Hi all, new to the forum but I hope someone can help me out.
My wife looked after her elderly mother for years, taking her out regularly and visiting her every day.
About 4 years ago she noticed that her mother was getting more forgetful and confused. She was missing paying bills and losing or misplacing her money.
In order to keep things right my wife became a joint account holder with her mother and made sure everything was being paid.
In April 2019 her mother's dementia was so bad that the stress of looking after her put my wife at the risk of a stroke.
She contacted the social work who arranged an emergency admission to a council run care home.
After a week or so it was decided that her mother was to stay in the care home permanently. My wife gave the council all her mum's financial details and told them she could set up a direct debit as she had a joint account with her mother. She has no power of attorney.
It was agreed that most of her mother's pension would pay for her care and the direct debit was set up. The invoices were sent to my wife's address as her mother's council house had been given up.
At the end of April 2020 her mother passed away. My wife closed her bank account and the small amount that was in it went towards her funeral costs.
On the 21st of May 2020 my wife received a bill from the council for over £3000. When she called up about it she was told that her mother had been paying the admission amount and not the correct amount.
My wife asked why it had taken over a year to work this out but was fudged an answer.
My wife told the council that her mother owed them the money not her, and that it wasn't her debt.
We never heard another thing about it until Saturday when a letter arrived saying dear customer you owe us over £3000 and if you don't pay up in 7 days we may pass it on to a debt collection agency.
Two things, my wife wasn't a customer, her mother was, and why the bolt from the blue after nearly 17 months.
My wife has no income, I am the only earner, and my wages are not in the high bracket so we struggle to get by.
I phoned my union legal help line but it wasn't anything they were sure about.
I would like to go to a solicitor but as I said, money is tight.
Does anyone have any idea how my wife stands legally or can lend some advice.
Sorry for the war and peace post but I really don't know where to turn.
My wife looked after her elderly mother for years, taking her out regularly and visiting her every day.
About 4 years ago she noticed that her mother was getting more forgetful and confused. She was missing paying bills and losing or misplacing her money.
In order to keep things right my wife became a joint account holder with her mother and made sure everything was being paid.
In April 2019 her mother's dementia was so bad that the stress of looking after her put my wife at the risk of a stroke.
She contacted the social work who arranged an emergency admission to a council run care home.
After a week or so it was decided that her mother was to stay in the care home permanently. My wife gave the council all her mum's financial details and told them she could set up a direct debit as she had a joint account with her mother. She has no power of attorney.
It was agreed that most of her mother's pension would pay for her care and the direct debit was set up. The invoices were sent to my wife's address as her mother's council house had been given up.
At the end of April 2020 her mother passed away. My wife closed her bank account and the small amount that was in it went towards her funeral costs.
On the 21st of May 2020 my wife received a bill from the council for over £3000. When she called up about it she was told that her mother had been paying the admission amount and not the correct amount.
My wife asked why it had taken over a year to work this out but was fudged an answer.
My wife told the council that her mother owed them the money not her, and that it wasn't her debt.
We never heard another thing about it until Saturday when a letter arrived saying dear customer you owe us over £3000 and if you don't pay up in 7 days we may pass it on to a debt collection agency.
Two things, my wife wasn't a customer, her mother was, and why the bolt from the blue after nearly 17 months.
My wife has no income, I am the only earner, and my wages are not in the high bracket so we struggle to get by.
I phoned my union legal help line but it wasn't anything they were sure about.
I would like to go to a solicitor but as I said, money is tight.
Does anyone have any idea how my wife stands legally or can lend some advice.
Sorry for the war and peace post but I really don't know where to turn.