Legal Question in Wills and Trusts in United Kingdom
If a person disappeared in mysterious circumstances, how long would their family have to wait before disposing of their property?
1 Answer from Attorneys
21.03.2014
Dear Sir / Madam,
Definition
The new Association of Chief Police Officers in the United Kingdom definition of a missing person is:
Missing- �Anyone whose whereabouts cannot be established and where the circumstances are out of character or the context suggests the person may be subject of crime or at risk of harm to
themselves or another.�
4.16.2Closure of Missing Person Reports
Police forces have a number of reports of missing persons that do not relate to an identifiable individual. This occurs where a person absconds and is reported as a missing person but their true identity is not known and there is no identification material that could identify them if found. In these cases, where there is no likelihood of matching the person against a found person or body, it is reasonable to put the case before a member of the local senior
management team for a decision as to whether to close the missing person report.
Such closure is done if the "missing person" remains untraceable for a continuous duration of 4 (four) years from the date of first Police record of his / her having gone missing.
In the light of the above, the family of the "missing person" anywhere in the UK would have to wait for four years before disposing off the "missing persons" property.
Regards,