Elderly relative, no ID, hassle from energy company and others

freesha

Another one here to say you have clearly misunderstood what an LPA is and when to get one. Get it sorted NOW.

TBagpuss

It may be worth having a conversation about what, specifically, the principal is on which they refuse to use DDs? 

It may be that they feel it reduces the level of control that they have ver their own finances, but possibly expalining about the DD guarantee, the fact that they will still recieve bills and that they can cancel the DD at any time, may help. (Also explaining that most providers offer a discount for paying this way)

I agree with others that setting up a POA now is a good idea - you (or whomoever the secect as attorney) can't do anything without their consent as long as they retian capacity, so they can chose to have to inolved as much or as little as they wish.

One option you may want to think about is to set up a new account for them with you as an authorised signatory, which would allow you to operate that account for them (as well as their being able to do so) with a view to you making payments or setting  up a DD or standing order.

Brie

Are the companies they deal with aware that they should be considered vulnerable?  This might help in moderating the type of demands being made.

And I agree with the other about getting PoA set up.  I was lazily working to get this done for MiL.  Could have done it in March but didn't get around to it.  She got ill in April and is no longer able to have one set up.  Her recent move to a care home nearly needed to go to court of protection as she didn't understand what was happening to her.  

thegreenone

OP could you make an appointment with your Relative's bank or even your own, go together to ask for a solution.  My thought would be a joint account with you having internet banking access and Relative phoning you up and saying "please pay £x for my water bill.  When you pay a bill you can give her a print out to show her account funds and transactions.

My late Mum wanted a joint account with me so I would have funeral funds when the time came.  She paid in much more.  When Covid hit, I did her food shopping and she would then either give me a cheque or when her handwriting became shaky, she used to tell me to transfer X to my account to cover costs.  Later, when she was hospitalised after a fall, I set up internet banking from the Joint and paid her bills.  Up till then she was "a cheque lady".  No DDs.

At the stage of taking out the joint account the only photo ID Mum would've had was her Blue Badge.  Halifax (my bank) set it up within an hour.

I do agree with the others re LPA.  Fortunately, Mum had done this and updated her Will just before the fall.

Savvy_Sue

TBagpuss said:

It may be worth having a conversation about what, specifically, the principal is on which they refuse to use DDs? 
It may be that they feel it reduces the level of control that they have ver their own finances, but possibly expalining about the DD guarantee, the fact that thye will stil lrecieeve bilsls and that they can cancel the DD at any time, may help. (Also explaining that most providers offer a discount for paying this way)

That point about the DD guarantee is, I think, very useful: I've had to use it a couple of times, and it's been really straightforward. 

macman

While there is likely to be a longer term need for an LPA and the use of DD's in the future, the solution to the immediate issue with the energy supplier is what I already suggested: that the OP pays the bills by DD from her own account, and the relative repays by cheque. 
Far less stressful and intimidating for the relative, slightly inconvenient for the OP to have to pay in a monthly cheque.

Keep_pedalling

macman said:

While there is likely to be a longer term need for an LPA and the use of DD's in the future, the solution to the immediate issue with the energy supplier is what I already suggested: that the OP pays the bills by DD from her own account, and the relative repays by cheque. 
Far less stressful and intimidating for the relative, slightly inconvenient for the OP to have to pay in a monthly cheque.

More than slightly inconvenient for the OP is suddenly the relative if no longer able to write cheques to cover the DD payments.

tooldle

Definitely more than slightly inconvenient. If the OP is working and not normally in the vicinity of a bank, then they are giving up precious weekend time to accommodate their intransient relative. Life moves on and sometimes we don't like it, but we cannot expect the world to only suit us at the expense of other people's time (and money in the case of the supplier).  Cheques have not been main stream for many years now and i'm not surprised the suppliers is asking the customers to update their payment method. Not bullying, more making the customer aware of changing practice. 

macman

The OP can only deal with what is in front of them at present. At present, the elderly relative is still capable of writing cheques and posting them. The OP does not have to physically pay the cheques in, most banking apps allow you to take a pic of the cheque and pay it in that way. 
The OP is presumably willing to put up with some inconvenience, or they would not be asking for advice.
My suggestion did not dismiss the creation of an LPA or the use of DD's (indeed they should certainly be pursued), but was a way of dealing with the immediate issue with the energy supplier.
It might also reduce the bills a bit, if they are currently surcharging for non-DD payment.
The fundamental problem here is that the ER does not want to surrender what they perceive as control over their finances, which is perfectly understandable.

KxMx

The days of having to physically pay in a cheque are long gone. 
Most banking apps will allow digital deposits, with the cheque clearing no later than end of next working day.