Probate records track down heirs

Long-lost heirs to an estate have recently been tracked down by a television programme using probate records.

The Teesdale Mercury reported that the family of the local woman have now received £11,000 after probate experts on Heir Hunters tracked them down.

When Georgina Greenhouse died in 1998 she had not made a will and had no children or spouse to leave her £11,000 estate to. However, relatives of the 96-year-old were tracked down to the Midlands, where they currently live.

It was found that Ms Greenhouse's parents were from Shropshire and that her mother remarried when she moved north, despite divorce papers or her father's death certificate not being uncovered.

In addition, it was discovered that Ms Greenhouse had a brother who was unaware that he had a sibling. His family have now received Ms Greenhouse's assets.

To avoid a drawn process of distributing a deceased person's assets, UK residents would be wise to make a will and name beneficiaries in it using a professional will writing service.

Published by Hannah Carr