House Repossessed While Caring For Mum With Dementia

[Completelyataloss1]

Hi, d

I don't know if there is anything I can do about this but I am hoping.

I found out last month that my house in Kent had been repossessed by the bank after I had run up £100 in arrears on a property worth somewhere in the region of £2000,000. I am on benefits having being diagnosed with stress, depression and anxiety. I got a letter from Taylor Rose last month saying they were holding on to the balance for me but could not talk to me about it until I proved who I am. They asked me to refer back to the bank.

18 months before I had a phone call that my mother, diagnosed with dementia, had burnt herself accidentally. It was bad and I ran out the door with a couple of shirts to my name. I quickly found that her care was 24/7 and that the rest of the family was not going to do it. There's a 250 mile distance between my home and her's. I moved in but never expected to be here until now and never expected care to be so immersive. I tried to kill myself in April.

I thought the benefits took care of the mortgage. I paid the utilities. I did not think, other than it would be dirty and overgrown, that there would be a problem. As Mum was - and is - in such need I was going to sell and tried to arrange cleaning etc. from long distance.

I should have told the bank but I didn't see the need. I did not even tell my doctors and kept signing on as a temporary resident a at a local GP. Of course everything in my house has been sold on, including my ID. Clearly a black document case is not important and was sold with everything else. It had my birth certificate, passport, original mortgage documents, etc.

The bank sent all the appropriate letters to my house but complained they did not have a phone number. I proved to them they had my email address and had sent me messages before. A 'We are trying to contact you' would have solved the arrears. They also had details of a Rethink specialist - phone number, fax and email - who had been my advocate on mortgage matters with the bank the year earlier.

Since then, the bank has refused to acknowledge my letters. This is the Customer Resolutions Manager.

Two questions:

1) Can I embarrass/demand compensation from the bank for not exhausting 'all reseasonable measures' to contact me? (Shelter seems to think so but I am not sure.) Can I do the same for the loss of my ID?

2) Can I 'force' them to talk to Taylor Rose to get my money released? (I have asked them to 'assist me' but as I said, it has been ignored. I am guessing they do not want to commit themselves to any acknowledgement of ID loss/possible future fraud.)

I am at a loss and would appreciate any help. I am an idiot who probably got what he deserved but is there anything salvageable for me?

Thank you.

[Guest]

Re: House Repossessed While Caring For Mum With Dementia

Hi, d

I don't know if there is anything I can do about this but I am hoping.

I found out last month that my house in Kent had been repossessed by the bank after I had run up £100 in arrears on a property worth somewhere in the region of £2000,000. I am on benefits having being diagnosed with stress, depression and anxiety. I got a letter from Taylor Rose last month saying they were holding on to the balance for me but could not talk to me about it until I proved who I am. They asked me to refer back to the bank.

18 months before I had a phone call that my mother, diagnosed with dementia, had burnt herself accidentally. It was bad and I ran out the door with a couple of shirts to my name. I quickly found that her care was 24/7 and that the rest of the family was not going to do it. There's a 250 mile distance between my home and her's. I moved in but never expected to be here until now and never expected care to be so immersive. I tried to kill myself in April.

I thought the benefits took care of the mortgage. I paid the utilities. I did not think, other than it would be dirty and overgrown, that there would be a problem. As Mum was - and is - in such need I was going to sell and tried to arrange cleaning etc. from long distance.

I should have told the bank but I didn't see the need. I did not even tell my doctors and kept signing on as a temporary resident a at a local GP. Of course everything in my house has been sold on, including my ID. Clearly a black document case is not important and was sold with everything else. It had my birth certificate, passport, original mortgage documents, etc.

The bank sent all the appropriate letters to my house but complained they did not have a phone number. I proved to them they had my email address and had sent me messages before. A 'We are trying to contact you' would have solved the arrears. They also had details of a Rethink specialist - phone number, fax and email - who had been my advocate on mortgage matters with the bank the year earlier.

Since then, the bank has refused to acknowledge my letters. This is the Customer Resolutions Manager.

Two questions:

1) Can I embarrass/demand compensation from the bank for not exhausting 'all reseasonable measures' to contact me? (Shelter seems to think so but I am not sure.) Can I do the same for the loss of my ID?

2) Can I 'force' them to talk to Taylor Rose to get my money released? (I have asked them to 'assist me' but as I said, it has been ignored. I am guessing they do not want to commit themselves to any acknowledgement of ID loss/possible future fraud.)

