Unclear Will causes inheritance dispute over vintage car

Lack of clarity in a Will created by Olive Watkins, who died aged 90 in 2010, has the court considering whether her live-in partner of nearly 40 years, Adolf Weidner, should receive a £200,000 1924 Bentley car or an old Volvo.

The Will of Ms Watkins, written in October 2000, expressed that Mr Weidner, now aged 67, should receive her 'principal motor car'. Mr Weidner claims that at the time of her death the 1924 Bentley was the only car Ms Watkins owned, as she had already transferred her Volvo car to him in 1992. Ms Watkins son, Robert, had been looking after the Bentley after his mother’s death and says he has now sold it. Mr Weidner is suing him, claiming he is the rightful owner.

Mr Weidner and Ms Watkins met in 1979 in South Africa, and he says they had a 49 year "whirlwind romance" but did not marry as she did not want to lose her widow's pension. Mr Weidner also received £110,000 inheritance from Ms Watkins will.

Lenore Rice, a solicitor specialising in Will writing at Wilson Nesbitt in Belfast, commented:

"This inheritance dispute is a very good example of a common problem with vague or unclear statements in Wills. People often draft Wills assuming that their intentions will be understood in the context of a particular situation or fact, but the truth is that the Will should contain all the necessary information without the need for someone to look beyond it to understand a particular statement.

"A solicitor will provide assistance to someone writing a Will to ensure that there is no ambiguity. In this instance, the dispute could have so easily been avoided had Ms Watkins specified the car she wanted to bequeath to Mr Weidner, instead of just saying 'her principal motor car'. Making a Will is very inexpensive, and it is prudent to use a solicitor or other professional specialising in Will writing to ensure that your intentions for your estate are accurately expressed in your Will."

If you would like to receive a free Wills pack with information on making a Will, contact Wilson Nesbitt solicitors in Northern Ireland by calling  0800 840 9293 or submit your details for a call-back by clicking here.

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