Property being sold for development - impact on family member

Zazen999

GotToChange wrote: »

Not familiar with all the acronyms on here...?

("Too long - didn't read" - possibly? If so, why? It's a complicated situation.)

I'm sure someone who has qualified as a lawyer will be able to understand it; I thought it was explained well, with the detail to give some context to understand the ins and outs.....hopefully a trained professional might be along with some advice but - if he doesn't get legal advice now [before it is too late] then he can kiss goodbye to any claim, even if one can be proved. And no, I wouldn't move out without some compensation for the input; however it could be said that it is in lieu of paying his way all these years......which is why legal advice is needed ASAP for him.

Hope you are ok by the way

GotToChange

Cissi wrote: »

My post wasn't intended as criticism and I do appreciate that you're trying your best to help a friend, and some research surely can't hurt. I just meant to say that this situation is so serious and complicated that there is probably a limit to how much this can actually help. The best thing would really be if you could persuade him to seek legal advice... Maybe start with CAB?

I know - sorry. It really is a perverse situation - and made worse by his Father's grasping nature.

Ideally, his son should be given what should be his *inheritance "early" - i.e. when the land/property etc is sold. If this doesn't happen, his Father will waste it - that's the scary part.

*Or this could be him simply being "repaid" what he has contributed.

GotToChange

Zazen999 wrote: »

I'm sure someone who has qualified as a lawyer will be able to understand it; I thought it was explained well, with the detail to give some context to understand the ins and outs.....hopefully a trained professional might be along with some advice but - if he doesn't get legal advice now [before it is too late] then he can kiss goodbye to any claim, even if one can be proved. And no, I wouldn't move out without some compensation for the input; however it could be said that it is in lieu of paying his way all these years......which is why legal advice is needed ASAP for him.

Hope you are ok by the way

Thanks again. You're right of course. It shouldn't even have reached this point. I think that I am trying to understand it myself and am risking my head in the lion's mouth by asking for views on here.

I have to push him to do anything that's serious - we are both very guilty of simply trying to make the best out of cr***y situations (mine is worse [if that's possible] by the way....) and just trying to survive on a day-to-day basis and I am fully aware (on his behalf) that this can go really quite badly wrong.

x

clutton_2

i suspect that if there is no paperwork... he may have to admit to himself that his father is a selfish person and he may have to face up to starting his life over again in a new place

but as others have said... legal advice is crucial and quickly.....

can they not sit down and talk to each other ?

BitterAndTwisted

I understand from previous threads and posts of yours just how loathsome this old man is but the only sensible way forward is for your friend to seek proper advice from someone legally qualified to give it and very soon, too even if he has to go to a nearby town to get it. Is your friend in a position to pay for such legal advice?

clutton_2

is there a reason he cannot go and live with the dad and the new girlfriend as mentioned in the original post ?

ninky_2

i think your friend might have to consider that an inheritance is never guaranteed. he did what he did to help his parents (and i presume he had the benefit of living on the property at the time rather than have to pay rent elsewhere?). the property belongs to his father. as such it is up to his father what he does with it.

maybe he should just be glad that his father can now enjoy a jolly old age and concentrate on spending some quality time with him rather than ruining their last few years together with squabbles over money.

perhaps he could ask that the amounts he helped pay towards the mortgage over the years be given to him from the profit of the property sale and this would help him with a deposit for a place of his own.

GotToChange

clutton wrote: »

is there a reason he cannot go and live with the dad and the new girlfriend as mentioned in the original post ?

Well, he doesn't want to for starters.

There is quite a saga between her and her brothers who (as I mentioned) are already at loggerheads over her not-dead-yet Father's estate; he has no wish to be involved in that.

He could not make the commute (70 miles) for his job.

He would lose whatever independence he has/would have (he is 35 years old).

He would be under his Father's rule for the forseeable....

His friendship with me would be over (logistics - not because I would say so).

There are more; enough for now.

GotToChange

ninky wrote: »

i think your friend might have to consider that an inheritance is never guaranteed. he did what he did to help his parents (and i presume he had the benefit of living on the property at the time rather than have to pay rent elsewhere?). the property belongs to his father. as such it is up to his father what he does with it.

maybe he should just be glad that his father can now enjoy a jolly old age and concentrate on spending some quality time with him rather than ruining their last few years together with squabbles over money.

perhaps he could ask that the amounts he helped pay towards the mortgage over the years be given to him from the profit of the property sale and this would help him with a deposit for a place of his own.

I half-agree with what you are saying - and it could be seen as "squabbling"... BUT his Father has enjoyed a jolly old life - and of course is entitled to a jolly old age (he is NOT a nice man) and it is only possible because he has trampled over and exploited his nearest and dearest (as already said, his wife is in an early grave due in no small part to self-neglect whilst ensuring that he had all the time in the world to go hunting, dealing, playing Lord of the Manor etc etc).

Whilst is could be argued that W indeed would have been paying rent elsewhere - equally he could have (had he not been dragged into paying for everything at the farm) moved out and bought a property that would have given him at the very least somewhere to live and at best an asset to liquidate (much as his Father is now doing - and able to....).

This is not really about that ugly word inheritance, it is about fairness and misplaced trust in someone who cannot hang onto money.

Brock_and_Roll

I think we need to separate some of the issues here. Father, as long as he is of sound mind, is perfectly entitled to change his will to benefit whoever he likes and leave the lot to a dogs home or his new gf at the expense of his own flesh and blood.

With regards to the son's mortgage contributions and any rights over the property, this is a very complicated legal issue and depends on a number of factors. He should consult a decent solicitor asap.

Without being rude, and regardless of what the outcome is here, should the son as someone in their mid-30s not try and put all this behind him and strike out on his own, live in his own house and be his own master? - then some time down the line he might get something from the old man, or he might not, but it wont ruin his life either way.