Mislaid paper copy POA - can i get a replacement? how?

[ExpatDaughter]

Title says it all. I have, luckily, registered my POA for my mum with her bank. It's a paper document, and i took it in, they scanned it, entered details and it's all been up and running a few years.

Now i need to set it up for her phone contract etc, but i have mislaid the paperwork (I guess it is at her house, i am in a different country)

I know the legal firm that set it up, but she doesn't have an account, as such, with them so i am not sure i can call them.

Anyone got any ideas? (I know you can register them online somehow, and of course i had been putting that off and now i can't)

The Office of the Public Guardian will have a copy assuming the solicitor registered it.

If no-one registered it then it is not valid.

thanks - have sent the forms off.
I suspect it is at my mums and i left it there last time. But no chance of her finding it. :(

We had to get a copy from the OPG after a similar issue, when it was misplaced. It was fine and we generally used it with no problem, however it wasn’t the best quality - literally a photocopy that hadn’t been printed straight, and then every page certified by the OPG, and we did get a few questions about it from some organisations. This was about 10 years ago so they may have improved - and of course with newer LPAs there’s a code to use rather than the document, for banks etc.

More general advice to readers - I would recommend that where possible you try and ensure the LPA paperwork is very safely stored, ideally by the attorney(s) esp if there are hoarding issues. We had the delight of finally getting it sorted for one relative and she then told us she’d torn it up, leading to near collapse of the relative having to provide most of the support who’d worked so hard to get it in place. NB she hadn’t actually torn it up, we did find it, but could have done without the stress. We had a similar issue with her will.

No use to you OP, but maybe for others - my dad's solicitors keep the original and make certified copies for me when I need it (for no charge)

Thanks. I'm sure there is one at my mum's. I won't be there until April but I need to renew her phone contract in March. Usually she just confirms to the person on the phone that I can speak for her. Deffo the kick up the bum I need to get it all sorted

When my dad died and I got his original will from the solicitors she also gave me the law firm’s copy of the POAs as she said I needed to contact the OPG and tell them that he has died so the POA could be removed from their records. So I would see if the law firm has a copy.

thanks for the help - i have received confirmation that there is a POA with my name on it.