I am at a loss and would appreciate any help. I am an idiot who probably got what he deserved but is there anything salvageable for me?

Thank you.

Would a simple request for help to a legal advisor have helped?
Once you get a problem that you can't deal with, isn't time to call for help?
You've come to the "free help" from LB, why not the professionals?

[Guest]

Re: House Repossessed While Caring For Mum With Dementia

Surprised no answers from a "caring forum"

[Guest]

Re: House Repossessed While Caring For Mum With Dementia

Very upset no answers!

[Guest]

Re: House Repossessed While Caring For Mum With Dementia

I found out last month that my house in Kent had been repossessed by the bank after I had run up £100 in arrears on a property worth somewhere in the region of £2000,000.

With such a positive financial position, why such arrears?
Simple question WHY?

[Completelyataloss1]

Re: House Repossessed While Caring For Mum With Dementia

Simple question and simple answer: because of my poor mental health. I thought my benefits were taking care of the mortgage interest. I get confused very easily. It was, like I said, stupid. I'm embarrassed at my situation.

[Amethyst]

Re: House Repossessed While Caring For Mum With Dementia

Morning - your thread seems to have got missed up here in the welcome forum, I'll move it for you, and have read see if I can help, if not I'll tag someone in who can xxx

[Amethyst]

Re: House Repossessed While Caring For Mum With Dementia

I found out last month that my house in Kent had been repossessed by the bank after I had run up £100 in arrears on a property worth somewhere in the region of £2000,000.

Were the arrears on the mortgage £100 on a property worth £200,000 ? I'm guessing that's not right - had you actually not been paying the mortgage at all since moving up to be with your mum thinking benefits were covering it so there were 18 months arrears ?

Have you got copies of the documentation regarding the repossession off of the bank / courts now?

[MENTION=87380]Diana M[/MENTION];

The bank sent all the appropriate letters to my house but complained they did not have a phone number. I proved to them they had my email address and had sent me messages before. A 'We are trying to contact you' would have solved the arrears. They also had details of a Rethink specialist - phone number, fax and email - who had been my advocate on mortgage matters with the bank the year earlier.

[Completelyataloss1]

Re: House Repossessed While Caring For Mum With Dementia

Typo, Amethyst. That should have rad £1,000 arrears. I had thought the benefits were covering the mortgage. I went interest only as soon as I was made redundant to make the benefit cost less. Which is why I used Rethink because I could not get my head around what was paid or not. I still maintain that an email to me or a message to Rethink would have stopped all this; I could have borrowed the money from my Mum to pay the arrears, I could have attended court to explain my situation. I am not disputing that I am asking for free information as accused earlier but I wasn't looking really for free legal advice but more 'Is it wise for me to do this? Who do I promote this problem to if indeed I should promote it?' I thought the forum would have better answers on that - and experience - than a solicitor.

To explain briefly and without it sounding like an excuse (which it does): 'I'm just trying to get through the days'. I look after my Mum 24/7. I have 1 hour a day off when a carer comes in and otherwise that's it. It was tough enough dealing with my own problems but with my Mum's as well...My Mum is better for my care, I'm glad to say. The GP has commended me on that but also said I have buried my problems behind her's; which is true.

I was just trying to find out if Santander had helped toward future fraud and how it is they can ignore my requests to talk to Taylor Rose to release said money so I can pay some of my Mum's bills? Again, I'm not that concerned about my future. I want to make sure Mum is happy.

And yes, I have copies of the Santander notifications now. I just wish they had emailed me or Rethink.

[Amethyst]

Re: House Repossessed While Caring For Mum With Dementia

I don't think Spirit meant to have a go at you at all, just that you might be better getting formal legal advice on this - it does seem processes weren't really followed.
Have they sold the property now and was there any shortfall or was there equity? How much was the actual outstanding mortgage at the time you got repossessed ? £1000 arrears over the period you were away really doesn't sound like very much - what were your actual monthly payments due after you'd moved to interest only?

[Diana M]

Re: House Repossessed While Caring For Mum With Dementia

Which is why I used Rethink because I could not get my head around what was paid or not. I still maintain that an email to me or a message to Rethink would have stopped all this

. . . . I have copies of the Santander notifications now. I just wish they had emailed me or Rethink.

If you had given Santander authorisation to speak/deal with Rethink then I would expected them to have contacted them about the possession proceedings so you could have dealt with any court claim.

I assume the money held by Taylor Rose (solicitors for the lender) is the money left after the property was sold by the lender. I'm not sure why they are refusing to deal with you?

