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“How wrong can you be.”

written by on 24/10/2013

My wife died suddenly in September 2011 and I informed Barclays Bank who immediately froze her accounts. They said that they could put me in touch with their Bereavement Service who could advise me on what to do as my wife had died intestate. I thought that at that time I would arrange the funeral and sort everything out when I was ready to face it.
Three days later I was informed that someone from the bereavement services would be coming to see me the next day. I arranged for my daughter to attend so that she could take notes. A man came and started to explain what needed to be done. He made it out to be a difficult task, with notices in Newspapers, complying with trustees act 1925, Application for Grant of probate, inheritance Tax, completing Tax forms, changing Title deeds for the house, completing accounts and admin letters to go back to court and be held for 12 years. He informed us that It would cost us a lot of money in solicitors fees.
He informed us that it would cost £2300 if ITC carried out the work for us and the it would take 6 to 9 months to complete but he said that as it was a simple straight forward case they would most likely complete within 5 months. My daughter asked if the sum he had mentioned was the total cost, which he confirmed.
We gave him Information and Certificates he requested, my wife's passport also bank statements, investments, etc. He asked me to sign some paperwork. He then left a folder with some pamphlets and return stationary inside.
After a few days we started to receive requests for Insurance, National insurance numbers, estimates for personal property valuations, House insurance, Funeral invoice etc. Which I sent by return mail.
The death certificate could not be completed until a coroners court had determined the cause of death. This was completed in October and copies were sent the next day. From then onwards I was requested to provide information which I provided by return post. We had a visit from "Move with us" to carry out a valuation of the property which took 12 minutes including photographs.
I received the Deeds for the house back in March 2012.
From that day onwards I received nothing until I phoned in June to ask if there was a hold up as I had heard nothing from them. I was informed that they were awaiting confirmation that my wife's Investment had been sorted out. I contacted the investment provider and was informed that this had been sent to ITC and that I had received a copy. I contacted ITC and informed them, they said that they had not received it. I informed them that I would send a copy by recorded delivery and would phone them so that they could confirm that they had received it.
I kept phoning them regularly to get an update on their progress.
I started to get fobbed off that the case had been sent to the accounts department, I would contact their accounts department who denied receiving the case.
I eventually received there Administration Account in the September they had overcharged but I was just pleased it was all over with. I have since moved all of my accounts from Barclays Bank. Had I left it the administration until I was in a better frame of mind I would have done it much quicker and much cheaper and I guess more efficiently. I didn't complete the feedback sheet they sent as I thought their service was bad in too many areas.