Power of Attorney (Scotland)

[poppywillow]

So Mum suddenly announced today that she wants me to 'look after her affairs' . Which is great as I have been trying for ages to persuade her to draw up a power of attorney. However, she has never actually been diagnosed with dementia and, in fact, never visits her GP. I am aware that someone has to certify that she is 'of sound mind' - how does this work under these circumstances? Also she is not really able to go to the solicitors' office - do they do home visits? Not sure how to progress this really.

 

[Kezzamac]

Hi
You don't need to do it through a solicitor, you can do it all online. I'm assuming things are the same in Scotland. You should be able to fill all the forms in online then print them off and get the relevant people to sign their bits.
The person who certifies it just has to be someone who has know them for a certain amount of years and can say that they understand what they're signing. It's about £200 to register each POA (financial and health).
Hope this helps.

 

[poppywillow]

Thanks Kezzamac. I was just concerned about the getting someone who knows how she is to sign it..Mum is confused but with it enough to know what she wants to do ie let me have POA.

 

[marionq]

Thanks Kezzamac. I was just concerned about the getting someone who knows how she is to sign it..Mum is confused but with it enough to know what she wants to do ie let me have POA.

Being aware of what she is doing is enough. Would a friend or neighbour do it for you? They just have to say they know her and she is aware not sign their life away.

 

[Izzy]

I went to a local solicitor to have ours drawn up. My husband had just been diagnosed. The solicitor didn't ask for anyone else to confirm capacity. He just had a talk with us. I was in the process of organising one for my mother. The week the solicitor was going to come to the house to see her my mum went into hospital. I didn't then follow it up as it would have been clear to anyone that she didn't have capacity. The solicitor said she would be happy having a chat with my mum in terms of confirming capacity.

I didn't consider doing it myself. The solicitor lodged our with the office of the public guardian in Edinburgh.

This is a booklet about the process in Scotland.

http://www.publicguardian-scotland....de-to-making-a-power-of-attorney.pdf?sfvrsn=4

 

[marionq]

Yes so did we Izzy and in Scotland the cost including registration is about £300 for Finance and Welfare. The problem here is getting the lady to the solicitor so online might be better. Remember to register it straight away if you do.

 

[Izzy]

The problem here is getting the lady to the solicitor

That was the same with my mum as our solicitor's office is a flight of stairs. They said it was no problem for a solicitor to come to our house.

 

[poppywillow]

Thanks everyone - will look into it more - just glad that she has agreed to it at last!