Squabbles about inheritance

Germanshepherdsmum

They sure are. But people are told it’s easy and they believe it. If it was so straightforward why would solicitors have to study for years? The size of my textbook on the subject had to be seen to be believed. It was an incredibly complex subject. People really have no idea of the mess they can leave behind.

Experts are experts for a reason. We'd not attempt our own heating servicing, why attempt diy wills?

Good analogy Norah. I worked in a different area of law and wouldn’t dream of writing a will for myself or anyone else. I used someone I trusted who specialised in wills and probate.

A solicitor friend told me that solicitors can grow rich on DIY wills.

Smileless thank you for saying that’s the right attitude. Sometimes it crosses my mind that maybe I’m a bit naive about this but on the whole don’t want to fight anyone about it.

No one sibling can force a sale, but if there is a compelling reason for wanting the property sold you can try to obtain a court order. You would have to write to your other siblings via a solicitor, setting out a strong case for the sale - this gives them the opportunity to discuss and set out their reasons for disputing a sale, after which you can then apply for a court order. Success ultimately depends on who makes the more compelling case.

In the event that the house is not sold, you might want to give some thought as to the ‘tenancy’ of each sibling. If you are joint tenants, all siblings have equal rights to the entire house and if any sibling dies, their share passes to the other joint tenants. This means that only the final surviving brother or sister can make a provision in their will to leave the property to someone. If siblings decide to become tenants in common, each sibling will own a defined portion of the house.