Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Elderly parents

Am I the only one that thinks this is highly suspicious

81 replies

SSuspicioumum · 30/06/2024 21:37

Hi, so my mum is converting our home into individual flats. She is 65yrs old and she had a few builders come along to price up the works. She knows she won't be able to get a big loan at her age, but wont listen to reason. One builder that she is really drawn to, has offered not to accept payment and pay himself from the rent once the flats are occupied when he finishes building the works. Am I the only one that thinks this is highly suspicious even with a contract in place? Who works for free in this day and age.

OP posts:
PermanentTemporary · 30/06/2024 21:55

Oh God that sounds like a recipe for disaster. How could that work??

PermanentTemporary · 30/06/2024 21:56

Could the builder end up with some sort of claim on the house? She needs her own legal advice

leeverarch · 30/06/2024 21:58

Has she got planning permission?

BasilParsley · 30/06/2024 21:58

leeverarch · 30/06/2024 21:58

Has she got planning permission?

This... This is the most important point at this stage...

Circumferences · 30/06/2024 21:58

Oh my god, that's insane.
Your poor mum. What is she thinking?

My husband is 61 and would see right through this.

Bearpawk · 30/06/2024 22:01

No fucking way. Do not let this happen.

LakeTiticaca · 30/06/2024 22:09

No way. This is all kinds of wrong.
Your mum needs to tell him it's not happening. Why does she want to convert into flats?

OlderGlaswegianLivingInDevon · 30/06/2024 22:52

Is the builder receiving ownership of one of the flats in return for payment of his services ?
How many flats is Mum turning the ' home ' into ? 2 or more.
Is she then selling them ?
or renting them ?

SSuspicioumum · 30/06/2024 22:57

She has planning permission

OP posts:
SSuspicioumum · 30/06/2024 22:58

I have tried talking her out of it. But she won't listen.

OP posts:
SSuspicioumum · 30/06/2024 22:59

Yep. Totally agree with you. She wants to get extra income from them. Like a retirement plan

OP posts:
Confusedbythistreat · 30/06/2024 22:59

Omg that sounds highly stressful at half her age

SSuspicioumum · 30/06/2024 23:01

So it's a 4 bedroom home and she wants to turn them into 3-4 1 bed flats/bedsits for rent. The builders say they will only take money from rent until the money owed is paid. Doesn't make sense to me at all, but mum is convinced this will work. As she doesn't have to take out a loan.

OP posts:
SSuspicioumum · 30/06/2024 23:03

Totally. Even with a contract. What's in it for the builder?

OP posts:
SSuspicioumum · 30/06/2024 23:06

BasilParsley · 30/06/2024 21:58

This... This is the most important point at this stage...

Yes she has.

OP posts:
OlderGlaswegianLivingInDevon · 30/06/2024 23:07

'she wants to turn them into 3-4 1 bed flats/bedsits '

will that work, have you seen the plans, did an architect draw them up ?
and did she gain planning permission ?

all of this costs money - does she have that ?

SSuspicioumum · 30/06/2024 23:07

Bearpawk · 30/06/2024 22:01

No fucking way. Do not let this happen.

Totally. Even with a contract. What's in it for the builder?

OP posts:
SSuspicioumum · 30/06/2024 23:08

OlderGlaswegianLivingInDevon · 30/06/2024 22:52

Is the builder receiving ownership of one of the flats in return for payment of his services ?
How many flats is Mum turning the ' home ' into ? 2 or more.
Is she then selling them ?
or renting them ?

SSuspicioumum · Today 23:01
So it's a 4 bedroom home and she wants to turn them into 3-4 1 bed flats/bedsits for rent. The builders say they will only take money from rent until the money owed is paid. Doesn't make sense to me at all, but mum is convinced this will work. As she doesn't have to take out a loan.

OP posts:
Doingmybest12 · 30/06/2024 23:08

So is he effectively saying he'll loan the cost of the work to be paid once the tenants are paying rent? I don't think it's completely bonkers, if he has the finance, the work suits him and it gets done in good time and its all agreed what is owed. You'd need some references though I think. What's in it for him is he gets a good amount of work.

SSuspicioumum · 30/06/2024 23:10

LakeTiticaca · 30/06/2024 22:09

No way. This is all kinds of wrong.
Your mum needs to tell him it's not happening. Why does she want to convert into flats?

Yep. Totally agree with you. She wants to get extra income from them. Like a retirement plan

OP posts:
SSuspicioumum · 30/06/2024 23:12

PermanentTemporary · 30/06/2024 21:56

Could the builder end up with some sort of claim on the house? She needs her own legal advice

Hopefully not. If she doesn't listen and goes ahead with the works, we will have to make sure this is not the case.

OP posts:
Mosaic123 · 30/06/2024 23:24

Doesn't sound like there will be enough space for that many flats unless there is a huge extension? I'm just guessing though.

ZoomDoomZoom · 30/06/2024 23:35

SSuspicioumum · 30/06/2024 23:03

Totally. Even with a contract. What's in it for the builder?

He's got a claim on the house, he will probably put a charge on it which means he has a legal interest in it. He will need to be repaid before it is sold.

Take your mum to see a property solicitor to explain the consequences of this arrangement. Just book the appointment, don't twll her until you get to the appointment. It'll be the best £x you will have ever the spent.

ZoomDoomZoom · 30/06/2024 23:42

The builder will probably take the rental income for a few months & then put pressure for the debt to be repaid ASAP. He'll know that your mum won't be able to afford to repay it. He will then suggest writing over the house to him as a way of repaying the debt. It's the oldest trick in the book and your mum has fallen for it.