The deceased died intestate (without a Will, leaving her two children as the only persons entitled to her estate. She was living in a care home and died owing the home £8,000. On behalf of the care home we took out a creditors grant on their behalf as the children were unwilling to apply for letters of administration and settle this debt.
The deceased was born in Spain, and her family were still living there. We traced the daughter who agreed to renounce letters of administration of the estate but her brother had been estranged from the family for years and his whereabouts were unknown.
We prepared an application for an order that letters of administration of the estate of the deceased be made to him. The appropriate affidavit was sworn by the care home and the application was lodged. A District Probate Registrar made the order without limitation, and the grant was applied for by reference to this order. The grant was issued and the deceased’s bank account was closed and the outstanding debt settled.