revenue and Customs were held and the original board of trustees were replaced by another one to care for Paul Raymond's estate.

A source spoke about the negotiations between Debbie's husband, John James, and Howard Raymond, saying that they worked out proceedings for the estate amicably and then told the board of trustees about it.

Although this case seems to have been resolved amicably, the death of Tony Curtis highlighted the importance of informing family members of a will's contents. The Daily Mail last month said that one of the star's daughters had begun legal proceedings after being omitted from her father's will.

Published by Hannah Carr