We start thinking more often about what will happen to our possessions as we age. Perhaps we should do so after we start raising children, because there’s no knowing when our time will come. Tracking down a deceased person’s chattels can be a painful experience for those left behind. We really ought to try to make things easier for them.
Listing a Deceased Person’s Chattels
Our clients often find themselves on the flip side after a close relative dies, and their solicitor calls them in as next of kin. Their advice ends with the words ‘so the sooner you start tracking down the deceased person’s chattels the better’ but what the heck are chattels?
DEFINITION
Chattels are personal possessions you can move around, even if you need a tractor to tow them on a low bed, as might be the case with a mobile home. However, they could also be as tiny as a diamond ear ring, which is a compelling reason to search through a deceased person’s home carefully.
Land and buildings are not chattels, because they have a permanent, fixed location. Financial investments are not chattels either. They are virtual assets representing value.
Where to Begin with Identifying Chattels
Financial investments are relatively easy to find, because there should be corresponding entries on the deceased’s bank statements. Fixed property, and improvements thereon are readily traceable on the UK Land Registry, unless they are really ancient.
Executors often ask surviving relatives to help with tracking down a deceased person’s chattels, because they seldom appear on any register. This challenge should be within the reach of the average citizen, provided they follow the logical process we touch on here.
Letter of Wishes Tracking Deceased’s Chattels:
A solicitor preparing a last will and testament, is unlikely to spend reams of paper listing all the chattels in an estate. Therefore, interested parties often have to rely on letters of wishes people write while they are still living, as non-binding extensions to their wills.
They may mail these documents to friends, attach them to their wills, or even leave them on their mantelpieces as we suggest in the image. We dedicate the rest of this article to a few practical suggestions, in case you decide it is time you drafted a letter of wishes yourself.
Tracing Your Chattels After You Die
Your relatives should soon know who your heirs are, whether you died intestate or left a legal will. They will be aware of your wishes, and keen to follow them through. They should be able to identify your property, and financial investments readily.
But there will come a time when your relatives need to clear your home, and dispose of the chattels. They will be grateful if you made the task of tracking down a deceased person’s chattels easier, by identifying the valuable possessions you accumulated during your lifetime.
Which Items Should Go in Your Letter of Wishes?
You should probably list your really valuable personal possessions in your will, and name the beneficiaries. You also don’t need to list everything else in your letter of wishes though. However, you do need to include all the items of significant family interest. You don’t want your children or grandchildren falling out over who gets what when you are gone.
How to Describe Your Important Loose Assets
A letter of wishes is a document in progress you update regularly as your thoughts change, or you acquire new possessions. By all means do this on your laptop, but remember to print it out and leave it where people will find it. The most important aspects to include are:
- A clear description of the item in question.
- Where you keep the particular possession.
- A photograph if there could be uncertainty.
- Who should receive the item in question.
When You Need Help Clearing a Deceased’s Home
We hope you found this information helpful. Remember Avery Associates if you need help with clearing a loved one’s home, perhaps recently deceased. We offer a discreet service that relieves you of a tiresome chore, especially when you are working through grieving at the time.
We understand how to go about this in a way that ensures you comply with your legal obligations. We’ll take care of everything in a respectful, dignified way, as you might otherwise have done yourself. We are also professional valuators. We will set aside everything of intrinsic value, and await your advice on what to do next.
HERE ARE OUR CONTACT DETAILS
Here are our contact details, should wish to explore this opportunity further with a property clearance and probate specialist:
Avery Associates, 291 Mitcham Road, Tooting, London SW179JQ
Mobile contact 0800 567 7769, Head Office: 0208 640 00 44
Email us at info@averyassociates.co.uk at any time that suits you.
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