Elderly Man 'talked into' signing documents by solicitor

[DrMoriarty]

Dunno. The last place I'd look for a solicitor recommendation is in a bank.

Oh, agreed! it was intimated to me that the application would be processed more quickly and at lower cost, and I had other pressures to attend to at the time.

This was some time ago, and things may have changed with the more centralised banking procedures emerging in recent years, as you say.

 

[delgirl]

Thanks to everyone who replied - I have passed relevant advice on to my friend, but it's a very difficult situation to deal with due to the father's age and failing health (physical not mental).

There are no amazing coincidences here, but unfortunately I can't post any more details as to do so would reveal too much information about the people involved.

 

[Jim2007]

- that his father decided without any influence that he wanted to change his will, makes a appointment to do so, spends 2 hours in the family business solicitor's office and comes away with no change to the will and having signed loan documents, which will now put his home at risk and which he had steadfastly refused to sign in the weeks prior to this meeting;

If there was a two hour conversation, then it is reasonable to assume that the solicitor went into a lot of detail with his client and the client made his decision accordingly. He would not be the first one to use the solicitor as an excuse to avoid a confrontation with his son. Just because the man is old and things did not turn out as the son expected, does not mean that it is not what the man wants.

 

[delgirl]

If there was a two hour conversation, then it is reasonable to assume that the solicitor went into a lot of detail with his client and the client made his decision accordingly. He would not be the first one to use the solicitor as an excuse to avoid a confrontation with his son. Just because the man is old and things did not turn out as the son expected, does not mean that it is not what the man wants.

The problem is Jim, when the father got home, he told 2nd son what had transpired in the solicitor's office and that he felt he had been pressured into signing the loan application and had been dissuaded from changing his will, which was what the appointment had been made for in the first instance.

It's quite possible that the father is trying to avoid confrontation with the 2nd son and siblings by laying the responsibility for the signing of the loan application with the solicitor. But 2nd son thinks not. The father has always been a strong and forthright person and 2nd son believes he would not say that he had been pressured if that were not the case. And why would he put the roof over his head at risk for a business loan, the purpose of which 1st son is yet to reveal!

Who knows what's happening? There are many sides to every story and the truth lies somewhere in between.

 

[Bronte]

Why does the 1st son have to reveal what the loan is for? Is it anybody elses business?

Why don't the whole family have a meeting and work this out instead of whispering and conjecturing etc.

It is entirely possible the father is being coerced here. But it was mentioned that he is fully with it.

 

[delgirl]

Why does the 1st son have to reveal what the loan is for? Is it anybody elses business?

Yes it is - the father's home is being used as security, the father is the second largest shareholder in the company and the siblings' shares are also in jeopardy.

Why don't the whole family have a meeting and work this out instead of whispering and conjecturing etc.

They've had numerous meetings, some of which 1st son has refused to attend and when he does attend, he will not divulge to the other shareholders what he wants the loan for. We're talking about a multi-million figure here, not a few Euro.[/QUOTE]

It is entirely possible the father is being coerced here. But it was mentioned that he is fully with it.

This could be true, as I said I only have 2nd son's account of the saga. Dreadful situation that has caused problems in the family - glad it's not mine.

 

[Bronte]

Yes it is - the father's home is being used as security, the father is the second largest shareholder in the company and the siblings' shares are also in jeopardy.

.

So the father as the second largest shareholder has a vested interest in keeping the company afloat? For himself and his other children.