gpssti4

iTrader: (6)

My uncle had a stroke about 3 months ago and whilst he's make some progress I don't think that he'll ever drive or walk again. It's affected his right side and speech.

Now, his wife of 50 years is from Hong Kong and never really learnt to read and write English, her spoken is barely understandable and she is almost helpless without him to do all the paperwork side of things.

The big problem at the moment is for her to get to the money to pay bills etc. They don't have a joint account and she's almost exhausted her small savings account. Really she needs Power of Attorney, but one solicitor we've briefly spoken to says that it'll cost near £1000 to arrange - is that true?

Are there any other things we can do -I thought of trying to add her to his account to make it a 'joint' account which is something we can look into next week.

Any help or suggestions appreciated.

DCI Gene Hunt

Bump....

Is he unable to sign a form? All he needs to do is open a new joint account and transfer the funds in.

The Zohan

Speak to the CAB first thing Monday?

David Lock

Enduring Power of Attorney UK-Lasting Power of Attorney


Seems to depend on if he knows what is going on and can sign things. Hope he improves as time goes by. dl

Luminous

iTrader: (3)

We had to arrange power of attorney for an ageing relative recently. I had little to do with the process, but it did not cost anything. So I don't understand why a solicitor has told you that it is going to cost near £1k.

Timwinner

iTrader: (3)

The process is not a complicated one, The problem is solicitors charge out at about £200 an hour to sort it out.
There is a little known legal tool available at the CAB for free, Its basically solicitors that are almost at the end of there training.

In the first instance I would contact the bank and ask then what they require, make a time line of events and have all the required paper work together. That is 90% of what a solicitor will do anyway.

Hope that helps.

GC8

As stated, it really does depend on his state of mind. If he is compis mentis then a simple power of attorney will suffice. This can be found as a template for free and only needs witnessing. If he isnt then its more complicated and expensive as you/she will need an enduring power of attorney. In this circumstance I suspect that the only option is to shop around for a better price, unless you can find, perhaps, a stroke related charity that can help.

gpssti4

iTrader: (6)

Thanks for the replies and kind words.

He has difficulty talking and is paralysed down his right side. He can move his right leg a little but not his arm. As for being compis mentis, I'm not too sure; one question he will answer with conviction the next gets blank looks. I think that he is still struggling to comprehend some words.

He could sign his name a while back - 6 weeks ago, so I would hope that this is still the same.

Hopefully, my mother is going along with my auntie this week to try and get her name on his/their bank account.

What are the difference between a 'simple' and 'lasting' power of attorney? I think that he will be able to sign his name okay, but I'm not sure how it will be witnessed or if a solicitor will be needed. Who would need to witness his signature; nurse, doctor? Is the witnessing different for 'simple' and 'lasting' power of attorney?