Investment firms across Britain are increasing profit margins by charging the heirs of their deceased clients large fees to access funds from the decedents stocks and investments. Unless the heirs pay the fees they will not receive their share of the funds. These fees can be either a flat fee or per stock, and one of the largest firms is charging £36 per stock with a cap of £600 for the account. Investigation has shown that some of the firms are charging fees with no connection to the cost of providing the service. The firms defend the charges as necessary fees for administrative costs, and that the larger the account, the more the cost to the firm.
See David Prosser, Investment Firms Boosting Profits at Expense of Customers Who Die, The Guardian, May 3, 2014.
