Current poa registration timescale

snowygirl

Registered User
Jan 9, 2014
151
0
Did you hear me singing and screaming :)...LPA on my doormat on Friday.. approx 20 weeks!! Now waiting for mums!! :(
 

nitram

Registered User
Apr 6, 2011
30,326
0
Bury
"Probably not going to do anything with them yet as Mum still has capacity"

Get her to self certify a few copies, much better than paying for a solicitor later on!!!

The letter from the OPG most likely told you what to do, if not post back for details.

An easy way is to scan the documents, print to PDF, add a footer with the wording, print, and sign. You could also print onto sheets with the wording pre-printed but beware multiple passes with some laser printers.
 

Raggedrobin

Registered User
Jan 20, 2014
1,425
0
Congrats to piph and snowy.:D I am still waiting for bank to release money, due to various hiccups, so the 'real' time from applying for Poa finance and being able to access mum's funds has been coming up for 6 months. :rolleyes:
 

nitram

Registered User
Apr 6, 2011
30,326
0
Bury
No, she will have to sign every sheet, copied signatures are not acceptable.

PS
There is actually a way to make certify copies of certified copies but I don't think you will do it, nor do I think a typical bank would understand it, you would need to go armed with a sledgehammer and a copy of the act.

3(2)
Where a copy of an instrument creating a power of attorney has been made which complies with subsection (1) of this section, the contents of the instrument may also be proved by means of a copy of that copy if the further copy itself complies with that subsection, taking references in it to the original as references to the copy from which the further copy is made.

>>>POWER OF ATTORNEY ACT<<<
 

Beate

Registered User
May 21, 2014
12,179
0
London
Why would you have to leave the original with a solicitor? Can't you go there and wait while they certify? Shouldn't take long, and you can pay the copies there and then. Shouldn't cost much more than £5 per copy.
 

nitram

Registered User
Apr 6, 2011
30,326
0
Bury
You don't need that many copies.

Job Centre Plus will certify a copy FOC for all DWP purposes - state pensions and benefits.

If you can visit any institution they can take a copy of your certified copy while you wait.

Not everybody has to be informed at once, you can wait for the return of the certified copy and send it to the next person. Ask for it to be returned and stick a 'post it' on the copy saying 'do not shred, to be returned', several organisations scan everything on receipt and shred originals.

You can always get extra certified copies later on if needs be, one copy will protect the original
 

nitram

Registered User
Apr 6, 2011
30,326
0
Bury
Do the private pension companies have offices near where you live?
If so they could take a copy, certify it, and send it to the relevant office.
 

Pickles53

Registered User
Feb 25, 2014
2,474
0
Radcliffe on Trent
Why would you have to leave the original with a solicitor? Can't you go there and wait while they certify? Shouldn't take long, and you can pay the copies there and then. Shouldn't cost much more than £5 per copy.

I paid £5 for one copy from the solicitor and so far that plus a free one certified by Jobcentre for the DWP has been enough. You do of course have to let the original out of your sight when you send it to the OPG so I have sent it by special delivery tracked so I know it has been delivered.
 

nitram

Registered User
Apr 6, 2011
30,326
0
Bury
Ring them u p and ask if they have an office local to you.

I live near Manchester - just a free OAP metrolink journey away - and was able to get an office or agent they would accept for all of them without a direct local presence.

My (our) affairs were a bit complicated, I had a total of 27 institutions to inform and nothing went by post!!!
 

Chemmy

Registered User
Nov 7, 2011
7,589
0
Yorkshire
Sent MIL's LPA off to register it on 15 May.

Received certified documents back today.

One concern... our daughter who was one of the persons to be notified has not been contacted and we don't believe the other one (our nephew) has either.

In our case, that isn't a problem but it's a bit sloppy nonetheless.
 

nitram

Registered User
Apr 6, 2011
30,326
0
Bury
People to be notified are notified that registration is being made, the person registering states that they have done this,the OPG are not directly involved..
 

nitram

Registered User
Apr 6, 2011
30,326
0
Bury
If there are two certificate providers there is no requirement for any 'people to be told'.

What abuse are you thinking about?
 

Chemmy

Registered User
Nov 7, 2011
7,589
0
Yorkshire
Let's suppose I am the donor. I have one attorney, one certificate provider and two nominated persons to be told.

Then suppose the attorney isn't as honest and trusting as I thought he was.

The attorney decides to register the LPA but fails to inform the nominated persons. The OPG does not apparently check this has been done, so the LPA is registered.

The dishonest attorney now has full control over my finances, without the safety checks which I thought I had put in place being invoked.

Hypothetical situation but plausible surely?

I suppose if concerns were raised in the future, the OPG might pursue the attorney but by then the bank accounts could quite easily have been raided.
 
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Raggedrobin

Registered User
Jan 20, 2014
1,425
0
Yes Chemmy, that is true. I think on some levels LPAs are very open to abuse. Someone who doesn't have capacity could in theory sign the documents, or have their signature forged, someone who is in on the scam acts as witness, and someone else who is dodgy is the person to be informed. This can all be done without a GP or solicitor being involved. It worries me, re vulnerable adults and I wonder how much abuse of the system takes place.
 

nitram

Registered User
Apr 6, 2011
30,326
0
Bury
Agreed that is true, it's up to the donor to appoint more than one attorney, sensible also in case a sole attorney can't act thus voiding the power.

All attorneys would be informed leaving the route open for one of them to object.

It's no different to the rest of the system, unless there is an objection on prescribed grounds the OPG does not check anything about certificate providers and witnesses, to do so would be difficult because they may have changed address or died by the time application to register was made.

It's the same with wills, if there are sufficient people willing to collude it is possible to forge a will although if backdating it several years you would need a typewriter and maybe some old paper.

The system relies on the low chance of people colluding and the difficulty of one person forging the signatures.

Forcing solicitors to be involved in creating an LPA would be one way to overcome the problem but this is obviously not the way the COP/OPG are heading with the introduction of the on line tool.

Grounds for objection to registration are on P3 of >>>THIS DOCUMENT<<<