Trust dispute solicitors

Breach of trust claims

Actions against trustees for breach of trust can be made where:

• The trustee has breached one of the many duties that a trustee must observe, such as bringing trust property under his control and acting impartially; or
• The trustee in the exercise of their powers or discretion acts otherwise than with absolute honesty, or fails to observe the required standard of care

Anyone bringing a claim will generally have to show that they have suffered a financial loss as a result of the breach by the trustee and the court has the power to order the trustee to restore the trust fund to the position it would have been in if the breach had not occurred. If breaches are considered to be serious enough, the court also has the ability to order the removal of a trustee.

Breach of trust time limits

There are strict time limits to bring claims for breach of trust, which is usually six years from the date of the breach or twelve years if the claim is in relation to a deceased’s estate.

If you have a trust dispute that you wish to pursue or if someone is alleging breach of trust against you, it is important that expert legal advice is sought as soon as possible to ensure that your rights are properly protected and to explore all avenues possible to try and resolve the claim, without the need to go to court. Mediation is an option that is always considered and very often successful in trust dispute cases. Mediation is a good way of getting a resolution, without having to incur the costs of court proceedings.

Get in touch

If you are experiencing a dispute in regards to a Will, trust or estate, get in touch with Stephensons today to see how we can help. You can call us on 0161 696 6178 or complete our online enquiry form and someone will contact you as soon as possible.