'Office Copy' of LPA - are they recognised?

[pauldee]

I have recently received LPAs for both my parents, for both health & welfare and finance & property, so four in total.
Three of them are fine, but one is a photocopy with 'OFFICE COPY' written in big letters on them. The signatures are all before photocopying. It looks really unofficial, the only thing making it look official is the embossed stamp at the bottom.
My understanding is that this is a 'certified copy', and legally they function the same as the original.
My worry is that other agencies are not going to understand or accept this, and beauraucrats will not accept anything other than the original. Am I right to worry? If people refuse to accept it, is there any legal action I can take? I've been stung by things like this in other areas of life. I've tried contacting the OPG for the original but they've not got back to me after a couple of weeks, and I strongly suspect they've lost it.

Thanks in advance,
Paul

 

[Shedrech]

Hi @pauldee
my understanding is that it's the embossed stamp that makes each document the original
Don't let these out of your possession
What you need to do now is to get some certified copies ... a solicitor will do this by taking copies and then putting their details on each page .. it will cost though

 

[nitram]

I got 2 free office copies of my wife's LPAs, in the old days you could get them by just asking.
They were not embossed, they were pierced 'official copy' at the bottom.
I had no problems using them accompanied with a letter saying they 'purported to be originals'.

I don't think they will have lost them, there will be electronic copies of the originals.
One of my wife's LPAs came back after registration with several stamps, 'Approved', 'Stamped in Error', and another 'Approved'. The first approved had a date in the waiting time before approval, it all looked very messy, dates had to be studied before it made sense.
The office copy only contained the second 'Approved' and looked far better, somebody had reprinted the LPA, stamped it once with the correct date and then made the office copies.

 

[silkiest]

Hi @pauldee , we have an office copy of one of MIL's POAs as the OPG did admit to loosing the original. The accompanying letter stated that it was to be used exactly as the original. Unbelievably they unearthed the original almost a year later so we have an extra copy.
I think they scan all the documents as they arrive and the office copies are made from this. Our office copy is embossed.

 

[Wildflowerlady]

I have 2 office copies of my partners LPA finance and property plus the original. I had originally received the LPA back and I complained because a page was torn obviously causing me concern. A separate letter actually did arrive explaining that although torn it would be valid but in fairness following my complaint they did issue two office copies free of charge. I have the letter stating the torn LPA was/is valid and that the office copies are recognised as being as valid as the original paperwork.
Worse still when partners torn paperwork arrived in the very same envelope there was someone else's LPA it was all their paperwork mistakenly sent to us. I complained to the OPG about that too telling them what a dreadful error because this clearly had lots of information pertaining to someone else. I had to return the LPA/Paperwork to the OPG as they said I couldn't forward it myself to the person directly. 'll be honest and say I did write a brief letter to one of the attorneys and explained to them what had happened because I felt it was a really bad error sending such important documents to the wrong person and the time the paperwork posted back ( which I did next day ) checked by OPG and out again they would have further delays in receiving it.

 

[Wildflowerlady]

Forgot to add a lady called me following my letter explaining about the error of the LPA . I had included my telephone number incase she wanted to ask me anything. The lady was most grateful I had explained the error and wanted to thank me she said she would be chasing up the LPA.

 

[Roman223]

I have 2 office copies of my partners LPA finance and property plus the original. I had originally received the LPA back and I complained because a page was torn obviously causing me concern. A separate letter actually did arrive explaining that although torn it would be valid but in fairness following my complaint they did issue two office copies free of charge. I have the letter stating the torn LPA was/is valid and that the office copies are recognised as being as valid as the original paperwork.
Worse still when partners torn paperwork arrived in the very same envelope there was someone else's LPA it was all their paperwork mistakenly sent to us. I complained to the OPG about that too telling them what a dreadful error because this clearly had lots of information pertaining to someone else. I had to return the LPA/Paperwork to the OPG as they said I couldn't forward it myself to the person directly. 'll be honest and say I did write a brief letter to one of the attorneys and explained to them what had happened because I felt it was a really bad error sending such important documents to the wrong person and the time the paperwork posted back ( which I did next day ) checked by OPG and out again they would have further delays in receiving it.

