Gengenie Research Heir Hunters
What Do Heir Hunters Do?
The term “Heir Hunter” has been made popular in recent years thanks to the television program of the same name where the viewer watches companies in the probate research industry carry out their professional searches in their undertakings in tracing missing heirs.
These shows have had a significant impact on how the public views “Heir Hunters,” as they have made the world more aware of the work we, as probate researchers and genealogists, carry out on the client’s behalf.
What shows such as “Heir Hunters” don’t show is the countless hours of research that go into any one case. Researching a case can take anywhere from 12 weeks to several years, depending on the size of the family involved and the value of the estate in question.
Understanding Probate Genealogy and Heir Hunting
Heir Hunting companies research intestate estates left by people who have passed away without leaving a valid will or having any close family members to take care of their estate when they die.
An estate refers to all the money and property owned by a person at the time of their death. This can indicate anything from a few pounds left over after the estate is completed, or it can allude to the deceased having owned land, property and a large sum of money.
Heir Hunters in Scotland are researchers who may have specialised in one of the following fields before joining an heir-hunting company such as Gengenie Research, where our expert team specializes in heir hunting to trace missing heirs for intestate estates.
- Genealogists who have expertise in researching family histories
- Police officers who may have left the police force but still enjoy detective work
- Solicitors looking for a change of pace
- Civil Servants who may have worked in the Treasury Departments in their relevant countries
In their respective fields, they may have encountered cases in which they feel they have the skills to research intestate cases and find the missing heirs to these estates themselves.
Contacting Heirs: Is It a Scam?
If so, you might be wondering if this is a Scam!
Heir Hunters in Scotland will attempt to contact potential heirs to the intestate estates they are researching to inform the heirs of their entitlement. Some Heir Hunters prefer to come to your door, which can be off-putting if you are not expecting a visit or may feel pressure to sign with them. We at Gengenie Research prefer to contact you by post, writing a cover letter explaining the case in question along with all the relevant paperwork needed by us to proceed with representing the Heirs in question, giving you time to digest the information and our offer to represent you!
Of course, any researcher working in the heir-hunting industry will be asked the question at least once about any case they are working on: How do I know that you are legitimate and not a scam?
These are some of the ways we can reassure you of our legitimacy:
- Gengenie Research Heir Hunters Scotland or any other legitimate Heir Hunter will never ask you for money at any point during our research. Gengenie Research covers all expenses for you!
- Gengenie Research is registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). Any business or industry that processes personal data must register and pay a fee to the ICO yearly so that the ICO can monitor who is handling the public’s data. Failure to do so can result in fines.
- Shirley guarantees that Gengenie Research will never pass on any information obtained in our study without our client’s knowledge.
- Any legitimate Heir Hunter will be happy for you to check them out and should be happy to pass on names of their solicitors or previous clients as referees (with their permission)
- It is always worth checking. Search social media sites such as Facebook or Twitter. You can also check your heir hunters on search engines such as Google or Bing. A reputable heir hunter such as Gengenie Research will have good media coverage.
Benefits of Working with Heir Hunting Companies
Suppose you sign a contract with an heir-hunting company such as Gengenie Research. In that case, Gengenie Research can assure you that we will carry out every aspect of your case, from contacting all the relevant heirs to the estate here in the UK and Overseas to putting in place all of the legal requirements needed to finalise a probate estate.
We have a team of solicitors who are experts in Scottish and English Probate Law, so no matter which side of the border your case is on, we know we are providing the best advice to you.
Heir Hunters can provide a family with answers to what has happened to their missing family member.
One of the most rewarding aspects of researching estates, whether they are listed on the government treasury lists or estates issued in a Will held by a solicitor, is that we have the privileged position of being able to tell family members what has happened to their estranged family members.
Take, for example, a probate case which we administered for clients recently; the deceased benefactor “Adam” passed away without leaving a valid will; he had no close family when he passed away.
Gengenie Research Heir Hunters Scotland discovered that Adam had been born in Scotland to Irish parents. Further investigation directed us to the location of the deceased’s maternal cousins, who were in their later years. After several months of discussions and further investigation, it emerged that “Adam” had, in fact, a half-brother, “Peter,” whom none of the cousins had heard from in over 50 years.
Adam and Peter had lost their mother when they were young boys, and as they had different fathers, they were raised by extended family, not knowing what had happened to each other.
Peter had, in fact, pre-deceased his half-brother Adam but had several children who inherited their uncle’s estate.
After the case was finalised and the estate administered, we sent each of the heirs, along with Adam and Peter’s cousins, a printed family tree with their family history covering Scotland, Ireland, and England.
We were able to tell the cousins that although Peter had not been seen or heard of in over 50 years, he had lived a whole, happy life, married and had several children and grandchildren.
*Names have been changed to protect identity
Understanding how heir hunting intersects with probate can help you navigate the complexities of estate management. Our team is here to assist you through every step of the probate process.
Contact us today to book an appointment for your heir hunting needs