A FAMILY is locked in a bitter row over a £600,000 inheritance – with kids trying to kick their 81-year-old stepdad out of the home he’s living in.
Michael Morfey’s step-children say he’s staying in a home that they rightfully own and have accused him of being a “trespasser”.
Michael Morfey, 81, is battling to stay in his late wife Karen’s £600,000 home after her will left him with nothing.
He was married to Karen Morfey for over 18 years, but her 2014 will left him with nothing.
Instead, her £600,000 house in Streatham, south London, went to her two children, Alexander and Emma Davies, who are now demanding that Michael leave, labelling him a “trespasser.”
The dispute has escalated to Central London County Court, with Michael claiming the will ignored his needs and suing for a half share of the home and £25,000 to cover maintenance costs.
His barrister, Daniel Soar, argued that Michael is entitled to keep up the “standard of living he had enjoyed prior to Karen’s death.”
The siblings, however, accuse Michael of transferring nearly all of Karen’s cash and investments into his name before her passing, totalling £144,000.
They’re calling into question a series of transactions, suggesting Karen “lacked mental capacity” or that Michael “procured the transactions by undue influence.”
According to court documents, Karen’s kids claim the pensioner “drew up a will in his favour behind her back” — a move they say reflects a broader pattern of financial meddling.
Karen, who was diagnosed with dementia in 2017, became “incredibly vulnerable” as her health declined, according to the family’s barrister Hazel Hobbs.
Hazel said: “The claimant placed pressure on Karen for a number of years leading up to 2017.”
She argued that Michael “acted in his own self-interest” by moving Karen’s cash into his accounts during her final years.
Hazel cited a history of strained family relationships.
The barrister said: “The implication is that her children didn’t really care about their mother or her care towards the end.”
But Hobbs countered this claim, saying emails and texts between Karen’s children show they took an “active role” in her care, with Emma visiting regularly and Alex taking her out to lunch.
Karen’s children further allege that Michael’s financial influence dated back to 2013, when he “seemingly instructed a financial planning firm to draw up a will for Karen, leaving her estate to him.”
Hazel said: “Mr Morfey, subject to determinations from the court, drew up a trust in relation to Karen’s assets for his benefit and drew up a will, again for his benefit, seemingly unbeknownst to Karen.”
“In an email dated 20 July 2014, Karen raised concerns about a will having been drawn up without her being there.
“Further, Karen was so distraught about the trust and the new will, which was contrary to her express wishes, that she stayed with her brother and wrote out a handwritten will to ensure that her wishes were carried out.”
According to Hobbs, Karen was “so upset” by this arrangement that she briefly moved out before returning and changing her will in 2014, designating her home to her children.
Michael denies these claims, stating that he only acted in Karen’s best interests and calling the funds “funds of the marriage.”
His barrister argued that from 2016 to 2020, Michael contributed “nearly £18,000 more than Karen,” showing he had been supporting her financially, rather than draining her assets.
Karen’s children remain resolute, describing Michael as a “trespasser” in their mother’s former home and seeking a court order for him to leave.
But Michael denies all the allegations and said: “When Karen was diagnosed, it seemed to me they should have realised that they needed to keep in contact a bit more.
“In the years leading up to her diagnosis, her daughter rarely phoned her and Karen would often say she was worried that there was very little contact between her daughter and herself.”
Michael said PR executive, Alexander Davies, had made more of an effort to support his mum, but claimed he had to rally both siblings during a pub meeting in 2020 when he told them they needed to “step up” and support their mum.
In his final arguments to the court, Michael’s barrister pointed out that the 81-year-old had “cared for Karen very diligently during her illness”.
He had considered funds in both their accounts to be “funds of the marriage” and “he was doing what he thought was best for them both”.
The judge has reserved his decision on the case, leaving Marvellous Mike’s future in the home—and in the estate—uncertain.
It comes after a mum and daughter were locked in another bitter row over a whopping £7.5million inheritance.
Elsewhere, a lawyer alleged to have helped exclude two siblings from their millionaire father-in-law’s will admitted his recollection of events from before their father’s death was “possibly” wrong.
Who can inherit when there’s no will?
When someone dies without a will, their estate is divided according to the “rules of intestacy.” Here’s a quick breakdown of key points under these rules (for England):
- Married/Civil Partners: If they were legally married or in a civil partnership, the surviving partner may inherit, depending on the estate’s value. If they were divorced or the civil partnership ended, they do not inherit.
- Children: If the estate exceeds £322,000, it’s split between the partner and children. The partner inherits belongings, the first £322,000, and half of the remainder, with the rest divided equally among the children.
- Jointly-Owned Property: Ownership type matters. In beneficial joint tenancies, the surviving partner automatically inherits the property share. For tenancies in common, the deceased’s share does not automatically go to the partner.
- Other Relatives: If there’s no partner or children, other relatives may inherit. When no eligible relatives are found, the estate may pass to the Crown (bona vacantia).
For more guidance on inheritance and to check eligibility, visit GOV.UK
