Somerset Live : 102 Surnames are Entitled to Unclaimed Inheritance in Somerset

Unclaimed Estates in Somerset

There are currently over 100 Unclaimed Estates in Somerset waiting to be found by a rightful heir. If no will or valid heir can be found to make a claim on the estate it will pass to the crown as an unsolved case. If you believe you know ay person listed in the Bona Vacantia list and you could meet the criteria for an entitled relative now is the time to get in touch.

Members of the public are mostly unaware that the details of thousands of unclaimed estates are recorded and kept online and are freely available for public search. All of the information can be found on a list of unclaimed inheritance cases listed for free in partnership with Finders International, a London based Geneology firm. This can be accessed by anyone and a claim can be made if you feel you are entitled.

What are Unclaimed Estates?

If a person passes away without first making a will or with no named next of kin, the Government is responsible for taking care of that person’s estate until such a time as an heir can be located.

The Bona Vacantia List currently shows that there are 112 unclaimed estates in Somerset that bear 102 different surnames – one of which could be your family name. Some of the estates have been listed by the Government for decades and will revert to the Crown permanently if they remain unidentified.

According to Finders International, family members and heirs to estates listed have just 12 years to claim the estate once it has been declared unclaimed to the Crown. There are certain criteria which allow for a case to be extended up to a maximum of 30 years. For more information on these criteria, contact one of our advisors.

Any member of the public can check the Central Probate Registry online at any time to see if any next of kin are on the unclaimed list. 

 

Surnames listed for unclaimed fortunes in Somerset, search now

This article has been first published in somersetlive.co.uk