Derby unclaimed estates: The surnames that could inherit a fortune from unclaimed estates in Derby

Your will puts you in control of what happens to your possessions after your death. In the absence of a will, an estate is unclaimed - and a newly released Treasury list shows there are 32 unclaimed estates of people who died in Derby.Your will puts you in control of what happens to your possessions after your death. In the absence of a will, an estate is unclaimed - and a newly released Treasury list shows there are 32 unclaimed estates of people who died in Derby.
Your will puts you in control of what happens to your possessions after your death. In the absence of a will, an estate is unclaimed - and a newly released Treasury list shows there are 32 unclaimed estates of people who died in Derby. | Melinda Gimpel Unsplash
Residents with surnames including Connolly and Day form part of a 6,000-strong list who have yet to claim what is rightfully theirs. There is a time limit on claiming, after which the estate is lost and becomes property of The Crown.

A list of unclaimed estates that includes 32 people who died in Derby, has been released by the Treasury Solicitor today (Tuesday July 9, 2024).

This means people could be in line to inherit money which could be in the region of hundreds of thousands of pounds. 

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The latest Treasury list shows there are almost 6,000 unclaimed estates across the UK and 32 of those belong to people who died in Derby.

It is estimated that around £80 million is sitting in limbo in Treasury coffers. 

The Treasury only advertises estates with a net value of £500 or above.

What is an unclaimed estate?

Unclaimed estates usually occur when the deceased has not left a will, or the beneficiaries of the will cannot be traced, or the next of kin, following the rules of intestacy, cannot be found either.

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Fiona Mainwaring, Head of Wills and Probate at Stafford-based law firm ORJ, said: “There are clear rules in place to distribute an estate to family members when there is no will in place, following a strict order of priority that starts with married or civil partners and ends with half aunts and uncles.”

If want to make a claim to a deceased person’s estate, visit UK Government website for more information.

Fiona added: “If no beneficiaries can be traced, the estate simply sits in limbo until after 30 years it becomes the property of The Crown.

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“With people moving around the world more than ever, it is no surprise that it is sometimes difficult to track down the next of kin. 

“The result is these forgotten fortunes sit dormant and are eventually surrendered.

"The sheer volume of unclaimed estates shows how important it is to have a valid, up-to-date will, along with a named executor, which makes it much easier to divide assets when the time comes."

The surnames for unclaimed estates in Derby include Akinyeye, Berzins, Bowers, Boyle, Bunting, Caddick, Chappell, Cholodowski, Connolly, Day and Dodds.

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More details of the estates and how to claim can be found here.

Fiona said anyone who believes they might have been left something in a will can search the probate records so they know who to contact when the estate is dealt with.

“If there is a will, it is possible to get a copy for a nominal fee along with the Grant of Probate, which will include the executor’s contact details,” added Fiona.

“If there is no will and you believe you qualify through the intestacy rules, a copy of the Grant of Letters of Administration can be obtained which will include the Administrators’ details.”

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