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Escape to the country & living off savings

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Comments

  • Skint_yet_Again
    Skint_yet_Again Posts: 8,645 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Hung up my suit! Mortgage-free Glee!
    Sorry to drag up old memories for you Tresinia 
    I pinched “sadmin” from another thread as I think it sums it up perfectly 🥺

    Reply now received from the mobile company which states that as the refund is only £4 they cannot send a cheque as their minimum is £10. It has taken them since mid August to tell me this 😡 So I have told them to send a goodwill gesture cheque for £11 due to the distress they are causing. Don’t want to claim “compo” but also don’t want to faff with the ombudsman if I can avoid it just for £4 !! 

    Today I am planning a visit to nearby little town to go to dad’s bank & try to get executor expenses reimbursed. I believe they will give out for the plaque (funeral expense) and probate application. Then I can put the money back in my diy / interest/ emergency pot which currently stands at £294.94 and should then have enough to pay for my new radiator. I’m just waiting on a quote from the plumber. 

    0% credit card £1360 & 0% Car Loan £7500 ~ paid in full JAN 2020 = NOW DEBT FREE 🤗
    House sale OCT 2022 = NOW MORTGAGE FREE 🤗
    House purchase completed FEB 2023 🥳🍾 Left work. 🤗

    Retired at 55 & now living off the equity £10k a year (until pensions start at 60 & 67).

    Previous Savings diary https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5597938/get-a-grip/p1

    Living off savings diary
    https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6429003/escape-to-the-country-living-off-savings/p1
  • jwil
    jwil Posts: 22,599 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    They're taking the mick!  Just think how much they could be sitting on if they refuse to refund less than £10 each time.
    "Good financial planning is about not spending money on things that add no value to your life in order to have more money for the things that do". Eoin McGee
  • SuzeQStan
    SuzeQStan Posts: 1,899 Forumite
    Fifth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Homepage Hero Photogenic
    This process is a real eye opener SYA - thank you for sharing it - and I really hope that cheque is on its way! 🤞🏻🤞🏻
    Lancashire
    PV 5.04kWp SW facing
    Solar Battery 6.5 kWh 
    🐙 Intelligent Go

    Mortgage freedom January 2024 - paid off 7 years early by making overpayments where we could.

  • Tresinia511
    Tresinia511 Posts: 269 Forumite
    100 Posts First Anniversary Name Dropper
    Sya, s'okay, I am almost 6 years into my loss now.  I have found it does get easier as memories which were unbearable in the first months and years now give me comfort , I can watch old videos and look at pictures with pleasure now,  a thing which is so bittersweet during the time.  I take my hat off to you navigating the probate process yourself,  I handed it all over to the solicitor, not sure if it was the right decision but it's such a responsibility and as you have shown,  a faff
  • badmemory
    badmemory Posts: 10,109 Forumite
    Ninth Anniversary 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    I did probate for my mother & frankly found satisfaction in after years by making a point of not putting money into the pockets of those who made life difficult.
  • Skint_yet_Again
    Skint_yet_Again Posts: 8,645 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Hung up my suit! Mortgage-free Glee!
    Thanks jwil, Suze, Tresinia & badmemory 😊

    I don’t think there is a right or wrong thing Tresinia it’s all a choice. Once I thought I could do it I didn’t want to hand control over to a solicitor who would charge for the work and take at least twice as long but I came close to it and can understand not being able to face it, especially when it came to the trust 🤯

    Have now received an email from probate office confirming receipt of documents (original will, codicil, PA15 & death cert) posted 4/11/2025. Royal Mail tracking showed delivery on 5/11/2025. Fingers crossed it doesn’t take long. 🤞 

    Removed a few things from dads that I had forgotten about in the cupboard under the stairs, checked round & emptied the dehumidifiers. Then popped into little town and Dads bank (H fax) were fantastic. I emailed the receipt from council for plaque and probate receipt and they refunded into my account. 

    Interest / emergency pot now £940.94. Can’t remember what I spent some of the money (4k) on as circumstances have taken up space in my memory but I know there was new fence, chimney pointing, flashing & cement on top & I’m still due money for dads empty home insurance £470 which will be refunded from the main executor account once we have probate. 
    0% credit card £1360 & 0% Car Loan £7500 ~ paid in full JAN 2020 = NOW DEBT FREE 🤗
    House sale OCT 2022 = NOW MORTGAGE FREE 🤗
    House purchase completed FEB 2023 🥳🍾 Left work. 🤗

    Retired at 55 & now living off the equity £10k a year (until pensions start at 60 & 67).

    Previous Savings diary https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5597938/get-a-grip/p1

    Living off savings diary
    https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6429003/escape-to-the-country-living-off-savings/p1
  • Skint_yet_Again
    Skint_yet_Again Posts: 8,645 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Hung up my suit! Mortgage-free Glee!
    Can’t believe it … mobile company have replied to say £11 is below the minimum for a cheque 😡🤬

    So I have told them to send me a cheque for £50 or face the ombudsman. So angry 😤 
    0% credit card £1360 & 0% Car Loan £7500 ~ paid in full JAN 2020 = NOW DEBT FREE 🤗
    House sale OCT 2022 = NOW MORTGAGE FREE 🤗
    House purchase completed FEB 2023 🥳🍾 Left work. 🤗

    Retired at 55 & now living off the equity £10k a year (until pensions start at 60 & 67).

    Previous Savings diary https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5597938/get-a-grip/p1

    Living off savings diary
    https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6429003/escape-to-the-country-living-off-savings/p1
  • Tresinia511
    Tresinia511 Posts: 269 Forumite
    100 Posts First Anniversary Name Dropper
    Good news about h. fax. Boo to mobile company.  Time to up the ante with complaint and compensation i think.  Ask for £500 and work backwards. The Ombudsman is definitely worth pursuing 
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