Lynda Bellingham’s sons are looking to take legal action to challenge her Will, accusing their stepfather of failing to distribute their inheritance in line with her wishes.
The sons of the late television actress claim that their stepfather, Michael Pattemore, has evicted them from the family home and squandered thousands on a lavish lifestyle since their mother died in 2014. Bellingham’s Will left her entire estate to her husband.
The brothers argue that when their mother was diagnosed with bowel cancer she assured them that they would be well provided for if she died. She said she would leave her assets to Mr Pattemore but that he would pass a share of the estate on to them and trusts would be set up to ensure that a distribution was made to them.
They claim that nearly a year after their mother’s death, they have only received gifts worth around £750 each. As they feel that this is not what their mother would have wanted, they are now planning to call in lawyers to challenge the Will.
Tom Curran, Chief Executive at Kings Court Trust said: “Unfortunately we do see family disputes over inheritance and cases like this highlight how important it is to ensure your Will explicitly states how you want your estate to be distributed. By ensuring that your Will is clearly and professionally written, your estate can be dealt with as smoothly as possible and reduces the likelihood of loved ones being unintentionally excluded when it comes to their inheritance. It is important that people understand the benefits of planning ahead, regardless of our age or health.”
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