Family home empty for 6 years - mother in nursing home

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ineedtoknow

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Just throwing this out for advice please.

Family home is lying empty for the last six years, one of my parents is still alive in nursing home with dementia.

The majority of the family refuse to let anyone stay as caretakers or rent out the property. There is no will.

One member of this majority wants to buy the house on my parents demise but the house is going into disrepair. There is insurance on the house and the insurers know it is empty.

Should money belonging to the parent be used to upkeep the property? I feel this member of the family is strategically influencing the majority of the family to leave the house empty for his own gain down the road try letting the house go into disrepair and to possibly avail of the vacant home grant in the future.

Can a decision be made now before the parent’s death on who in the family want to buy the house? Can anything be done legally for example a deed of arrangement? Can the family force the person wishing to buy it to maintain the property financially so that the full market value of the property can be achieved when the time comes.

As one of seven children it is difficult to get agreement among everyone and they are all overlooking that the house is being neglected and this could have a financial impact on the sale going down the road
 
Does one of you have power of attorney?

Or two of ye maybe.

If not can you sort that out now, it’ll take a while but it might be in the best interest of the family to do so.
 
ineedtoknow said:
Should money belonging to the parent be used to upkeep the property?
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Yes.

It’s reasonable for family to use parent’s funds to carry out essential repairs. It’s a question of degree, however, and common sense should prevail.


ineedtoknow said:
Can the family force the person wishing to buy it to maintain the property financially so that the full market value of the property can be achieved when the time comes.
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Not legally. You could reach an informal agreement between you all in the interim.


I’ve seen this managed quite well in my own extended family but siblings are all on very good terms, financially secure, and no one has an eye on the property themselves.
 
Perhaps call a family meeting and outline your concerns in neutral, no skin in the game fashion (or as close to this as possible).

Then call a vote on how to proceed.i suspect its been a case of one on one communication up to this point, this should focus minds and generally people want what's best overall for themselves as opposed to pandering to those with ulterior motives.
 
Are you using Fair Deal and how is your mother's care being funded or is there likely to be a debt/Fair Deal loan when the time comes?

Without a will, your mother will pass intestate. the estate will be sold and divided between all the children. That means the house will be sold and it is the responsibility of the appointed administrator to gather in all the assets and pay any debts, that can be a solicitor and in the circumstances, may be the best way to go
 
Does someone not visit the house and keep an eye on things at the moment ? If it was me, I'd arrange (family meeting) to have a look at the house with a few others to see what needs doing. You need to negate any influence you suspect that your sibling is having on the others first before you can proceed.
 
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