Tricky situation - thoughts?

[Treerover]

Do you have any legal cover as part of your insurance/s that may cover legal expenses?

[rapalaman]

1 hour ago, AHPP said:

Dear Mrs Watchmender,

You have my [specific watch]. You promised to post it to me on [date]. I sent the postage money on [date].

I really do sympathise for your loss but I want my watch back. Please post it in the next fortnight or contact me if there’s a problem. If I don’t receive it or hear from you, I’ll come and collect it. I reiterate my condolences and look forward to not having to take any more of your time.

Yours sincerely,

agg221

 

If she doesn’t post it, follow through. 10:00 Saturday knock, no flowers, wife and kids making tea on a gas stove at the back of the car.

 

I’d say enough time has passed for the above to be acceptable form. Or from an alternative view of human interaction, I’m sure she was able to pull herself together enough to cash his life insurance.

 

Lawyers are for properly last resort, adversarial situations. They’ll sense decency and accordingly skin you for “proper” letters.

 

 

This is spot on!

[spudulike]

Two hour drive, I know what I would do....in the car, choose a day/time likely to be in and expect to wait...ask neighbours, local shop, pub etc. Take a letter to post through her box as a last resort stating what you need/have done etc. Always be polite and to the point unless a reaction asks for something otherwise....she has lost her husband and may be infirm and unable to cope herself so a bit of friendly help plus identification/pics of what you are looking for will help.

When someone dies, solicitors place an ad in "The Gazette"....no idea what this is but it basically asks if anyone has a claim on the death estate...you have so that is another course of action. 

Other than that, finding out who the executors are and approaching them other than the Solicitor (who may be the executors designated advisor) will be another course of investigation.

 

[Rob D]

6 hours ago, Tommy_B said:

Just out of interest, what is the watch? 

 

Yep I'd be interested to know as well [started collecting vintage Omegas 2 years ago... I know about as much about them as the actual engine on a chainsaw - ie. not a lot!] I couldn't find much else out there that works as well as a store of value that will only ever go up.

 

[Mike Hill]

10 hours ago, agg221 said:

Its a couple of hours drive which is a bit far to chance whether she is in or not, but it might come to that. I am tending towards the solicitor route as it makes it hard to deny or ignore, and lodges a claim against the estate in the event that she does dispose of it.

 

I have lost out before - I swapped about £500 worth of timber for the welding repairs to my Land Rover chassis. Someone I knew very well and completely trusted but he got pneumonia and died two months later. That one was not in anyone's control but I feel this one is different somehow.

 

ALec

I would send a registered letter again and call her the day you see its been received.

 

Then knock on the door 0900 on Sunday.You are not being rude or unsympathetic, quite the opposite since you are driving 4 hours round trip at your expense.

 

 

[agg221]

Thanks All for the further thoughts.

 

AHPP - thank you particularly for the form of the letter - it gives me a route forward as a next step. I don't really want to involve a solicitor.

 

My concern with turning up in person is that it could go wrong - if she states it isn't at the house, or she doesn't have time to look for it right now and shuts the door on me, I am not only no further forward, it is actually a backward step, as she may take a twisted view of now having the moral high ground to justify refusing to act. It will also be my word against hers regarding threatening behaviour etc. (vulnerable widow line) so it feels like too much of a risk.

 

Fortunately, it is very easy to uniquely identify for a non-specialist. Firstly, it is extremely rare (and not in an Ebay sense!), secondly it can be identified from photographs, thirdly, it is actually not the whole watch - he was a specialist repairer of one part, which is what he had. The rest is locked up in my safe. Unfortunately, the whole thing is virtually worthless without the part he had.

 

For those who have asked, it's a wristwatch made in Coventry in 1926 by Rotherham & Sons. I collect mainly English-made watches. I don't have a photograph to hand, but is is very similar to this one: 

Rotherham & Sons Wristwatch

WWW.VINTAGEWATCHSTRAPS.COM

---

Rotherham & Sons Wristwatch

 

except that mine has a gold case rather than silver, and is actually signed for Rotherhams rather than a retailer, which is even less common. Mine also has the superior Super Grade movement rather than the A grade. I have a copy of the 1926 catalogue which shows it priced at £26-5-0 (for comparison, the one in the picture linked above would have been £15-10-0). Adjusted for inflation that would be about £1720, so it wouldn't have been a bad investment.

 

Alec

Edited January 27, 2022 by agg221

[Mark Bolam]

It’s a tough one for sure Alec.

 

As you seem to be one of the most intelligent, reasonable and level-headed people on here I’m not sure I can help much!

 

Mike’s idea of a registered letter is pretty sound, although ‘received’ and ‘opened and read’ can be different things.

Maybe try calling from a different number? Yours may have been put on the ‘hassle I can’t deal with filter’.

If you can get the opportunity to explain the situation I’m sure you can do it with diplomacy and tact, given the circumstances.

 

Like Alex, I’d avoid solicitors if at all possible.

Last resort territory for me.

 

Good luck with it mate.

[richyrich]

I would drive to the house and see if she still lives there- otherwise you may be wasting your time. You can hand deliver letter if no answer.

Possibly make a trip of it and visit somewhere, etc. 

[kevinjohnsonmbe]

On 27/01/2022 at 09:22, agg221 said:

Its a couple of hours drive which is a bit far to chance whether she is in or not, but it might come to that. I am tending towards the solicitor route as it makes it hard to deny or ignore, and lodges a claim against the estate in the event that she does dispose of it.

 

I have lost out before - I swapped about £500 worth of timber for the welding repairs to my Land Rover chassis. Someone I knew very well and completely trusted but he got pneumonia and died two months later. That one was not in anyone's control but I feel this one is different somehow.

 

ALec

Note to self.....

 

Don't borrow, lend or undertake to do some work for Alec.....

 

 

A lot of his associates seem to fall off their perch!

(just intended as a light hearted angle - hope not inappropriate 😖)

[spudulike]

Perhaps someone on here is a bit closer and can swing past and see if there is life at the house before visiting/writing etc.