Evict family member?

[Billowisp]

My mother lives next door in a house which dp and I own but she paid a substantial sum for renovations.
There is no legal agreement but verbally it was assumed she would live there as long as she needed and we would be able to provide ad hoc assistance etc when needed.
However things have changed and either she needs to move or we do (and possibly both) for financial reasons (I can no longer work due to ill health).
Can we 'evict' her to enable us to sell or rent out the property for income?
Or do we have to downsize and she stays there even though we would not be close enough to assist as much?

Have you had a falling out and no longer want to support her? Or is the change 'just' for financial reasons? If the latter, is there any reason you can't discuss it with her and come up with a solution, rather than evict her?

We have tried talking to her but she just doesn't/ won't understand; keeps saying we are throwing her onto the streets (she has £500k in the bank! )

Can't she pay rent?

What kind of renovations? Did you discuss the basis on which she paid for them?

Move in with her? Remortgage her house? Sell both and get a house and grannyflat?

Tell her one of the above is happening, unless she wants to pay rent.

This is really tough, I can see she would feel upset and misled.

Circumstances have changed . that is life, not being misled. Mother is an adult and will have to suck it up.

She'll just have to start paying you market rent. It sounds like she can afford it.

How on earth did you end up in this situation? You've done yourself out of potentially tens of thousands of pounds while your mother sits on a half a mill

I sometimes wonder whether those commenting on threads are aware that this is the "Legal" section?

It sounds as if your mother has a a right to remain in the house for as long as she wants. That was the understanding reached when she paid for the renovations.

I suggest you google "proprietory estoppel".

Or read this lot

www.lawgazette.co.uk/legal-updates/probate-proprietary-estoppel/5046559.article

Thanks Collaborate and Bert. Does that mean if we move away so are unable to support her on a day to day basis she has some claim against us for moving there when we can no longer fulfil our side of things?

Presumably you're planning to reimburse her for what she's paid out for the renovations?
You are in a very complicated position legally, and need proper legal advice , based on all the facts- for example, it may be possible that she has acquired an interest in the house.
This wouldn't preclude you from selling, but could affect how much you have to pay her.

Did it not occur to you to take advice before you got into this setup?

She actually may be able to get the court to declare a trust, with her able to prevent you selling it. That would put in to effect what you started way back when you let her spend her money on your house.