A woman is locked in a court battle in a bid to recover thousands of pounds of inheritance after the money was mistakenly given to a complete stranger.
Christine Burn, aged 65, of Ponteland, has fought in a legal battle for over 2 years to recoup a legacy worth more than £5,000 from her aunt’s estate which rightly belongs to her and her brother John Michael Laurie – who both live in Australia.
Her aunt died intestate in 2013, leaving no final wishes. Following her death, the London Borough of Tower Hamlets gave information about the estate to heir hunters, who eventually found a relation, seemingly a cousin to the deceased. However, it later becomes apparent that the benefactor was not a family member at all.
Christine has since been involved in a prolonged legal court battle to retrieve the inheritance since 2017 even though she has proof that the inheritance belongs to her and her brother.
Christine Burn said:
“I don’t understand why it’s taking so long for the heir hunters and their lawyers to sort it out.
“They’ve acknowledged their errors, but then dragged their heels over repayment. We just want this to be over.”
In a bid to recover the money Christine has instructed Anglia Research, who are experts in probate genealogy, to help get back the money that is rightfully hers.
Philip Turvey, Executive Director of Anglia Research, said:
“In this case, we hope the local authority will now resolve the issue promptly.
“The heir hunter involved should certainly refund its commission to Christine Burn given the mistake made.”
This case highlights the importance of making a Will by making sure final wishes are legally documented and carried out. Without a Will in place, the law decides how the estate is passed on which might not be in line with the deceased wishes.
