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Elderly parent moving in…

80 replies

Extensionwoes123 · 04/11/2022 19:04

I have a bog standard 3 bed house. I’ve had plans for years to get a loft extension and build a garden office, but not been able to afford it.

i have suggested to my elderly parent that they could sell their house and pay for it, and move in with me as I’d have loads of space. They agreed.

my sister has said I could be in trouble with tax/inheritance/social services as if the parent becomes unable to use the stairs or becomes more infirm the house wouldn’t be suitable, and they’d have to move into a care home.

is she right? I have a suspicion she’s just worried about her inheritance, but I can’t afford to be landed with a big tax bill if she is..

OP posts:
BrandyA · 05/11/2022 12:44

SuperCamp · 05/11/2022 10:21

I just can’t fathom a family getting this far with an arrangement without all siblings being part of the arrangement.

Why wasn’t your sister part of a discussion with your parents about their future and needs?

How come you never mentioned this to your sister at planning stage?

It sounds dysfunctional at best and like financial abuse at worst.

And even if innocent, why did it take your sister to raise the important legal and financial questions? You never thought of any of this while your parents were busy transferring thousands into your bank account?

I agree, I couldn’t fathom it either when my sibling and parents did this to me. We have always talked things through, no secrets etc. but it all went very quiet then suddenly it’s all organised.

What concerns me even more is my sibling is a legal professional who didn’t suggest my parents got independent legal advice.

My sibling and I are very different and have always had a slightly difficult relationship. My sibling has always been volatile and my parents have always let them get away with behaving badly, going NC etc and make excuses for them. I’m not perfect but having witnessed or been on the end of my siblings behaviour my parents have always been clear from childhood that I have to suck it up, no apology and just get on with it.

So I was shocked when my sibling suggested buying a big house and extending it so my parents could move in. I asked my sibling several times are you sure, and they were adamant it would be fine. My parents always implied we would sit down and talk about it but we never did. One parent was terminally ill and sadly died within a few months of the move, their death was eased knowing the other parent would be living with my sibling. Once they were settled I found there was no legal agreement and was shocked. I didn’t want to upset my dying parent so left it.

I visit my Parent regularly, we stay in, we go out and we go away together. As expected my sibling has again gone NC with me this week and I strongly suspect my sibling has said I’m no longer allowed to visit “their” home. So my parent may find that I can no longer visit them in their home as they legally don’t own a brick of it.

I have just about accepted the money is gone, I suspect my parent is being subtly pressurised to change their will and remove me as one of the executors and to reduce any % left to me. I can see subtle requests for money when the opportunity arises but I keep saying how important it is my parent keeps their money in case they need it for a care home.

My real concerns are if my sibling dies, or is disabled, my parent will not get their money back to be able to buy/rent somewhere to live or pay fees. I am also concerned as my parent ages they will need more help than my sibling can/wants to give. My parent is already quite isolated, partly due to COVID, my visits are a highlight and being barred from visiting would be exceptionally cruel to my parent, but legally it’s my siblings property.

I am waiting to see how the next few weeks pan out as I’m not going to pushed out of my parents life but equally I know any suggestion of financial abuse by my sibling would be very distressing to them.

Lunde · 05/11/2022 15:07

You really need to think through the full implications of what you may be taking on.

At 82 my DM was living independently, driving, gardening, hiking, travelling internationally by herself and driving herself to multiple hobbies and clubs - 18 months later she required 24 hour care including hoists for the bed and shower

MegGriffinshat · 05/11/2022 15:25

Lunde · 05/11/2022 15:07

You really need to think through the full implications of what you may be taking on.

At 82 my DM was living independently, driving, gardening, hiking, travelling internationally by herself and driving herself to multiple hobbies and clubs - 18 months later she required 24 hour care including hoists for the bed and shower

Same experience with my dad until
he was 84. It’s frightening how fast people can deteriorate. I’d never experienced it until
it was in front of me.

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Kite22 · 05/11/2022 17:37

Extensionwoes123 · 05/11/2022 08:34

i think it’s her that’s being grabby because she’s worried about her inheritance being spent on somewhere her parent is going to live.

can she actually do anything though? It’s all been arranged, parent has given me the deposit already so work starts in a couple of weeks so it should be done by the time the house is sold.

i think she’s pissed she’s found out now and can’t put her oar in and tell me it’s a bad idea so she’s trying to get me to say legally she should have a share, but that would mean I have to sell my home to pay her.

Wow, this update this morning is staggering.

Can you genuinely not see this from any point of view other than you getting someone to pay for your extension Hmm

I hope your sister does get some legal advice, and also gets in touch with social care about you financially abusing your parents.

I can't believe you have just arranged all this without even considering it being a whole family discussion in the first place

Tat1ana · 19/09/2023 10:21

If it’s a gift and the parent moves in without eg paying anything like rent then tax bods say it’s not a gift…the 7 year rule does not apply in this case as the parent is receiving a benefit in kind.

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