In December 2015 my friend died. She told me she had left me a bequest in her will, and her son, who is executor, has confirmed this. However I have received nothing to date. Why has it taken so long, and can her son ignore his mother’s wishes?
Her son cannot ignore a bequest made in a will of which he is executor. However it can take some time to administer a will, involving as it does the collection of details of the deceased’s assets and liabilities, completion of tax forms and the application for a grant of probate. Selling property can take time. The administration of a straightforward estate would normally take six months to a year, and if there are complications it could be longer. At this stage you should probably write to the son politely asking for an update.