House Talk Winter 2019

YOUR MONEY ADVICE SUPPLEMENT
talk
money
Have you written a will
yet? It’s important
Our housing officers often deal with the ending of
tenancies after people have passed away. When there
is no will in place it is much harder for family or friends
to sort everything out. It can take a lot longer and it
can be distressing at what is already a difficult time.
What happens if you don’t
leave a will?
Should you pass away without leaving a will, the law
decides who gets anything you’ve left behind, and how
much. It doesn’t matter what your relationship with
those people was like when you were alive. This can
mean that your money, property and possessions pass
to someone you hadn’t intended – or that someone
you want to pass things on to ends up with nothing.
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¸
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If you’re not married and not in a civil partnership,
your partner is not legally entitled to anything when
you die.
If you’re married, your husband or wife might
inherit most or all of your estate and your children
might not get anything. This is true even if you are
separated, but not if you’re divorced.
If you die with no living close relatives, your whole
estate will belong to the Crown or to the government.
Recently one of our tenants died suddenly. There was
no will and the whole estate automatically went to a
brother, even though they had not been in contact in
over 40 years. We knew that the tenant would have
wanted his belongings to have passed to the children
he thought of as his own and whom he had raised since
they were small. However as he had left no will they
received nothing.
If you are a council tenant and you do not have a will
and haven’t named an executor this makes it more
difficult for your tenancy to be ended.
Rent may continue to be charged while we work out
who should be making the decisions around what
happens to your tenancy and belongings. Any rent
owed can be claimed from any money left in the
estate - money which otherwise may have gone to
loved ones or to a nominated charity.
Our officers have often known our tenants for a long
time and are always much happier knowing that their
final wishes are respected. In making a will you can
tell people what you want to happen and detail who
should be dealing with everything on your behalf.
How to make a will
Wills must be written in a certain way and signed and
witnessed by particular people to be legally valid.
There is plenty of advice online, for example, on the
AgeUK or IMA websites. If you are not able to access
the internet you can visit AgeUK or the Citizens
Advice Bureau for further advice.
At certain times in the year solicitors volunteer will
writing services for free but may ask that a donation is
made to charity.
Free Wills Month
Free Wills Month takes place every March and
October and lets those aged 55+ get a solicitordrafted
will for free – though it is hoped you’ll leave
something to charity. More information can be found
at www.freewillsmonth.org.uk
Will Aid
Will Aid runs every November, nine charities and 900
solicitors team up to provide basic wills to anyone,
regardless of age, for a charitable donation. More
information can be found at www.willaid.org.uk
14 money talk