When it comes to siblings inheriting a house in Sible Hedingham, this can prove to be an extremely complicated process that cause a considerable amount of stress and family tension at a time when emotions are already somewhat overwrought due to the loss of a loved one. With this in mind, Laura Richardson now takes you through some of the problems that can arise with siblings inheriting a house in Sible Hedingham along with how such problems may potentially be addressed . . .
Leaving your home in Essex (or anywhere else for that matter) to your children is widely regarded as the “normal” way to pass down the family home through the generations. In most cases the children are adults and many of the houses are immediately sold with the proceeds divided equally between the children. However this is not always the case and I have recently been made aware of two cases which caused a great deal of stress and family tension involving siblings inheriting a house in Sible Hedingham.
The first scenario involves three adult siblings who inherited their late father’s house. There were no specific instructions included within the Will regarding what the siblings should do with the house and in this case, after much discussion it was decided that they would rent out the house. However, even this decision came with difficult conversations and some upset between the siblings. For example there was disagreement regarding whether they should rent the house furnished, or whether any or all of the furnishings should be distributed between the family. There was further disagreement regarding whether redecoration works be carried out which may perhaps encourage a higher rent figure. In this particular scenario the siblings finally agreed that it would be better, after all, to sell the house and split the proceeds rather than remain in a state of disagreement that was putting much strain on the relationships between them and the wider family.
The second scenario involves four adult siblings, where one of the siblings was permanently living at the property which was jointly inherited from their late mother. Although the four siblings had made verbal agreements with their mother that the fourth sibling would be able to remain living at the property, on receiving the house two of the siblings changed their mind. They were in a position where the money from the sale of the property would make a great difference to their quality of life, but they also considered that the share received by the resident sibling would be more than sufficient for them to buy a property in their own right. These could be seen as perfectly valid reasons for selling the property, however this was not the wish of their late mother. Sadly, this meant that the matter was taken to court, which in turn was costly!
In summary, it is important to ensure that your Will is as specific as possible and that any wishes are recorded in an official capacity in order to avoid scenarios like these for your family following your death. It is a sad reality that these type of situations are not uncommon, but there are steps that can be taken as part of your Will making process that will aid your family following your death.
Andrew Douglas Will and Legal Services would be happy to discuss the finer details of your Will with you such as where there is the possibility of a number of siblings inheriting a house in Sible Hedingham or anywhere else in Essex.
If you would like to discuss things further, please contact us at Andrew Douglas Wills and Legal Services via www.andrewdouglaswills.co.uk and we will be happy to book a consultation with you regarding your Will in Sible Hedingham or anywhere else throughout Essex.
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