Possible fraud by my mother/brother with a Mobility car

playaz

Hi everyone,

I know this is a bit of a 'sore-topic' for some people and I only want some advice on the matter, so here goes..

Earlier this year my brother in my view 'coerced' my mother to sign up to a brand new car using the Mobility scheme. When I found out I was a little unhappy due to the nature of this being a brand new Mercedes (the car retails at £24k) and the fact that he has a history of doing things of this nature to benefit himself (not to mention he already owns another car).

As my mother doesn't have a license she is unable to drive this herself, she uses the car only at the weekend when he drops her to church and maybe does the small weekly shop. I'm told this costs around £56 per week that is taken from her PIP payments and that the contract is a 3 year lease.

I am somewhat annoyed for a few reasons...

1) The car agreement clearly states the named driver must live within a certain radius (5 miles if I remember correctly) from the claimant. My brother lives around 6-7 miles (so outside the limit) and more importantly on the original documents he has stated he lives at my mothers address. This is simply not true (and this can be validated). Therefore this in my view is fraud - my mother is elderly and wouldn't really fully understand the documents that she is signing.

2) The car itself stays at his properly 24/7 - this address is outside the limit, and it makes it more annoying as both myself and my sister actually do live within the 5 mile limit and would be better suited. I have already stated I want nothing to do with the car as I already own a car and am more than happy using my existing car that gets me from A-B even if it isn't quite the sexiest car on the street. He has told us only he can be on the named drivers which I have confirmed is a lie - two people maybe allowed to use the car. My sister has already stated she would be happy to put her name down and she lives up the road from my mother so would be ideal.

3) The 3 year is a long time in my view.... my mother would actually be better off getting a taxi to and from her destination each week. Based on my estimates getting a taxi to and from church once a week, and to and from her local supermarket wouldn't cost anywhere near to the £56 currently being taken out for the car. So in a financial sense she is better off using taxis as that is what she would've have used prior to using the Mobility scheme.

4) Unrelated but he has tried to in recent years take out loans in her name (£6.5k), stolen money from her debit card to name a few things... but she continues to trust him for some reason (why I'll never know).

I love my mother dearly but for the life cannot understand why she has been given such a high PIP payments, while she won't be running the London Marathon anytime soon to me she seems to be in what I would consider a 'normal' overall health for someone of her age. I just feel annoyed that my brother seems to taking advantage of the situation.

My main concern is my mother, my brother has been in and out of Jail and wouldn't care if he ever got banged up, but my mother is elderly and cannot deal with the stress or hassle of any potential investigation so i'm kinda in a 'Catch 22' situation.

I could ignore this and simply let my brother continue to abuse this 'charity' and drive around in a free car or I could contact the relevant authorities and potentially get my mother into trouble and maybe lose some of her PIP payments.

I know its a not simple situation but what does everyone think and what would you do in the same situation?

P.S Please ask me any questions at all if it will give you a better insight into it all. :-)

P.P.S Apologies if this is noticed elsewhere - someone recommended I post this here rather than the Motoring section.

hazyjo

If you're willing to end your relationship with your mum and brother, go ahead. Yes, of course being honest is the 'right' thing to do. Whether or not we choose to do the right thing when it comes to it is another matter.


I wouldn't grass, but not saying it's right or wrong.


As your mother appears to be of sound mind and capable of making her own decisions, I'd respect that and let them get on with it.


Surely if your brother is the one ferrying her around then the car would have to be at his. Have you actually clocked the distance on google maps?


Disabled friend of mine had a hell of a job getting a Mobility car so I can't see they'd be taking any application lightly...


Jx

playaz

Hi - thanks for the response.

Let me put some matters straight.

My brother was recently from prison (8 year stretch) during this time he obviously hasn't been helping my mother out but nor did he before he got sent down. Over the many the years the 'ferrying round' you referred to was done by mainly myself and my sister. At no point was this as problem as I live very close to my mother and we are a close-knit family so it is fine.

As stated - I have measured the distance between the 'family' home and my brothers and it is outside the limit stated within the documents (hence the reason for faking the address). Now I know as I have been told her only 'allows' her access to the car twice on the weekend - I know but a) she has told me and b) there is another family member who lives at the family home who can verify this (he doesn't drive so cannot use this scheme).

All of this joining the Mobility scheme was done without the knowledge of anybody else - we only found out when he rocked up in a new 24k one day. And to say my mother is of 'sound mind' isn't quite accurate either... she has a history of signing up for things she doesn't need... A year ago she signed upto a £6.5k home-improvement loan for new windows and doors... (she has double glazing already) again this was all down to the same brother who coerced her into this deal. It was only cancelled when the rest of the family stepped into and stopped them before fitting the windows - now we know when she explained it to us she didn't realise it was a secured loan and could lose her house.

But this is the person that I have to deal with...

Peter333

Sounds like you have already made your mind up, and no matter what anyone on here says, you will do what you want to anyway. That is glaringly obvious from your posts.

So go ahead and report them both.

playaz

Why are people so quick to judge on here....

I am gearing towards to NOT reporting them cos I don't want her to get any backlash - but want to know advice of people clearly more experienced in the matter that is all. I am just giving all the facts so people can give me a fair assessment.

playaz

Me and my brother don't really have a relationship... like I said in the earlier posts he persuaded her to take out a secured loan... she could have been made homeless in the worst case scenario... that is how secured loans work unless I am mistaken.

System

Your choices

1. Report them

2. Ignore it

3. Tackle Son and Mother about it which will probably isolate you from Mom

Take your choice. I dont recommend 1 and 2.

As long as He's taking her shopping and to church, i'd keep my mouth shut.

hazyjo

playaz wrote: »

And to say my mother is of 'sound mind' isn't quite accurate either... she has a history of signing up for things she doesn't need... A year ago she signed upto a £6.5k home-improvement loan for new windows and doors... (she has double glazing already) again this was all down to the same brother who coerced her into this deal. It was only cancelled when the rest of the family stepped into and stopped them before fitting the windows - now we know when she explained it to us she didn't realise it was a secured loan and could lose her house.

But this is the person that I have to deal with...

Being trusting or gullible or easily led doesn't make you 'not of sound mind'.


Points all noted, but I haven't really changed what I initially thought/wrote.


'Around 6 or 7 miles' didn't sound like you'd mapped it - you may find it's 5-something on google maps. Even so, if 7, I'm sure they'd allow an extra two miles. 5 miles is pretty tight and there may be a bit of flexibility.


Jx

playaz

Ok just for you - i've have mapped it 6.3 miles.. so still over the limit... or do they have lee-way on these things? 5 miles is pretty tight but I presume that is the point of it... but what do I know I just ask questions :-) :beer:

TBagpuss

Have you spoken to your mum about it?

It may be worth making some gerenal enquiries to find out whetherand in what circumstnaces it would be possible to end the lease early.

Another option would be check whther your mum can change the named drivers - of so, she could remove your brother and add you nad your sister, so that the the car could stay ather home and you could use it to driver her when needed. Possibly she could notify Motability that the names driver has moved to [ brother's actual address] and that she would therfore like to name sister instead ?

This might give her an 'out' with your brother - she can tell him that they have learned he is not living at the address so she hs to change the names.

At that point, he would have no further reason to want her to have the car, as he'd have no access to it, so she might b able to negotiate an early end to the lease aso she is not wasting her money.

But none of that will work unless she wants to mae te changes.

Itit possible that she ses this as a way of helping out her son, and doesn't fee that she is being exploited?

burlington6

OP, your brother is just like tens of thousands of other taking advantage of the pathetic mobility scheme.