Beware: Capital Legacy's False Promises Will Cost You"

A year and a half ago, my mom passed away from lung cancer, despite having never smoked a day in her life. She left behind very little — less than R200k, the proceeds from selling her house a few years back. She lived simply in a small apartment that sufficed for her modest needs. Her estate was uncomplicated: no significant assets, no outstanding accounts, just a worn-out old car and a modest bank balance.

Living far from her, I wanted to avoid the long, arduous process of settling her estate, especially knowing her time was limited. I turned to Capital Legacy, who assured me they would handle everything smoothly when the time came.

When that time arrived, we quickly completed and submitted all necessary forms. Initially, they reassured us that they were on top of things and would get back to me promptly. However, months passed with no updates. My inquiries about the estate's status were met with silence.

During this period, I went through my mom's documents and realized the car papers were missing. The car had been unused for a while, deteriorating steadily. We urgently needed the papers to repair and sell it, so I stressed the importance of obtaining an executor's letter. This would allow us to request the vehicle's documents and proceed with its sale.

Now, a year has passed with little progress. When I do receive responses from Capital Legacy, they come with excuses: delays due to office revamps at the master’s office, or requests for additional information, which I promptly provide, only to be met with further delays.

The car has been in storage for so long that the storage fees will likely consume any proceeds from its sale. Additionally, the prolonged inactivity has significantly increased repair costs.

About three months ago, I was told that all that was left was to pick up the letter. They also mentioned that handling some parts of the estate wasn’t within their scope and suggested that, given my mom's modest estate, it would be cheaper for me to become the executor and manage it myself. This would involve issuing a letter to appoint me as the executor.

Since then it has been more than a month since I've had any useful feedback from them. Any feedback I do get is because I initiate a conversation. I don't recall them even once calling without me having called first.

Before writing this, I left a voice note with the person handling my case, expressing my exasperation and warning of more drastic action. Yet, there has been no response.

I’m now prepared to take formal steps to resolve this issue, but I also feel it's my duty to warn others about these ****mers. They are quick to take your money and increase your premiums without notice, but when it’s time to deliver on their promises, they fall woefully short.