S.25 of Probate and Administration Ordinance (Cap. 10) governs the number of grantees to be allowed. A’s only son is ineligible to apply for A’s Letters of Administration until he has proven that A’s wife has waived her right to apply for A’s Letters of Administration. A’s wife is alive but refused to apply for Letters of Administration.

When and how can the executor/administrator remove the items inside the deceased’s safe deposit box at a bank?

A personal representative has the duty to account to the beneficiaries for the estate. Generally speaking, a personal representative has the powers to sell the assets of the estate for the purpose of paying debts or expenses of the estate or for the purpose of distribution. Likewise, a personal representative has the powers to defend the estate in a legal action and to reach settlement with the claimant. In particular, a person representative has the power to commence legal proceedings to collect assets for the estate, including but not limited to obtain a freezing order against the party holding the assets so that that party cannot dispose of those assets until court order.
Under ss.21(1) and (2) of Non-Contentious Probate Rules (Cap. 10A), my father and I do not have a beneficial interest in the estate. He must prove that the potential administrator is clearly unsuitable e.g. he is missing or refuses to apply for the Letters of Administration. It ranges from one to four, except where life or minority interests are involved, in which case a minimum of two individuals are required unless the grantee is a trust corporation.

Duty of Not to Waste and Duty as a Fiduciary

Letters of administration of the estate of a deceased person are granted where the deceased died wholly intestate. If we were maintained, either wholly or substantially, by the deceased, immediately before the death of the deceased, my father and I would be entitled to apply to the court for an order under s. Assuming that the deceased only leaves siblings and a cousin (i.e. my father),  pursuant to s.21(1)(iv) of Non-Contentious Probate Rules (Cap. 10A), the deceased’s siblings have immediate beneficiary interests and are entitled to a grant to administration.

If the executor resides out of Hong Kong and refuses to assume the office, how can he renounce the right to probate?

• Absent will, the estate will be distributed by the laws of intestacy as discussed.
• Debts can be incurred both before and after the death of the deceased.
• However, those who allege must prove and the Court requires evidence of such undue influence or coercion, rather than speculation of what the testator had or had not done or should or should not do.
• 3 of the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Ordinance (Cap. 481) and might have beneficial interest in the estate.
• A testator may choose to give their spouse either an absolute gift or a life interest in his estate.

If the executor does not wish to take up the appointment, or if no executor appointed by the deceased survives, then the person entitled to the residuary legacy in the Will has priority to apply for a Grant of Letters of Administration (with the relevant Will annexed). If the estate is insolvent, the personal representative must take extra care. The personal representative has to take reasonable steps to make sure that there is no outstanding debt owed by the estate before distribution. When there is a dispute between persons entitled to a Grant in the same degree (i.e. they are all equally entitled to apply for the Grant), an application has to be made to the High Court to determine who will be appointed as administrators.

Inheritance (Provision for Families and Dependants) Ordinance

Any person having no interest under the will of the deceased but who would have been entitled to a grant if the deceased had died wholly intestate. A testator may choose to give their spouse either an absolute gift or a life interest in his estate. Therefore, wills typically grant personal representatives the power to obtain a receipt from the minor’s parent or guardian. Although an application for a Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration can be made in person, you should consider seeking legal advice if there are complicated issues or disputes involved in the estate (e.g. the deceased has a foreign property). The person entitled to the residuary legacy is the person who can take the remainder of the deceased’s estate after all the other conditions of the Will have been met (i.e. other beneficiaries have been paid, and all the debts and administration expenses have been settled).
If the personal representative steals form the estate, he/she may further be criminally liable. A personal representative has to account to the beneficiaries as to the aforesaid from time to time during administration e.g. every 3, 6 or 12 months. It is prudent for the personal representative to require the beneficiary to issue a signed receipt upon distribution so as to avoid unnecessary disputes down the road. In such case, unless the overall assets of the estate is not enough to pay off its debt and hence the specific gift has to be sold too, the beneficiary has the right to insist on taking that particular gift. In collecting the assets, the personal representative must act with due diligence, meaning to take reasonable steps to collect all assets due to the deceased as quickly as practically possible. A personal representative needs to register the grant of representation at the Land Registry before he/she can effectively deal with the property.
In other words, they may be entitled to get a reasonable amount from your estate in order to maintain their living. Your wife and your children could apply to the Court for provisions to be made for them from your estate. For example, if you were to declare that all your estate goes to your parents, or a charity, without leaving even one dollar to your wife or minor children, such an intention may not be achieved after your death. Generally speaking, every person has “free testamentary capacity”. In other words, the estate of the elder deceased will pass to the younger deceased, which will then be further dealt with according to legal regulations. This clause gives a testator control on the ultimate destination of his estate.

