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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Who was over reacting?

63 replies

Celestia26 · 04/09/2017 14:45

Not sure which of us was being unreasonable? Appreciate the responses in case it was actually me??

OK, so my mum and dad are sorting out some legal paperwork for wills etc, and my siblings and I have to sign paperwork for it. The paperwork was sent to me 2 weeks ago, for me to read, research, get a solicitor to check etc, then sign. Unfortunately with it being the summer holidays and a few other things it slipped my mind. My parents then came over today and told me due to the fact that I haven't signed the form yet they are removing me as a Trustee on their estate and just having my siblings because 'if you can't sign a form quickly, how can we trust you to do other things regarding the house?'. I was upset and said I was sorry, I had forgotten, had a lot on etc, but I would do my best to do it today. Apparently, that was too late, I was also told that if I was sent another letter due to the delay, I would have to pay an £80 fine. I said OK. This was all quite upsetting and my children were present. I asked them to stop talking about this, when they didn't I asked them to go. My dad continued on with the argument so I took the children upstairs. He continued shouting so from upstairs I asked them to leave, which finally they did.
This is all very upsetting, and seems like an over reaction to not signing a form promptly. There was no deadline, no rush needed. So what I would like to know is, did it warrant that reaction???

OP posts:
steppemum · 04/09/2017 17:50

I'm with you in this OP, and I think you have had a hard time on mn over it.

OK, so they may have been frustrated, but really, if the timing was urgent, they oculd phone and ask, and give a dealine.

The thing that stands out to me though is that you Dad kept going on about it after you asked him to stop to the extent of him shouting up the stairs.

Not reasonable behaviour at all.

Also, they have know you for years. Surely their assessmnet of whether or not you should be a trustee isn't based on this one letter? Surely they had to decide BEFORE they gave you the letter to sign whether or not you were suitbale for the job?

Drama llama over one unsigned letter to me.

fastdaytears · 04/09/2017 17:53

Their reaction is way over the top, but as an estate planning solicitor I can say that no one takes independent advice about being appointed as a trustee. Is that really what you were told to do? Is a bit over the top.

Most people do return this kind of thing in a couple of days, but sometimes they need reminding.

Not being a trustee is not the end of the world, but I can see how the shouting in front of your kids is not at all on.

squeaver · 04/09/2017 17:56

You should get your sister in to make the peace. They over-reacted, for sure, but perhaps the whole ting has been dragged out and this was the last straw.

Make up and move on. Life's too short (which is what is perhaps what's playing on their minds).

squeaver · 04/09/2017 17:57

thing

m0therofdragons · 04/09/2017 18:14

If my parents trusted me with this I'd prioritise it as I know it would be really important to them. I have 3 dc and a very demanding job, plus I moved house this summer yet I still managed to keep on top of organising holiday childcare, car insurance and helping my parents by reading the contract for the sale of their company.
Entrusting someone to carry out your wishes after you die and then finding out they "forget" while you're alive isn't going to fill them with confidence.

Celestia26 · 04/09/2017 18:42

Motherofdragons, guess I'm just not as perfect as other people.

OP posts:
GeekyWombat · 04/09/2017 18:47

Are you sure there's no deadline? I don't mean this horribly or to worry you but could one or other of them feel an urgent need to get their affairs in order and could this be why they're being so dramatic.

Celestia26 · 04/09/2017 19:01

Geekywombat absolutely not. If there was anything wrong with either one of them we would know all about it!

OP posts:
m0therofdragons · 04/09/2017 20:16

I'm not perfect but this kind of thing would be really important to my parents so I would make time for that. Maybe it was your response that wound them up. If you used a week "oh sorry I forgot" like a teenager that would wind me up. A confident "sorry it's a priority for this week and I have neighbours x&y lined up so it's in hand" would get a different response. Hard to know without being there. I would hate my parents to think they were so low in my priorities I forgot the one thing that was important to them. I've made mistakes (forgot to collect a friend's dd from school) but my reaction and absolute apology was given. Whether she'll trust me again I don't know and for that I feel terrible but couldn't blame her if she decided not to.

gluteustothemaximus · 04/09/2017 20:30

The paperwork was sent to me 2 weeks ago

But your sister took 3 weeks to sign it. Did they shout at her too?

My parents then came over today and told me due to the fact that I haven't signed the form yet they are removing me as a Trustee on their estate

Blimey. Are they punishing a child? Because you forgot to sign a piece of paper, you are incapable of doing anything else? Quite a leap there.

I asked them to stop talking about this

But they didn't, so they clearly don't respect your wishes or that of your children.

My dad continued on with the argument so I took the children upstairs. He continued shouting so from upstairs I asked them to leave

Why is he shouting at his daughter? Why is he shouting with your children present? This is ridiculous. What is shouting going to achieve exactly? You forgot to do something. How will shouting fix it?

If there is a backstory and you are unreliable OP, then they shouldn't have chosen you to be a trustee in the first place.

But, maybe there is more to this story. But not on your side, but theirs.

You see I was made out to be so unreliable/forgetful/ditzy/crap at everything...but really it was them making me feel that way. I hope this isn't the case with you OP.

I hope they apologise for shouting at you in your own home in front of your children. That is shit.

Celestia26 · 04/09/2017 20:39

GluteusToTheMaximus I think we have similar parents. There is a bit of a backstory but not one that I really wanted to go into on this post as it is personal and complicated and probably irrelevant. Let's just say my parents and I don't have the closest of relationships, and I don't really want to either.

OP posts:
gluteustothemaximus · 04/09/2017 22:06

Understood Wink

Your post screamed out at me, as I know I'd have been shouted at over something like that and I didn't want anyone validating their horrible behaviour. Don't know why it's important to me. It just is Smile

Luckily for me, I don't see them anymore Grin

onemorecupofcoffeefortheroad · 04/09/2017 22:40

Wow! I think your parents are being utterly ridiculous and are being punitive and petty. For goodness sake - modern life is busy - of course these things can take time it's got nothing to do with being disorganised. However, I do feel you've dodged a bullet and are well out of it.,

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