taking this slightly off course (sri)
I presume that if a body is found that will be the date of death, so there will not be some pettyfogging official trying to stop pension etc from an earlier date and want money back.

It is a sad part of life (and death) that we make plans, insurance, wills etc to ensure our loved ones are going to be alright but then the officials start demanding original of this copy of that.

I remember mentioning it before, and you have raised it here, it is that "null" period which is so difficult. Coping with the loss but not being able to gain access to the monies that are due. It can cause many people alot of hardship at a time when they need to spend that money, pay bills etc.
Surely someone somewhere can come up with a no fuss insurance policy that will pay out in double quick time in cash to ease the situation.

I do think the GC and Policia have failed miserably with this case , it must be nearly two months before a proper search is being organized , but then again it was very hot to be traipsing around the mountains in July, , I wonder if more effort would have been made if a child had gone missing ?

Spanish child ?

Luckily Wendy has the strong support of her close family but she is battling against current legislation which is making the situation even more distressful for her

http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/new...rment_goes_on/

Must be terrible waiting what for now can only be the inevitable, but as you say at least there will be closure. Terrible situation.

Don't know if this will help at all but the BBC have been in touch with my cousin and a trip has been planned with the BBC to go to Nerja end of November to do some filming for a programme on Missing People and the difficulties that brings. Will be shown on the Inside Out programme Yorkshire region. Do not have date for that yet. I don't know as yet if it will be shown in any other regions. No other searches have been planned

My cousin is going back to Nerja on Tuesday with the BBC

"Going back to Spain on Tuesday with BBC to film for programme they are doing on difficulties for families of missing people.Contrary to what people may think l am not getting paid ! They are paying for my airfare and accommodation only.This is not something l look forward to l am going to be reliving the worse time of my life.My wish is that Gordon can be found and we can give him the dignity of a funeral and deal with our grief.As it is we cannot move forward when we are in this state of "Limbo"."

Wendy cannot even access Gordons private pension, there is a 7 year wait when a body has not been found. I really hope the tv exposure can bring in some results.

I really hope you get a result with this. It is an appalling situation to be in and it must be so difficult for all concerned.

Thank you, my cousin is beside herself with worry and the 7 year rule to access any money is so unfair. Hopefully the Government will look into this and change the rules. The last search, unfortunately, was not a success and Gordon is still out there somewhere

Wendy has told me the 'Inside Out' programme which she was featured in will be shown on 7th January on BBC Yorkshire/Lincs region. I don't live in the area so will have to watch on BBC iPlayer. It will just be a 10 min slot in the 30 minute programme but will outline the difficulties of searching the area and the problems faced by not having a death certificate to access finances. Wendy, and others in similar situations, have to wait 7 years if a body is not found. She can't access Gordons pension or savings he set aside for her. Hopefully the Government will look into reducing the 7 year time scale

I suppose one of the lessons we can all learn from this is to prepare for the worse , make sure your partner has pins , passwords and safe combinations so at least they can access funds should you pop off.

Good point Rotor. Even when you die in less tragic circumstance, it can take time for your loved ones to gain access to your finances.

yes a good point Rotor - but depends on how much you trust

I remember when the Royal Navy stopped the tot a sum of several £millions was put into an interest bearing account and an "insurance policy" was entered into for those who paid a very very small amount each week/month subscribing into the fund.
If the individual should die, in or out of service, then a "guaranteed" sum (I think it was originally £450) was paid to the registered Next of Kin within 48 hours of the death being reported. Now considering this was started 40 years ago by people who understood the problem with frozen accounts, the need for cash etc to pay the current bills and just to live until such time as any insurance policies paid out, this was an exceedingly good deal.
Regrettably no general life insurance company ever copied it, meaning that those left behind have to borrow from friends and relatives until such time as they start to get money coming in.

A Navy Recruitment officer was instructed to visit a grieving widow and tell her that her husband had been paid in advance and he owed the Navy for so many days (8 days I think it was). He refused outright, contacted an Admiral and the sum was written off.

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An ex worked for a debt recovery company. His specialist area was recovering debt from widows/widowers. He hated it. He once had to call an ex client of mine who's husband worked in a charitable social care environment and ended his days deeply in debt. He told the lady not to accept the debt which she didn't have to do by law, but if she had...she would have ended up paying it all. And the same day he quit his job!
Anyway. It's worth remembering that if your partner has debts when he/she passes away. They aren't necessarily yours to pay BUT if you accept the debt..even in a phone call, it's as if you have made a new contract. Don't do it! These companies are trained to get you to do this and most people who are grieving will just 'roll over' esp if the 'kind' company gives them some time to pay. Watch out for that.

Sorry to hear about the probable loss but why a seven year wait to issue a death certificate and dissolve the estate ?

I have lost two good friends at sea and I know for a fact that their wives and families didn't have to wait anything like seven years for a death certificate to be issued or the deceased estate to be settled.

Are there any suspicious circumstances ?