what happens if?

[informashun]

a friend asked me an intersting question last night.
a single man makes a will ,moves elsewhere and dies .
are there procedures where such an event can be traced?

[dzug]

If the will is found and someone proves it (ie obtains probate) then a copy of the will can be obtained from the Probate Office. It helps if you know where and when he died, but it's just a more difficult search if you don't. Similarly the Register of Deaths is in the public domain.

[Nether Edge]

Once he's dead, his estate needs winding-up: where there'a Will, there's a beneficiary (as old joke says).

If no claimant, Treasury Solicitor will place statutory advertisement seeking heirs. If none, property passes to Crown as "bona vacantia" = unowned goods.

[informashun]

thanxs
but if/how is a solicitor infomed of the death of a client ?
what if living abroad. obviously a will can only be settled if a bereavment is known by the solicitor.