Cold calling - what's changed?

Harrigran are you saying that your cousin left a will stating 2/3 of her estate was to be divided between two charities and and the remaining 1/3 to your sister?

I'm guessing here as it is not clear unless I have missed something in the thread.,

Yes Anya, he left 2/3 to charity to avoid inheritance tax and 1/3 to others. Correct me if I am wrong but shouldn't a charity just receive a cheque when the estate is wound up and say " thank you very much " when did they get to see the will and demand to see executors expenses before monies are paid out ? I told my sister she should make a complaint, initially to the solicitor and then to the law society, I think there is mischief afoot. My sister does not like to make waves and the solicitor seems to be taking advantage of this.
My rant is at the greedy charities who are impatient for their money, I do not benefit at all from the will and feel that my sister has been treated unfairly. She emptied and cleaned a very large detached house, lost holidays and paid for hotels and flights from abroad but has not seen a penny of the thousands she has lost. I asked her the other day if she would agree to be an executor again and the answer was a resounding NO. We feel cross at our cousin too because he put her in this position, if he had only stated a fixed sum to be given to the charity instead of a percentage. Probably when he drew up his will his estate was not as valuable as it was when he died.

No it doesn't work like that. Carrying out your duty as executor incurs certain legal responsibilities.

As it sounds as if the estate was quite considerable (house to sell) and the laws of probate kicked in. What part did the solicitor play? Joint executor perhaps?

After funeral expenses have been paid off, the next duty of the executor is to realise any assetts and pay off debts. There was a house to sell. And debts to pay, even if just council tax, utilities, estate agents feed, etc. and anything expended on behalf of the estate. This could include the cost of hiring cleaners and people to empty the house. Though I don't see why your sister couldn't put in a claim for this if she did it herself.

Account need to be kept showing all assetts and all debts and only after that is the remaining estate allowed to be divided up according to the terms of the will. So that's why the charities, as beneficiaries, are entitled to see the final spread sheet. As is/was your sister.

How awful Harrigan. Have you or your family thought about contacting the tabloids? A spread about Charity greed may stem the tide? It would be satisfying for you and yours if successful.

Touched by a TV ad my husband rang and gave £xxx. They pestered by snail mail and phone for two years. By chance I answered the phone and using a different dialect, saying *"Those people are moved away."" Then disconnected. It worked.

We've been ex directory for 30 years. Unfortunately telesales companies use sequential diallers.