Credit card debts -moving to care home

[Deleted User]

ctdctd wrote: »

Thanks Tallyhoh,

Yes,I see your point.

Father is well enough for me to discuss this with him - he may not remember the next day (:-() and he's not able to move any money himself.

I'm old school enough (bit like him!) that I would not be happy just leaving the card companies in the dark. Also does not seem fair to lumber the next occupants of his flat with a stream of bills and repayment demands.

Still considering the best option.

the new tenants will NOT be in anyway responsible for his debts and shouldnt even open any letters not addressed to them but return them to sender,personally i would leave well alone and let the cc co`s stew in their own juice

Lensman_2

I think that the best way out of this is to simply write letters for your Dad explaining that he is now in care and giving your address as a C/O address. These should be as if they were written by your Dad - get him to read and then sign them.

He is 85 and you could provide a service in forwarding just the mail that he should receive (IYKWIM).

Don't get involved in the detail - you are not authorised to do that and it sounds like getting authorised might be a lot of work.

Instead - give him a firewall that exists at your address.

Any letters that really need responding to could be written by you but read, understood and signed by him.

SusieT

Definitely write to the banks and explain the situation, I think you will find that in the case of illness that is not going to improve (and at his age that is sadly not going to happen) when there are no real assets they do sometimes write off the debt but you do need to ask for the debt to be written off and possibly get the doctor to write a letter to back up what you are saying.

tallyhoh

SusieT wrote: »

Definitely write to the banks and explain the situation, I think you will find that in the case of illness that is not going to improve (and at his age that is sadly not going to happen) when there are no real assets they do sometimes write off the debt but you do need to ask for the debt to be written off and possibly get the doctor to write a letter to back up what you are saying.

Know what you mean but without POA the bank cant discuss anything with the OP so the wouldnt know what the banks were doing.:(

gizmo111

tallyhoh wrote: »

Know what you mean but without POA the bank cant discuss anything with the OP so the wouldnt know what the banks were doing.:(

They can if dad agrees in writing that she can deal with his affairs.

EverTheOptimist

I would be very careful if you write letters as if from your father as you / he will then struggle to use lack of capacity as a reason for not paying. And it sounds like he lacks capacity if he has memory problems and you say he is unable to manage his finances. I would ask a doctor at the care home to formally assess capacity and this maybe enough to forward to the cc companies with a letter explaining his situation and that he no longer has the funds or ability to pay this debt. The care home may or may not be able to support you in this.

Just to add I work in a brain injury unit and have been able to support residents in a similar situation in the past when they have had no family support by doing the above.

Good luck whatever happens. Sending you and you father best wishes.

ctdctd

Just a update of this thread.

I managed to pay off one card that was with a provider who also have his bank account.

I wrote to the other three card providers with a copy of his social services financial assessment and said he could not longer pay and suggested the debt was written off or frozen. I still do not have POA.

One wrote to my father freezing the debt and repayments. :T
One called me and said they would note the letter on their file but won't able to do anything else until POA come through.
No response at all from the final one.:mad:

So, nice to see they all adopt the same rules - not!
And well done to one of them.

[Deleted User]

ctdctd wrote: »

They are his debts and I would not take over ownership of them so I don't think there is anyway they can chase me?

They can't chase you for the debts, but some, less scrupulous, companies have been known to try to persuade relatives, to take out a loan, to pay off the debt.

[Deleted User]

ctdctd wrote: »

I will move the funds to clear his overdraft with his second bank...

...This will leave two near empty bank accounts and all the debts on the credit cards.

Spending money on a CC, when you know it can't/won't be paid back, could be legally risky.

ctdctd

Bedsit_Bob wrote: »

Spending money on a CC, when you know it can't/won't be paid back, could be legally risky.

Cards have not been used for a year or so - these are long standing balances.

Anyway, job down now - they've all been contacted and can do what they like.