Heir hunters, UNCLAIMED appeals
For over 10 years we have been working with Flame TV and the BBC to help create one of the hit daytime television programmes, the Heir Hunters series. There has been an appeal section in every programme. These appeals are snippets into our world, listing unclaimed estates that still remain unsolved. This part of the programme is one of the most popular with its dedicated followers just waiting to see if their family name comes up or someone from their hometown who they may have known.
We receive hundreds of enquiries about these cases, often just saying they have the same surname as the deceased, but occasionally providing us with some critical clue and helping us solve a case.
There have been 12 series of Heir Hunters broadcast. The first programme went out on 4th of June 2007, although this was filmed about 18 months before and was held back, awaiting for the correct time to launch. Fraser and Fraser are the only firm to have appeared in every series of the programme. Some firms who are the biggest fans now were avid critics of the original programmes, threatening court action to try and stop it being broadcast.
With the help of Flame TV, our firm has reviewed all 12 series to look at the unsolved appeal cases and produced a definitive list of all the cases. After examining the Bona Vacantia List to see what cases have been solved, we checked our own database to add an estate value.
So far, a whopping 55% of all the appeals have been solved, with series 3 (broadcasted in 2009) having over 3/4 of all the cases solved. However there is still almost £20 Million worth of cases waiting to be solved and the money taken back from the Government.
Why not test your Skills?
Last update: 04.09.2018 |
Total value of unsolved cases: in excess of £19,979,818.00 |
Percentage of solved cases 62.45% |
If you wish to make a claim, please contact us directly and we will to assist as much as possible.
Fraser and Fraser would be interested in hearing from anyone who can solve any of these cases. We are willing to work in partnership with anyone who can solve a case* where we will share any fee recovered with you. Just contact us using the contact box at the bottom of the page, and we will reply to you.
Please note: The information contained in these tables may not be up-to-date and so some cases may have been claimed since last checked.
Fraser and Fraser have not included all the information about the deceased and you are advised to obtain the latest details on the Bona Vacantia web page. We have included a value that is calculated by Fraser and Fraser and was correct at the time of publishing. The Value on the estates is not published on any other web page it is unique to our database and copyrighted© the data remains the property of Fraser and Fraser and can’t be reproduced or copied without our written approval. We accept no responsibility if the value we have published has changed or is not correct.
Fraser and Fraser have not worked all of the listed cases. The majority of the larger cases either have no living heirs under English and Welsh law (decedents of first cousins) or have parts of research that can not be cracked, i.e. the deceased is born in an area of the world that does not allow research. Some of the smaller cases have not been looked at by Fraser and Fraser as it would not be economical for us to complete the research, and find all the heirs.
The whole probate process is a complex affair fraught with legal complexities. Identifying heirs, submitting claims, selling assets, paying liabilities, calculating entitlement and eventual distribution of monies are matters that can not be completed without first having knowledge of the law. A small error can result in legal and financial penalties, and thus are best conducted or overseen by a professional.
Having watched Heir Hunters or joined an association is no substitute for comprehensive training. Feel free to contact Fraser and Fraser for free advice or to enter into a partnership with us.
Non-professional heir hunters often don’t understand the risk or financial penalties that can result from not knowing the law. Please be careful when dealing with any firm and read our page on spotting a scam Been contacted by an Heir Hunter.
* we respectfully can not work any cases that are too low in value and will decline any offer of a partnership on these estates.