Heir Hunting simply put is the process of tracing heirs to an estate. Typically, this could be an estate that is Unclaimed Estates otherwise perhaps it could be tracing heirs to an estate distributed in a Will. We have a full range of Heir Hunting Services. We are able to offer a complete family tree research service. We can create your family tree for you. You can choose whether we research both sides of your family, i.e both maternal and paternal, right back to the 1800’s. Our research will give you a superb insight into your family history.
In the UK an Unclaimed Estate is dealt with by a department of the government known as the Treasury Solicitors Office. An estate typically goes unclaimed when a person dies alone with no direct or immediate family contact and they die with no valid will. In estate law, the common law wife or husband is not recognised, thus if a person lives with their partner all their adult life but leaves no children or other close blood line family and they do not make a will their estate could go unclaimed.
Are you aware of an empty house or an abandoned home? Generally, an empty house will be privately owned but the owner is long since deceased. Empty houses can lead to an abundance of problems including vermin such as rats or possibly even squatters. This is a major problem across some parts of the country and as some estates can stay on the Bona Vacantia List for thirty years, what started off as your curiosity will soon become a major problem for those living in the vacinity of an empty house.