Under r.21(1)(ii) of Non-Contentious Probate Rules (Cap. 10A), I have a beneficial interest in the estates of my father and mother and am entitled to the respective grants to administration. To apply for the grant de bonis non, it must be established that there is no chain of executorship and all executors named in the will of the deceased must be cleared off, i.e. by reciting their death or renunciation. Under s.34 of the Probate and Administration Ordinance (Cap. 10), chain of executorship applies when the deceased executor dies after proving the deceased testator’s will and the executor obtains a grant of probate to the deceased executor’s will.
The High Court also has the power to appoint a person who is not in the above hierarchy to administer the estate. This Personal Representative has the authority to deal with the deceased’s estate, such as to manage and distribute the relevant assets to the beneficiaries. Whilst a Grant of Letters of Administration is a Grant given to an administrator who is the next-of-kin (e.g. the deceased’s spouse, child or parent, etc.) where there is no Will, or where no executor has been appointed in the Will. A Grant of Probate is a Grant given to the executor (or executrix, in case of a female) named in the last Will of the deceased person.

What can be done if the Will is found after the Letters of Administration is granted?

As such, in case of insolvency, legal assistance is advisable. All debts have to be ascertained and paid, or provisions for payment must be made, before the estate is distributed to the beneficiaries. An example of a debt incurred after death is forzabet the management fee of a property that is owned by the deceased. Debts can be incurred both before and after the death of the deceased. You should consult your own lawyer if you want to obtain further information or legal assistance concerning any specific legal matter. The information available at the Community Legal Information Centre (CLIC) is for preliminary reference only and should NOT be considered as legal advice.
It is a gift of no specifically identified item which the beneficiary is to receive but merely a description of property to be passed. The testator must specifically identify or describe the gift in his will. It is a gift of something the testator owns at the date he makes his will. If the deceased dies without a Will, the distribution of the assets and who can administer the estate will be governed by the law of intestate. The person making the Will is called the “testator”(if male) or “testatrix”(if female). After the abolition of estate duty, provisions have been made in the laws of Hong Kong to safeguard against intermeddling of an estate.
When the grantee himself has died without fully administering the estate of the deceased, unless there is a chain of executorship, a further or a new grant is required to appoint a personal representative in respect of the unadministered estate. If the personal representative is ordered by court to pay the opposing party legal costs, the opposing party may enforce the costs against the personal representative personally. In appropriate cases, the beneficiary may also apply to Court for the removal of the personal representative and for a replacement administrator to be appointed instead. The beneficiary may commence an administration action to compel the personal representative to do his/her work properly. In general, each and every personal representative can deal with the assets of the estate alone and the transaction so conducted would be binding on the estate.

• It is not a prerequisite to obtain a court order before submitting this application.
• This Personal Representative has the authority to deal with the deceased’s estate, such as to manage and distribute the relevant assets to the beneficiaries.
• The deceased died intestate, meaning that Sons A, B and C are to inherit 1/3 of the estate each under laws of intestacy.
• For deaths on or after 11th February 2006, the Applicant should follow the new procedure and arrangement which will be described in Procedures.
• While no provision has expressly prohibited a bankrupt to be appointed as an executor/administrator, the Court generally deemed a bankrupt unsuitable to assume the office.
• In other words, the estate of the elder deceased will pass to the younger deceased, which will then be further dealt with according to legal regulations.

It is not a prerequisite to obtain a court order before submitting this application. The application shall be supported by an affidavit setting out the grounds of the application, and if any person served with the subpoena denies that the will is in his possession or control, he may file an affidavit to that effect. 49(2) of Non-Contentious Probate Rules (Cap. 10A), the executor may make an ex parte application to the Registrar under s.7(3) of Probate and Administration Ordinance (Cap. 10) for the issue of a subpoena to bring in a will. If the Court admits the copy will to probate, the order normally includes a direction that the grant is limited until the original will or a more authentic copy will has been proved. In order to have the copy will admitted to probate, an application must be made to the Registrar under r.53 of the Non-Contentious Probate Rules (Cap. 10A).