You can't put the clock back since from what you say the property has now been sold. But it wasn't just a 'property' it was your home!

What's happened to your possessions assuming it wasn't completely empty when they took possession? Is this the reason for you having concerns over potential ID theft/fraud?

Did you have PPI with the mortgage?

This situation needs to be unravelled. Shelter has already advised you that.

Di

[Diana M]

Re: House Repossessed While Caring For Mum With Dementia

£1000 arrears over the period you were away really doesn't sound like very much - what were your actual monthly payments due after you'd moved to interest only?

A lender allowing a borrower to change to interest only payments is only a 'concession' not a change to the terms of the original mortgage/loan which would be applicable to a possession claim.

The court may see it (agreement to pay interest only for a defined period) as reason to make a Suspended Possession Order but that would be at the judge's discretion.

Di

[Diana M]

Re: House Repossessed While Caring For Mum With Dementia

I thought the benefits took care of the mortgage.

. . . . Of course everything in my house has been sold on, including my ID. Clearly a black document case is not important and was sold with everything else. It had my birth certificate, passport, original mortgage documents, etc.

. . . They also had details of a Rethink specialist - phone number, fax and email - who had been my advocate on mortgage matters with the bank the year earlier.

On re-reading this post I can see that you did have a mental health advocate from Rethink who previously dealt with Santander. What happened to them?

Also do you know who authorised and enabled the sale of your possessions in preference to putting them into storage (since you say that there was money left over from the property sale which may have been sufficient to cover the cost)?

You need help to protect your ID from abuse - will Rethink help you with that?

Di

[Completelyataloss1]

Re: House Repossessed While Caring For Mum With Dementia

Apologies to Spirit. I take on board what Amethyst is saying. I'm still sensitive about this situation.

To answer some questions: Santander had already dealt with Rethink. They were my appointed advocates. Lisa from same had provided Santander with a phone number, fax and her email. They had corresponded a year before. Santander also had my email address and had corresponded with me before. In their one and only letter they sent my copies of all the notices they had sent to my house - unanswered of course and said they had 'no other contact details like a phone number'.

The Customer Resolution Manager (for she was the author) told me that all the belongings were stacked by a company called Move With Us and are sold 'sight as seen'. I went through the document box and what it contained but that was ignored. As were my subsequent letters, emails. I asked for Santander's 'assistance' in talking to Taylor Rose (as they have the balance of £170,000) but would not discuss even the amount with me (I found that out from the copied Santander letters) as I had to prove who I was - with ID. That I no longer have.

My concern about fraud is only that of a general fear. My document box is somewhere. Nobody can tell me where. I rang Santander to cancel my DDs (prior to moving) and their recorded message is 'Beware of fraud. Do not give your personal details to anyone...' I pointed out this was ironic and tragic.

Rethink are furious and want to publicize. They believe Santander was, shall we say, 'unwise' and acted blithely and without care and attention. I was only seeking forum feedback to see if anyone had suffered a similar experience. It was more than a property to me, yes. It was my home and I have lost things of considerable personal value too. I am asking, 'Can Santander do this? Can they refuse to talk to Taylor Rose (as they are still doing)? Can they refuse to talk to me?' Their only response is to ring the call centre.

[Diana M]

Re: House Repossessed While Caring For Mum With Dementia

Santander had already dealt with Rethink. They were my appointed advocates. Lisa from same had provided Santander with a phone number, fax and her email. They had corresponded a year before. Santander also had my email address and had corresponded with me before. In their one and only letter they sent my copies of all the notices they had sent to my house - unanswered of course and said they had 'no other contact details like a phone number'.

The Customer Resolution Manager (for she was the author) told me that all the belongings were stacked by a company called Move With Us and are sold 'sight as seen'.

. . . . My document box is somewhere. Nobody can tell me where.

. . . . Rethink are furious and want to publicize. They believe Santander was, shall we say, 'unwise' and acted blithely and without care and attention.

I'm not surprised Rethink are furious. And you've every right to be furious and beyond.

To say there was a breakdown in communication would sound trite - so I won't say that.

When there are multiple people/agents/solicitors in a chain of events which end in a disaster, they tend to point the finger of blame at one of the others in a "it wasn't me it was him" way.

But the buck stops with someone and that someone may well be Santander.

Sending a Subject Access Request to them to get the whole file would be a good starting point.

If Move With Us had control of the sale of your possessions then there will be a paper trail. 'Someone' paid them for the items and you want to know who that was.

You're at the research stage.

Di