Services
Administrator Searches
Solicitors and probate practitioners often refer intestate matters to us where next of kin are entirely unknown. Without a formal instructing client and no clear first step toward an application for a Grant, estates can often be left on the shelf without clear means to progress. We offer specific solutions for these circumstances, so your estates continue moving forward.
We can help you:
- Trace entitled relatives to act as an administrator
- Verify their relation with documentary evidence
- Report to you with all the required details to begin administration.
Next Steps
Once you have been formally instructed, we can advise further on the steps required to complete the research and account for all entitled relatives. We can offer a range of fee options, depending on the requirements of the estate, to help streamline the complex process of intestate estate administration.
Professional Considerations
When conducting genealogical research to trace administrators in intestate estates, it’s an imperative to have a solid understanding of the required criteria for individuals that can act in this capacity. In the absence of working knowledge of the family, it can be all too easy to rely on hearsay or anecdotal evidence of someone’s relation to the Deceased. Professional verification is key to ensuring the correct class of kin has been identified and their entitlement documented, to avoid serious ramifications for the estate further down the line.
Administrator Search FAQs
What do I need before starting a search?
As with our family tree cases, the Deceased's death certificate is often sufficient for us to be underway. If available, any information that can be provided further to this is always helpful in directing our research.
What are your fees?
We work around you: our fee options can range from free of charge to deferred fee, depending on your preference. We assume the risk in administrator searches and so if no client is identified, no fee is payable.
How long does it take?
As you are without formal instruction in the estate, we will routinely prioritise research in administrator searches to allow you to expedite the process of applying for a Grant.
Should I refer the estate to the Bona Vacantia Division (BVD)?
Very few intestate estates are genuinely Bona Vacantia. In the vast majority of intestate estates, entitled relatives can be successfully identified. Administrators are often identified and located before the question of a BVD referral is even asked.
In the very rare instances where an estate genuinely is Bona Vacantia, we will inform you as soon as it is confirmed. No fee would be payable, as no administrator has been identified.
Learn more from our Resource Centre