Broken

Only just come back on gn so only read the first page so far. Yoga can you go and see someone at your lender rather than writing a formal letter? You might get some good advice if you find a sympathetic person and that advice might help you write an apporpriate letter.

notover I think you have done well for your family and should be commended for doing so. I'm sorry it has left you without savings though. Please think and research carefully before taking on Equity release, they companies which do this are not charities and will have their shareholders in mind (and possibly commission) rather than you. I echo what someone said about checking if there is anything you can claim. Please also have a word with a financial adviser as it maybe that you could get a normal mortgage.

I agree that being responsible doesn't always pay off. I am currently feeling hurt that a person I know who takes and never gives, seems never to suffer. They don't trust anyone else to be honest, presumably because they would not be honest in the same situation, and are causing heartache to someone I love who has put himself last and others first. It does seem that being good and honest is not recognised and that nasty and spiteful (possibly even illegal) things are only wrong if the perpetrator gets found out!

Thank you for your advise Nonnie and in respect to your last post; Bad things happen to good people!

Not sure about other areas Chelsea Girl, it wasn't a LA property, but a Housing Association ,we filled in the application form, had a home visit, then an interview, at which we disclosed all the facts, and were offered a bungalow within two weeks, which was a shock to say the least as we were expecting a long wait, we hadn't even put our house up for sale, we did not wish to refuse the offer of the bungalow as my husband was in poor health, so until we sold our property we were paying the mortgage on that, plus the rent on the bungalow, which was crippling financially, and attempting to downsize, getting rid of all the junk we'd accumulated, and decorating etc at the bungalow, hard times but we got there eventually, then the whammy of my husband dying, so like I said, best laid plans!

Stop providing for your family members at the expense of your own future.
You owe your family nothing.
It is up to the younger ones to fund themselves.
Presumably you've worked all your life.
So why deny yourself the retirement you deserve ?
And DO NOT EVER release equity in your home.