Court Funds Unclaimed Balances - Unclaimed Estates & Money in Chancery

Unclaimed Estates & Missing Inheritances

There are various kinds of unclaimed Funds in Court, also called Estates in Chancery or Money in Chancery.

These include: monies paid in under civil litigation and other proceedings dealt with in County Courts and the High Court where no transaction has taken place for a period of 10 years (5 years before 1^st December, 2000); awards of the Family Court; compensation from the Civil Injuries Compensation Board; compensation under Compulsory Purchase Acts, in cases where either the ownership of the property is unknown or the owner refuses to accept it; legacies, where missing heirs cannot be found; money lodged for dissenting shareholders; and the net proceeds of sale from mortgage foreclosures when the mortgagor cannot be traced.

The Court Funds Office also receives lodgments of money under County Court suitors’ actions (since 1983) and Queen’s Bench Division actions. If no transaction takes place for a specified period after the lodgment is made, the accounts become eligible for transfer to the dormant funds.

The Dormant Funds Index for all of the unclaimed balance cases can be searched at the public counter of the Court Funds Office. This service is free, with only a small fee for printouts.

You may also apply in writing to the Chancery section of the Court Funds Office, and they will perform a search on your behalf. Write: Chancery/Family Section, Court Funds Office, 22 Kingsway, London WC2B 6LE.

In order to preform the search the Court Funds Office requires the following information:

the title of the Court proceedings
the name of the Court
the name(s) of the person(s) who lodged the money into Court
for whose benefit the money was lodged
relevant dates
the assumed link between you and any of the above

Note: Court Fund Office records are confidential. They will not be disclosed to anyone who cannot produce evidence of beneficial interest. If a fund in the Index looks relevant to the claimant, the claimant must show evidence that they are entitled to all or part of the fund. The claimant must prove this to the satisfaction of the Court that dealt with the case (the Court of Origin).

The Court Funds Division cannot pay out any money from the fund until the Court of Origin makes an Order for payment. The main sources of evidence are: Orders of the High Court and County Courts, wills, probates and letters of administration; birth, marriage and death registers; and census returns.

Companies Court (including winding-up proceedings) Contact:

Companies Court,
Thomas More Building,
Royal Courts of Justice,
Strand,
London
WC2A 2LL

Estates which have fallen to the Crown for lack of heirs

Estates of people who died intestate and without known kin are known as "Bona Vacantia", and fall to the Crown. If you believe you are entitled in law to such an estate, write to the appropriate address (below). You will need to outline the basis of your claim, stating the full name of the deceased person, the date of death, the last known address and approximate age.

For England and Wales:

The Treasury Solicitor (Bona Vacantia)
Queen Anne's Chambers
28 Broadway
London SW1H 9JS

If the deceased person lived in Cornwall:

The Solicitor to the Duchy of Cornwall
10 Buckingham Gate
London SW1E 6LA

If the deceased person lived in Lancashire:

The Solicitor to the Duchy of Lancaster
Lancaster Place
Strand
London WC2E 7ED

Scotland: Funds in Court - Enquiries concerning Scottish estates which have fallen to the Crown in default of heirs should be made to:

The Queen's and Lord Treasurer's Remembrancer
Crown Office
25 Chambers Street
Edinburgh EH1 1LA.

Enquiries concerning funds lodged in the Court of Session, and other unclaimed sums resulting from liquidations, bankruptcies, judicial factories, etc., are held (for seven years from the date of consignation) by:

The Accountant of Court
Parliament House
2 Parliament Square
Edinburgh EH1 1RF

Other enquiries may be made to:

The Keeper of the Records of Scotland
National Archives of Scotland
HM General Register House
Edinburgh EH1 3YY

Northern Ireland: Funds in Court - For funds lodged in Court in Northern Ireland since 1921, write to:

The Accountant General
Royal Courts of Justice
Chichester Street
Belfast

Ireland: Funds in Court: For funds under the control of the Supreme Court and High Court of Justice in Ireland write to:

The Accountant General
The High Court of Justice
Dublin

For additional information and assistance go to: http://www.officialsolicitor.gov.uk/cfo/unclaimed_making.htm