 

[Roman223]

I have recently received LPAs for both my parents, for both health & welfare and finance & property, so four in total.
Three of them are fine, but one is a photocopy with 'OFFICE COPY' written in big letters on them. The signatures are all before photocopying. It looks really unofficial, the only thing making it look official is the embossed stamp at the bottom.
My understanding is that this is a 'certified copy', and legally they function the same as the original.
My worry is that other agencies are not going to understand or accept this, and beauraucrats will not accept anything other than the original. Am I right to worry? If people refuse to accept it, is there any legal action I can take? I've been stung by things like this in other areas of life. I've tried contacting the OPG for the original but they've not got back to me after a couple of weeks, and I strongly suspect they've lost it.

Thanks in advance,
Paul

 

[Roman223]

Hello Paul, just out of interest how long did it take for you to receive the LPA'S? I'm still waiting for my mother's even though it has been over 20 weeks. I have been in touch with the OPG and they said it will take another 3/4 weeks! I really don't understand what the hold up is!! Apart from the excuse of Covid .....

 

[JHA]

Hello Paul, just out of interest how long did it take for you to receive the LPA'S? I'm still waiting for my mother's even though it has been over 20 weeks. I have been in touch with the OPG and they said it will take another 3/4 weeks! I really don't understand what the hold up is!! Apart from the excuse of Covid .....

My moms POA's were submitted early October we had a letter a while ago saying they anticipate completion within 2 weeks of 17th Jan but then put a disclaimer saying Covid may affect this.

 

[pauldee]

Hi @pauldee
my understanding is that it's the embossed stamp that makes each document the original
Don't let these out of your possession
What you need to do now is to get some certified copies ... a solicitor will do this by taking copies and then putting their details on each page .. it will cost though

You say don't let them out of you possession but my partner has had to send hers in the post a few times.

 

[pauldee]

I got 2 free office copies of my wife's LPAs, in the old days you could get them by just asking.
They were not embossed, they were pierced 'official copy' at the bottom.
I had no problems using them accompanied with a letter saying they 'purported to be originals'.

I don't think they will have lost them, there will be electronic copies of the originals.
One of my wife's LPAs came back after registration with several stamps, 'Approved', 'Stamped in Error', and another 'Approved'. The first approved had a date in the waiting time before approval, it all looked very messy, dates had to be studied before it made sense.
The office copy only contained the second 'Approved' and looked far better, somebody had reprinted the LPA, stamped it once with the correct date and then made the office copies.

It never arrived with the others, I had to request it. I could have been lost in the post but my money's on OPG losing it.

 

[pauldee]

Hi @pauldee , we have an office copy of one of MIL's POAs as the OPG did admit to loosing the original. The accompanying letter stated that it was to be used exactly as the original. Unbelievably they unearthed the original almost a year later so we have an extra copy.
I think they scan all the documents as they arrive and the office copies are made from this. Our office copy is embossed.

Not unbelievable at all.

 

[pauldee]

I have 2 office copies of my partners LPA finance and property plus the original. I had originally received the LPA back and I complained because a page was torn obviously causing me concern. A separate letter actually did arrive explaining that although torn it would be valid but in fairness following my complaint they did issue two office copies free of charge. I have the letter stating the torn LPA was/is valid and that the office copies are recognised as being as valid as the original paperwork.
Worse still when partners torn paperwork arrived in the very same envelope there was someone else's LPA it was all their paperwork mistakenly sent to us. I complained to the OPG about that too telling them what a dreadful error because this clearly had lots of information pertaining to someone else. I had to return the LPA/Paperwork to the OPG as they said I couldn't forward it myself to the person directly. 'll be honest and say I did write a brief letter to one of the attorneys and explained to them what had happened because I felt it was a really bad error sending such important documents to the wrong person and the time the paperwork posted back ( which I did next day ) checked by OPG and out again they would have further delays in receiving it.

That's quite shocking.

 

[pauldee]

Hello Paul, just out of interest how long did it take for you to receive the LPA'S? I'm still waiting for my mother's even though it has been over 20 weeks. I have been in touch with the OPG and they said it will take another 3/4 weeks! I really don't understand what the hold up is!! Apart from the excuse of Covid .....

It was a long time. I don't think it was 20 weeks, possibly 10, but I got the impression a backlog was building up.