Sorry not been around

Sorry I haven’t been on the board for a while, I have an auntie who is 103, my older brother had power of attorney for her but he died last May, there is only me and my younger brother left of her family and as I am the oldest I am next of kin. I have been trying to get control of my auntie’s finances which has been a nightmare. I can’t get power of attorney as she doesn’t know what is going on now, I would need to get court of protection order which the solicitors said not to bother as it will cost me £1,500 plus. I have been appointed as appointee for her pension and now trying to get access to her bank account which is a nightmare her nursing home fees haven't been paid for several months because nobody has access to her bank account.

My SIL is a back yard breeder, the day we met I had a go at her for docking and taking the dew claws off the puppies so you can imagine how things are with us, I threatened to report her to the RSPCA if she done it again. Two days before my brother died she told me to get out of her house so I never saw him again.

My younger brother paid the bill for my brother’s funeral on the understanding that my SIL paid him back, up to now she hasn’t paid anything and is playing dumb. I need a copy of my brother’s death certificate before the bank will consider letting me have access to my auntie’s account which my SIL won’t give me so have had to send for one, that takes 10 to 15 working days to come, another week to go.

What is making this worse is my SIL is sending the invoices back to the Council and telling them that my younger brother is responsible, today I have received 2 threatening letters from the Council to pay last February and March’s nursing home fees, if I don’t they will take action. I don’t think so as I have made it very clear that they are not my responsibility but should go to the executors of my brother’s estate, that will really upset my SIL.

As you can imagine this is a nightmare to deal with, having 5 dogs here that also need exercise etc I have been extremely busy and it has been very stressful. Lots of letter writing, won’t do it by email as I want copies of the originals sent, I do keep every email I send but they can be altered, it shows up on a computer better if it is a letter.

I was looking into something when everything blew up but can’t remember what it was now, so if I haven’t come up with information please forgive me, if you let me know what it was I will look into it as soon as I can.

I will be disappearing from time to time because of all this, I sometimes think I am going round the bend as well trying to work my way through everything and getting the information I need to protect my auntie. I am so proud of my auntie reaching the age of 103 and hope that one day I can boast she is 104.

My dogs are all fit and well and getting up to mischief as normal.

I was only asking about you the other day! Wondered where you were, glad you're back.

What a nightmare, I really hope you can get things sorted out soon. Bureaucracy - I pity anyone who has to fight their way through it!

Nice to have you back, life takes over sometimes Xx

Sorry to hear about your brother, and all the difficulties at the moment; hope you're able to sort them out, and glad to see you're still around here

nice to see you back

Families !! Gotta love em

So sorry to read of your loss, hope you can get things sorted out for your aunty, things can get so out of control sometimes.

Have you thought about the Citizens Advice, they may be able to help you with some of this. Does your aunty have a solicitor appointed to her, have they been contacted?

I have found Age Concern very good for information, Citizens Advice is very good but they have to do the same research as I done, getting in touch with them can be a problem though.

Yes I have been in touch with my auntie's solicitor, it was him who told me not to get a court of protection order but to try and see if I can get control by another way because of the cost. I don't have the money to do that, he said their fees would be £1,500 plus to get depending on the work involved, he done my auntie's will and the power of attorney for my brother.

From what I have been told by my auntie's bank they will give me control once I produce a death certificate for my brother and proof of who I am. Not trusting this as they rarely answer the phone and when they do nobody phones back. Very poor for a bank.

Good to have you back.
I thought you'd left.