My dad died late last year. My mum also died a few years back but we had never sorted out her things until now. I feel very sad about how some of my relatives have behaved in the aftermath and it’s eating me up. This has included things like an in-law removing items from the house on the day of the funeral even though nobody else had touched anything, trying to remove valuable items without having a valuation (this was one of the executors). I felt that I had to report their behaviour to the solicitor. Since then I’m being treated as though I’m the one at fault. It is enough to deal with with the bereavement, without people stealing things on top of everything else.
Grudgingly a valuation was booked but it was a bargain basement variety and included valuations of things as job lots, not individual jewellery pieces for example. Certain things weren’t returned to the house for the valuation so have gone under the radar.
Things have also been removed from my mum’s jewellery collection by the sister-in-law. I noticed months ago that one item was missing and she admitted to taking a few things but returned them. I now realise more has been taken than was admitted to including items previously owned by my mum’s relatives.
Following the valuation, we all looked around the house for items that we would like to keep for sentimental reasons, with the idea that we would agree between us who gets what – and the jewellery was supposed to have been left until a later date. Several things were removed without agreement and without me being asked, I suspect before I even arrived.
Following this day where we selected sentimental items, my brother and sister in law took the opportunity to raid the rest of the house without checking if anybody else wanted anything. This mainly included kitchenware and furniture. If he was going to do this, why couldn’t it have been on the day we were all together?
I’m gutted that my relatives have behaved in this manner. I don’t think I want to see them again but there are still the ashes to deal with. Has anyone else gone through similar or do I just have vultures for relatives?
