what expenditure is allowed

soolin

Thank you again everyone.

Dad appears to be settling well in the retirement home although he does still pack on a daily basis and ask me to take him home with me.

The solicitor has agreed that we can sell the house without referring to dad and the buyer sent in the surveyor yesterday so hopefully that will all go through OK. I have also had a meeting with the IFA person from a recommendation on another thread and will wait to see what suggestions can be made to ensure we can continue to pay dad's fees.

Lastly I have spoken with the owner of the care home as social services want me to pay the 12 weeks fees they have paid. We haven't actually had the 12 weeks yet and I have never ever suggested that their bill won't be paid, yet they are horribly aggressive and phoned me to say that I am required by law etc to make full payment as soon as they send the bill..yet no bill has yet been issued and they have confirmed that it isn't even in the post yet. The home owner though has said that social services haven't actually paid, they made a one off random payment and still owe a couple of thousand pounds to date and are refusing to talk to her by phone or to reply to letters. She has asked that I call her to make sure that social services payments are completely up to date before I settle their bill, otherwise I'll be reimbursing them for monies they have not actually paid out!

The pensions people came to see me and dad yesterday and whilst dad is not due any more pension the lady was very helpful about some things I can do and watch out for. I still have no decision about attendance allowance.

Thank you everyone who has been so supportive on this thread, it has helped to share my experiences with others.

Savvy_Sue

Social Services will have a complaints procedure, I know it's another thing you could do without but just initiating a complaint may be enough to put them in a more reasonable frame of mind. Just phoning the council's switchboard and asking about how to make a complaint should get you started, or they may have something online.

margaretclare

I thought that you didn't have to pay for the first 12 weeks?

Good news about selling the house.

Margaret

Biggles

margaretclare wrote: »

I thought that you didn't have to pay for the first 12 weeks?

The Council will disregard the value of the house for the first 12 weeks when it comes to the financial assessment. There may still be something to pay, depending on the other assets held by Soolin's Dad.

ampersand

While I'm sure we're pleased to see an element of progress, soolin, the Jobsworth's aggressive stance, compounded by inefficiency, then your Dad's packing for 'homecoming' must be another sort of gruelling experience which you do not need.
We continue to be with you here - have you managed to save some garden bits?
Kind thoughts always.

soolin

Biggles wrote: »

The Council will disregard the value of the house for the first 12 weeks when it comes to the financial assessment. There may still be something to pay, depending on the other assets held by Soolin's Dad.

That's correct, dad has a house and some cash so I knew I had to pay back the 12 weeks that social services say they have paid. It was a bit of a shock though to find that despite phoning me to say I have to pay immediately I get the bill etc they actually hadn't even paid the fees anyway!

Hopefully once this is settled I can get a contract with the home as at the moment I don't have one and whilst I had assumed that SS had signed one it appears they declined.

lastly the house is still uncleared and I am trying desperately to get it finished. The really daft thing is though , and I hesitate to mention this in case I seem stupid, I am loath to go into one of the rooms. I just can't go in there I start to panic and feel dizzy so I am rather tempted to leave that room uncleared and just apologise to the buyers. The very odd thing though is that it is my bedroom, in the very loft of the house and only dates back to the 1970s. Anyway, I have cleared a path through the brambles to the shed but something has fallen against the door inside and I can't get in. I am so tired of it all that again I am tempted to leave it as it is or just pay something to break in through a window and just move everything into a skip for me.

ampersand

soolin wrote: »

really daft thing is though , and I hesitate to mention this in case I seem stupid, I am loath to go into one of the rooms. I just can't go in there I start to panic and feel dizzy so I am rather tempted to leave that room uncleared and just apologise to the buyers. The very odd thing though is that it is my bedroom, in the very loft of the house and only dates back to the 1970s. Anyway, I have cleared a path through the brambles to the shed but something has fallen against the door inside and I can't get in. I am so tired of it all that again I am tempted to leave it as it is or just pay something to break in through a window and just move everything into a skip for me.

##########
Don't beat yourself up with this one as well, soolin.
I wouldn't be surprised if there's something worthwhile for a carbooter/bygones collector or two in that shed.
You've done enough. Yes, now is the time to ease up on yourself and let someone else clear the remainder.

Biggles

We used a local house clearance firm, googling 'house clearance mytown' should bring up one or two.

We sorted through for any valuables, family photos, mementoes etc and let them take the rest; they charged £500 which I felt was good value for the time it saved me, though no doubt it will vary from one area to another and depending on how much stuff they feel there is. If the furniture is any good to resell, they will charge less.

margaretclare

Biggles wrote: »

We used a local house clearance firm, googling 'house clearance mytown' should bring up one or two.

We sorted through for any valuables, family photos, mementoes etc and let them take the rest; they charged £500 which I felt was good value for the time it saved me, though no doubt it will vary from one area to another and depending on how much stuff they feel there is. If the furniture is any good to resell, they will charge less.

Yes, this is what my friends did, after sorting through most of the drawers and cupboards. They couldn't face humping old furniture out - he works permanent nights and she has a bad back.

They've left the 3 sheds untouched.

Margaret

Savvy_Sue

An alternative to a house clearance company might be a de-clutterer: it would cost more at a guess but they'd be working with you, helping to sort through the garbage and disposing of it, rather than just 'clearing'. You might that way feel more confident that nothing precious has been either thrown out or taken away. Maybe they could go into your old bedroom and bring things out?

I realise there may be H&S implications for parts of the house, but for the 'sound' parts it may be a happier option.

On the other hand I wouldn't blame you for just wanting someone else to go and sort it out for you, with you having as little to do with the process as possible. Whatever feels best for you, whatever you can cope with ...