When a person dies who has left a will , they usually name one or more people to act as the executors of the will and administer the estate accordingly.

What if there is no will ?

If there is no will, ( known as dying intestate) the process is more complicated. The assets will pass to their nearest living relatives in an order of entitlement. Around 70% of people that die in the UK each year do not make out a will. These estates often remain unclaimed and after time , the estate will be claimed by the government.

Raithby Investigations actively research and investigate unclaimed estates to search for living relatives and potential beneficiaries. In most cases the relative has no knowledge of the deceased or assumed that they left no assets. However with estates often lying unclaimed for over 10 years or more , new properties , assets and bank accounts can emerge - and gain interest !

Nowadays , Probate researchers are referred to as Heir Hunters following the successful TV programme. Raithby Investigations will handle your claim process on behalf of the claimant and liaise with the estate administrators. We take care of all the legal documentation on your behalf.

Please note that no charges will ever be made to a claimant and the whole process of submitting your claim will be completely free.

Perhaps you are a potential heir to an unclaimed estate. Maybe one day we will be knocking on your door to inform you of a potential windfall. Click here for the list of our present unclaimed estates.

Genealogy Researchers