A “houseproud” widow cut her great-nephew out of her £400,000 will after his parents suggested she go into a care home. Doreen Stock, 86, died in 2021 and left her entire estate to her nephew, Simon Stock, and his wife Catherine. Her great-nephew, Ben Chiswick, 39, who lives in Michigan, has launched a bid to inherit the estate himself.
He had been due to inherit her fortune under a previous will written in 1986. However, he was disinherited by his great-aunt a year before her death. This happened after his parents suggested Ms.
Stock spend time in a care home while they went on a three-week holiday. Mr. Chiswick claims Ms.
Stock was too affected by dementia to properly understand what she was doing when she changed her will. Simon and Catherine are fighting the case. They claim Mr.
Chiswick had no “meaningful relationship” with Ms. Stock beyond his early years. They say Mr.
Stock had been “the nearest thing to a son she had.”
The court heard Ms. Stock had a deep emotional attachment to her home in Mottingham, South London. She shared it with her husband Samuel until his death in 2001.
widow’s estate dispute in court
Ms. Stock’s first will in 1986 left her estate to Mr. Chiswick.
The estate mainly contains the Mottingham house, valued at about £400,000. Ms. Stock had a good relationship with the Chiswicks.
They helped her with shopping and visited her regularly. She made a lasting power of attorney in their favor but later revoked it. She changed her will before she died, leaving everything to her nephew Simon.
Mr. Chiswick claims his great-aunt’s dementia raises doubts about whether she had the capacity to make such changes. He said there was no discussion with his side of the family about the new will.
Barrister James McKean told the court that Ms. Stock had also been close to Simon. He said the relationship with Mr.
Chiswick’s parents was strained after they suggested she spend time in a care home in 2019. Patricia Chiswick denied upsetting Ms. Stock. She insisted the plan was only for a short break while she and her husband went on holiday.
The court case continues as both sides present their arguments over the contested £400,000 estate.