Because his grandchildren no longer visited their grandfather often in the last years of his life, he denied them the inheritance.
The family dispute goes to court.
London – It is not uncommon for disputes to arise within the family over inheritance.
For example, under German inheritance law, children cannot simply be disinherited: every child is entitled to at least a compulsory share.
This doesn't exist in England, which is why a grandfather could exclude his grandchildren from his inheritance.
Dispute over inheritance: grandchildren visited grandfather too rarely
The reason is clear: his grandchildren rarely visited the former soldier in the hospital when he had to be treated three times for a lung disease.
As
Daily Mail
reported, the man died in 2020 at the age of 91.
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A grandfather disinherits his deceased son's children because they visited him too rarely.
© Maurice Tricatelle/imago
His assets amounted to 500,000 British pounds (about 587,000 euros) and an apartment worth 450,000 pounds (about 529,000 euros).
Only his two children were to receive the inheritance.
The children of his deceased son were not taken into account and were therefore disinherited.
Family dispute over inheritance: grandfather disinherits his five grandchildren
That sparked a bitter family dispute that went to court.
The five granddaughters claimed a third of the assets that would have originally belonged to their late father.
Although the assets were initially supposed to be divided among all three children, after the son's death the will was adjusted again in 2018.
Since the then 91-year-old's grandchildren had "only very limited contact" with their grandfather in the last years of his life, he was "disappointed," the newspaper quoted the deceased's legal representatives as saying.
In contrast, the man had a close relationship with his two living children.
“Perceptible dislike”: Judge dismisses grandchild’s lawsuit
Ultimately, the judge dismissed the lawsuit.
There is no evidence that the living children “influenced” their father to change the will in their favor.
The allegations that the testator was no longer of sound mind were also rejected.
Even before the man's death, there had been repeated arguments, including over a property.
There was a “palpable animosity between the two sides of the family,”
The Mirror
quoted the legal representative as saying.
According to the will, the grandchildren were only left with 50 pounds (around 59 euros) each.
There is no compulsory portion in English inheritance law, according to a judgment analysis by the leading legal publisher Beck.
Things look different in Germany.
If the last wishes of a deceased grandparent were not recorded in a will, legal succession applies.
Accordingly, the grandchild takes the place of the parent who has already died.
If you want to turn down your inheritance, there are a few things you should keep in mind.
Category list image: © Maurice Tricatelle/imago