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Power of Attorney

(67 Posts)
mumofmadboys Mon 21-Mar-22 07:09:22

Has anyone done their own without involving a solicitor? We are thinking of doing the Financial one and as it seems a straightforward arrangement were wondering whether to do it ourselves? Any advice from retired solicitors or working ones please?

Calendargirl Mon 21-Mar-22 07:11:44

Not a solicitor or anything, but we did our own online a while ago. Not difficult, just need to be methodical and make sure you’ve followed each step carefully.

We did both types, the Finance one and the Health one.

tanith Mon 21-Mar-22 07:13:24

I did it online myself, it is very well explained on the website you need to be very careful to get things signed in the right order but if you follow the instructions carefully it’s relatively straight forward.

vegansrock Mon 21-Mar-22 07:21:15

We did it ourselves , it’s quite straightforward as long as you follow the guidelines. We printed off the forms and used lots of post it notes, it’s a bit drawn out, but if you are methodical it’s easily doable.

Froglady Mon 21-Mar-22 07:27:03

I did mine about 3 years ago. I think it was forms that I had to fill in and send off. I did mine with the help of my sister and have given her and my brother-in-law power of attorney for both my health and financial future. But of course they don't come into effect until there is a need for them to take over my affairs. You have to pay a fee to register each one. I think my fees were reduced because of the benefits I was on, so it's worth looking into that.

Kim19 Mon 21-Mar-22 07:30:55

Nope, unfortunately, I didn't have the courage to go it alone. Apparently the slightest 'error' can wreck it. Well done to all those who found it straightforward.

LtEve Mon 21-Mar-22 07:58:33

We did both for my FIL a few years ago, very simple and straightforward. It has been a godsend for us as his mind deteriorated suddenly during the first lockdown.

kittylester Mon 21-Mar-22 07:59:51

It's very easy to do on line and you can refer to the Office of The Public Guardian for help if needed - they are very helpful.

Witzend Mon 21-Mar-22 08:05:44

We did our own, for both finances and health and welfare. Quite straightforward.
We added paragraphs (there is space for them on the forms) to the H&W one, to state what treatments we did not want if unable to speak (with full mental capacity) for ourselves.

Dds know our wishes but it’s as well to have such things down in black and white.

Jalyn Mon 21-Mar-22 08:18:47

We have recently done ours, both finance and health. The guidance notes are very helpful and meant that we thought carefully about the implications of each of the choices we made. As others have stated, straightforward to complete but necessary to be methodical and follow the instructions.

BlueBelle Mon 21-Mar-22 08:25:09

My daughter is just doing mine online with me now, we re doing the health and the monetary one
I m just providing the information as she asks and she doesn’t seem to be having a problem

mumofmadboys Mon 21-Mar-22 12:21:19

Thanks all. I feel encouraged to do it ourselves

Cabbie21 Mon 21-Mar-22 13:40:30

We have the old Enduring Power of Attorney. I don’t know if it would be worth redoing them under the current LPA.has anyone done this?

midgey Mon 21-Mar-22 14:19:10

Kim it is really worth having a go, even if you make an error you are helped to correct it. A solicitor is really not needed! Common sense to do the health one as well as the financial one as you never know what could happen.

Visgir1 Mon 21-Mar-22 16:19:03

My sister and I got a Solicitor to sort one for our mum, this was just before Covid lockdown struck. Financial and Health & Welfare . We probably could have done ourselves but wanted joint PA.

We paid by sperate cheques for the Office of Public Guardian, one for him.

Sadly a few months later Mum passed away but we had not had any correspondence from OPG.

I phoned Solicitors office, they told me due to Covid they knew OPG had a massive workload (not surprised) with backlog. His office told me to ring direct as it still might be waiting to be processed, this had taken about 4 - 5 months.
Correct it was was due to be finalised within the next few days.

They stopped the process, sent everything back to us including the original cheques.
Brilliant service and really nice staff.

GillT57 Mon 21-Mar-22 17:14:33

I am just in the process of doing them for me and DH, I was going to put our two adult children on them, but would you put your spouse as well? Or is it assumed that spouse has the power to make decisions anyway as next of kin?

crazyH Mon 21-Mar-22 17:19:25

I have 3 children…..how does that work ?

Soroptimum Mon 21-Mar-22 17:27:01

I did my mum’s Finance POA. Quite simple if you are organised and methodical. I’ve no legal background!

welshchrissy Mon 21-Mar-22 18:08:40

Hi congratulations to anyone that has managed to do this themselves. I have tried and although I can complete the form I am finding it difficult to get someone to certify it. Any suggestions please as hubby does not have any close friends since he retired disabled all our friends are our friends.

Calendargirl Mon 21-Mar-22 18:12:37

GillT57

I am just in the process of doing them for me and DH, I was going to put our two adult children on them, but would you put your spouse as well? Or is it assumed that spouse has the power to make decisions anyway as next of kin?

We put our two adult children on each of ours, plus me on DH’s, and him on mine.

Calendargirl Mon 21-Mar-22 18:13:55

welshchrissy

Hi congratulations to anyone that has managed to do this themselves. I have tried and although I can complete the form I am finding it difficult to get someone to certify it. Any suggestions please as hubby does not have any close friends since he retired disabled all our friends are our friends.

Our neighbour, who is also an ex work colleague, certified ours.

karmalady Mon 21-Mar-22 18:20:24

we did ours online quite a few years ago. Husband died and I decided to go the proper legal route for my will and poa. I am glad I did, she also had to weigh up and certify that I was in my right mind. So it is all done and dusted, nothing accidentally left out, certified by the office of public guardian. I did both finance and welfare. Good to get that done and into my `dying tidy` file, knowing that there are no mistakes.

Shinamae Mon 21-Mar-22 18:25:23

I really must get on with mine I was going to do it about a year ago, even bought a printer, still not done it ?‍♀️?‍♀️

62Granny Mon 21-Mar-22 18:26:43

A friend has recently done it for her brother , who has been diagnosed with cancer and is single, she found it reasonable straightforward, I think the worst part was printing it all off and having the signatures done on it.

GillT57 Mon 21-Mar-22 21:10:39

I shall get it sorted. Been faffing enough for months. Our wills are done, it is just poa