General Chat

Can you appoint someone to pay your household bills while in hospital without going through a power of attorney? And yes this person still has a sound mind :)

Thanks Suzy x

I'm not sure how it stands now Suzy, but I dealt with all my MIL's affairs while she was in hospital without power of attorney. I could sign her pension book, and I let the bank know what was happening.

MIL had had a stroke, all she had to do was sign a form permitting me to take care of her affairs, She couldn't write but she could place an X and a doctor witnessed it.

But this was 15 years ago.

could the person set up direct debits from a bank account, when i did care work we could just take any bills tv lec gas c tax and pay either at your own bank the persons bank or post office, however i guess its different when withdrawing money, like TW said.

when my neighbour was in hospital
she just gave me her credit and bank cards
(because her son was a thieving git)
and i collected her mail opened it
and drew the money out the mini bank and paid her bills
then at visiting time i went through it with her

but i always kept the receipts and a record of what i took out and paid this went on for years and we never had no problems

I have just signed a Mandate at the bank allowing me to sign cheques for a certain person if, in future, she is no longer able to do so. She just had to sign the form and it was a fairly simple process. BC XX

When my dad was in hosp for 6 weeks before he died - unforeseen, so no arrangments had been made - we did the same as Joy. He and my mum were living separately at the time (but came together as soon as he became ill), so his banking and bills were all separate from hers.

She just had his debit card and credit card and passwords, and used them to handle his affairs.

The person could make sure there aren't huge sums of money in the account they're giving access to, just enough to cover the outgoings for the time.

If you do think that anybody in the family might pitch a fit and make accusations afterward, though, it might be better to have something more formal. But as Joy said, as long as you have all the bills and receipts, there's not really anything for anyone to get upset about.

Direct debit would be the best way,no problems and they could be cancelled when they come out. **M**.

Thank you for your replies Ladies and Gent. They have helped alot :))

xxx