Executor disputes

Last reviewed 18 August 2026

Not every quarrel over an estate is about the will itself; many are about the person left to administer it. These disputes are common, and most are better solved by pressure than by proceedings.

Common flashpoints

Beneficiaries most often complain of delay, of an executor who will not share the estate accounts, of assets sold cheaply or to the executor themselves, or of plain silence. An executor is a fiduciary: they must act in the beneficiaries’ interests, keep proper accounts, and distribute in reasonable time.

How to resolve it

Start with a clear written request for the estate accounts and a timetable. If that fails, a solicitor’s letter often concentrates the mind. Where the executor is genuinely unfit or obstructive, the last resort is an application to remove them under s.50 of the Administration of Justice Act 1985 — expensive, and worth avoiding if agreement can be reached.

Sources. Administration of Justice Act 1985, s.50; fiduciary duties of personal representatives; estate accounts entitlement.