Retired couple on benefits. Inheritance issue.

bigmondy

sleepless_saver wrote: »

Probably not. Their pension credit award letter should tell them if there is an Assessed Income Period - if there is, they don't have to notify DWP of changes in capital until they are reassessed at the end of the period. They wouldn't be asked to pay back pension credit and associated benefits received during the period, but it would be taken into account from the start of the next AIP.

That will be a huge relief to them - I will phone him and let him know. Funnily enough the DWP office have asked him if they could value the property - I think he said "good luck with that!" :rotfl:



Edit: while typing decided to phone. He told me that he had a an unnanounced "visitation" from 2 DWP officers at his council house on Thursday last week. He said that his wife was out but when they seen the house was in order and he was actually living there that they seemed to become relaxed and pleasant. He was totally confused but said they were 'in and out in 3 minutes' and left on pleasant terms.

I suppose this is to be expected - they will have to ensure he is genuine I guess.

p00hsticks

sleepless_saver wrote: »

If the "kids" they want to leave it to could convince them parents that they don't want the house, perhaps they could be persuaded to sell (auction could be simplest).

And if any of the "kids" really do want it, then suggest that they get it by buying it off their parents rather than waiting to inherit it. That releves the parents of any worries regarding upkeep and gives them some cash in return for the property.

bigmondy

Does anyone think the above "visitation" is normal?

Dognobs

Sell it and get off benifits, You can't look at leaving things to the kids and expect the state to pay for it!

margaretclare

I would respectfully submit that whoever bequeathed this crumbling property many miles away from where this couple live, were not doing them any favours.

I speak from bitter experience. We - my first husband and I - bought a neglected former weaver's cottage in the Pennines. We weren't in our 70s at the time, in our 40s, but he already had the heart disease which eventually killed him.

I can best describe it as a bottomless pit which simply swallowed up money. I would never do such a thing again UNLESS we were young, fit, healthy, with some practical skills and an army of mates in all the relevant trades - plumbing, heating, roofing, plastering, re-pointing, bricklaying (in no particular order). And a bottomless bank account. I'd never do it on credit.

I am in my mid-70s now and although I balk at being called 'poor old...' one has to use some common sense. If anyone bequeathed me such a white elephant (which they are unlikely to do, thank goodness!) I would refuse the bequest. Either that or I'd sell it to anyone who would buy it, and if I didn't get a good price for it, well, I never expected to have it in the first place.

I hope this helps.

PS: Just seen: 'been in the family for 80 years and he's determined to pass it on to his kids'. OK. Transfer ownership to whichever of his kids wants it and can cope with it, with the caveat that I wrote above following the word 'Unless...'

cte1111

Just sell it, they can't afford to 'keep it in the family' so best to come to terms with this and use the money for all the bits and pieces they've not been able to afford.

dseventy

bigmondy wrote: »

Thanks guys - No mortgage. Should have specified that.

I did suggest selling - however it has been in the family for over 80 years and he seems determined to pass it on to his kids.

When you are reliant on the state for your life as you can't support yourself (ie asking the state to pay for your roof, your food and your income) that usually means you have nothing "to pass on to kids".

What you can't do, is plead poverty and and ask the state to support you, then leave a cash asset to the kids!

By far the easiest thing to do is to sell the property to the kids. Then they can have a enjoyable retirement, perhaps a cruise or something?

D70

Hmm71

bigmondy wrote: »

That will be a huge relief to them - I will phone him and let him know. Funnily enough the DSS office have asked him if they could value the property - I think he said "good luck with that!" :rotfl:



Edit: while typing decided to phone. He told me that he had a an unnanounced "visitation" from 2 DSS stormtroopers at his council house on Thursday last week. He said that his wife was out but when they seen the house was in order and he was actually living there that they seemed to become relaxed and pleasant. He was totally confused but said they were 'in and out in 3 minutes' and left on pleasant terms.

I suppose this is to be expected - they will have to ensure he is genuine I guess.

It's "DWP" NOT "DSS" and they are NOT stormtroopers. Please try not to be so utterly insulting to DWP officers.

margaretclare

I agree with the above. The only DWP officer we've had at this house of recent years was absolutely charming, and she only came because the Pensions Service couldn't understand why we weren't claiming any means-tested benefits!

To be left a valuable legacy would, in most people's minds, be a way of getting off benefits for good. Never mind going on a cruise - this isn't everyone's cup of tea. A life free of having to claim benefits would be far better than contemplating being on benefits for the rest of your life.

They could sell to 'the kids', even if they sold it at a price 'the kids' could afford, which may not be what it would fetch at auction. He wants to leave it to the kids, but do any of them actually want it?

bigmondy

Sorry about the terminology used re DWP, my words not his.

I have corrected the post as they were very nice apparently.

Also - I was wrong about the house being in the family for 80 years................

................ it is 108 years. :eek:

They are talking of starting to do it up and selling of a piece of the plot to fund the repairs to the property - it so I guess they are determined to keep it in the family.

There are a few of us that will try and help them if we possibly can.