Friday, 25 November, 1998

"Not long ago, two people were traced who inherited £2 million in Reuter's shares. At less spectacular levels, hardly a day passes without someone hearing "something to their advantage", usually uncovered by a member of the Association of Genealogical Researchers and Record Agents.

Helen Channing, who with her husband runs a Hampshire smallholding, last year got a letter out of the blue, stating, 'We believe we have found a sum of unclaimed money to which you may be entitled.' It was from Fraser and Fraser of London, WC1, who described their work as 'finding missing heirs'. They had got Helen's name from her aunt.

They invited Helen to sign an agreement authorising them to act on her behalf and giving them a commission…. Until she did, they said they could not disclose anything more.

Understandably, Helen hesitated … 'but the firm seemed bona fide - they even urged me to consult a lawyer.'

They also requested facts about her and her parent's marriage, plus any other personal details. Eventually, realising she had not the expertise to unravel the matter herself, she signed, and supplied the information.

After an interval, Frasers informed Helen the estate in question was that of a Mrs Wood who had died in 1981 in a nursing home leaving about £18,000.

Helen had never even heard of Mrs Wood. Research established that both Helen and Mrs Wood were descended from a couple who had married in 1863 in Lambeth and moved to Yorkshire.

Helen was 'a lawful cousin once removed of the whole blood to the said deceased'. Fraser & Fraser took up her claim ... and eventually Helen was informed that out of an estate of nearly £30,000 (not £17,000 as at first thought) her share after deducting Fraser's commission and VAT was approximately £1,500. She was one of many beneficiaries getting this sum or more - four received got £2,000 and 16 others received between £50 and £500 - the proportions being decided by the degree of kinship.

'It is essential to trace all the heirs,' explains Mrs Jean Tooke, secretary of AGRA. 'You can't settle an estate until you have don so.' AGRA has about 100 members, but only three of them do this type of work.

Research

Commission of one-third seems stiff, but research takes time and money, especially if descendants have emigrated abroad. 'Unless you have tried tracing family links, you have no idea of the complications' says Simon Fraser. Simon and his brother Nathan formed their partnership in 1969 after the death of an aunt who had a genealogical research business. Their innovation was to spot how effectively computerisation can help this work, especially when backed by world-wide contacts.

In one of their earliest cases, a Mrs Emily Smith had left £40,000 and no known kin. They succeeded in tracing a distant cousin who was the sole beneficiary.

Helen Channing's case was more typical, says Jean Tooke. 'Most beneficiaries receive around £1,500 on average. A case can take up to three years to complete.' People lose touch with their families for lots of reasons, and if they believe themselves the last of the line, may not trouble to make a will.'

Mrs Tooke warns against the type of con-man, who 'unfortunately fairly frequently' writes demanding cash down before revealing 'something to your advantage'.

'You should have no truck with these types.' An AGRA member will only charge commission on moneys actually received by the legatee, who thus has nothing to lose. Fraser and Fraser always advise people to consult an independent lawyer before signing anything.

Pleasure

Helen, in case you are wondering, spent her £1,500 on improvements and equipment for the smallholding. 'A thousand or two is a nice sum to inherit', says Simon Fraser. 'Big enough to get some pleasure from, yet not large enough to bring headaches.' He enjoys the thought that his own business success stems entirely from spreading a little happiness.