Hughes died at the Whittington Hospital in 2017 leaving two houses and a flat in the north London neighbourhood to Shelter.
But The Times has reported that imprecise wording in the will – which was written online without legal representation – meant the matter had to be clarified before his last wish could be honoured.
The paper reports that two of the properties were held through a company of which Hughes was the sole shareholder meaning a judge had to rule on the correct construction of the wish to leave “my three houses to Shelter”.
Hughes was born in Archway in 1965 to Irish parents and moved to Dublin at the age of six.
He rose to fame on the London comedy scene in his early 20s, becoming the youngest winner of the Perrier Comedy Award at the Edinburgh fringe for his show A One-Night Stand with Sean Hughes.
Over the next two decades his career ranged from writing books, to acting in TV dramas, making podcasts, and appearing on panel shows such as Never Mind the Buzzcocks.
Throughout that time he lived in Crouch End where he owned properties in Edison Avenue Glasslyn Road and Elder Avenue with an estimated current worth of £4 million.
A heavy drinker, he never married and died from cirrhosis of the liver at the age of 51.
Almost a decade on the charity which he supported during his lifetime will benefit from his generosity.
Andy Harris, director of income generation at Shelter, said it had worked closely with Hughes’ family to make sure his final wish was honoured.
“Sean Hughes was a passionate supporter of Shelter’s work, and we are enormously grateful for the generous gift left in his will,” he said.
“Gifts left in wills are a vital source of income for Shelter. This donation will enable us to continue to deliver expert support and advice to people impacted by the housing emergency and to campaign for everyone’s right to a safe and secure home.”
