Can the executor change the locks of a house if it was not written in the will?

The executor of the estate has to preserve the assets of the estate. Also, he has to file an inventory of property of the estate. You have the right to get a copy of he inventory and to challenge it in court.

An executor has a personal fiduciary obligation to carry out the wishes of the testator, and is responsible for marshaling the assets of the estate, among many other obligations. He has a right to secure any of the estate assets, which in the case of the house and its contents, might mean locking it up if others want to get in there when he is not there for obvious reasons. Presumably, the house has been put up for sale for division of the proceeds as the will may devise. If you have continued or other concerns, you should consult with a probate attorney in your location.

The personal representative, upon appointment by the court, is to take possession of all of the property of the estate. He is to keep the property safe and secure, so, yes, changing the locks is probably unnecessary but it's not wrong. He should have given you notice of the beginning of probate, and 60 days after appointment should give you an Inventory of the assets of the estate. A year later he will owe you an account of what has happened to those assets. Giving Dad's medicines to family members may be illegal, is certainly irresponsible. The personal representative has primarily responsibility, rather than rights. He is a fiduciary for your Dad's creditors, and the devise's named in the will.

Sounds as if he is doing everything he can to protect the estate and those interested in the estate.

You should obtain the services of a probate litigation attorney. The executor does have a duty to gather and protect the assets. If you were left out of the will, you may file a petition to be determined as an heir to receive benefits as an heir.

Your bro-in-law is not executor until appointed by a court. By now he should have filed a petition for probate and you should have gotten notice. Fr died in June. It is his job to marshal the assets. What reason do you have for entrance into the house, other than to take things? If you have a valid reason, then explain it and arrange to go there for the legitimate purposes.

Executors have the responsibility of protecting and properly distributing the estate of the deceased. As a beneficiary, you have the right to see the testamentary documents that include you. Demand a copy of the will, trust, and any other gifting documents. If the Executor refuses, tell them you can sue and get them without much difficulty. Executors also have the responsibility to prepare an accounting of the estate, so if he has been making equal distributions, he should be able to show what the entire estate included. Finally, if you doubt the Executor's statements and actions, you may have to sue to find out the truth. Unfortunately, this can be very stressful and expensive, so you may not want to start any action until you are sure there is a problem. Locking the house is not automatically a breach of an Executor's duties. Timing is important. It is best to demand that all beneficiaries be allowed to review the contents of the home prior to the executor's "Sweep" of the house removing valuables. It sounds like you are too late to do that. You can still demand that he escort you around the home to see what is still there. Sometimes simply retaining an attorney who will write a letter to the executor demanding an accounting and threatening suit if he fails to disclose the contents of the estate will be enough to keep things in order. Please note: Prescription medications should be destroyed, not passed on to heirs for non prescription use. This is both the law and common sense. There is no known right to inheritance of prescription medications.

The Personal Representative has the right to change the locks and limit or prevent access to the property. In fact, he is *required* to secure the assets and safeguard them. So he acted wisely in doing this, knowing that others had keys. If he had not done this and someone had gone in and removed items, HE could potentially be liable for this. It sounds like he is doing everything properly, at this point. He has a job to do that your parents entrusted him with.