My Name Put Into Houses Against My Will

[tomecrawford]

Hi, About 6 years ago my mother said she wanted my name on her 3 houses along with my brother. I told her I did not want anything to do with it because I did not want to be obligated to her because she had bullied me both physically and psychologically all my life. I agreed nothing and I signed nothing and I emphatically told her not to do it. Now I get a letter from her solicitor asking me to come in and take my name off the houses. I thinks...What? .... I washed my hands off her 6 years ago and we have never spoken since. I don't even want her to know I am alive. Can I be forced to take my name off? I am not going to be bullied anymore. I have now got a new life and am slowly repairing my old life. Can I be held accountable for this house? For example, I am on housing benefit, and they would not pay my rent if they thought I owned a part of a house. I only found this out recently. Any thoughts folks?

[Peter Pedant]

I dont think this is a question of Law but more of family relations

You didnt want your name on the house and now you wonder if you must take your name off.

My thought is that you should co operate in taking your name off
and then get on with the business of repairing your old life

I dont see that there is any advantage to anyone in being un co operative

[chanel5]

I don't see how your mother could legally have named you as an owner of a house without your consent. If you did not acknowledge or sign for a share in the ownership, then you are in no way responsible for anything your mother may have done. If I were in your position, I would get a solicitor to write to the solicitor who wrote to you, making it clear that you do not legally own any part of your mother's property, and are therefore not responsible for any changes that need to be made to the paperwork relating to those properties. You can ask your solicitor to ensure that your address and location are not passed to your mother's solicitor.

[themas]

1. If you know the addresses of these houses get the title deeds for all of them from the Land Registry (make sure you use the gov.uk site - others do the same thing but are run by people who charge much more to do it). Then you will know whether you are in fact named as part owner of any or all of them.

2. If you are, then ring the land registry helpline - they will tell you whether it is possible for you to have been put down as part owner without you agreeing or signing anything. I'm pretty sure it can't be done, but it is as well to get it confirmed. Ask them whether they can send you a copy of the documents bearing your signature so you can check whether it bears any relationship to your actual signature.

3. If you are down as part owner & are absolutely certain you did not sign anything, then your mother (or someone else) forged your signature. That is fraud & a criminal offence. You then need to decide where you want to go with that.

4. If you want, you can skip all the ad just do what PP suggests. However, as you obviously know, if the local authority finds out (even after your name has been removed) they can create a (possibly very large) housing benefit overpayment & even try to prosecute you for fraud. So my view is you should go through steps 1 - 3 above & then take some action to get it put beyond doubt that you did not know about this before & that forgery occurred.

[cassa333]

Actually my question would be WHY do they suddenly want to take your name off the deeds?

That would be far more interesting!!!

[Gromit]

Presumably, hiding the true ownership of these 3 assets was done for some illicit reason such as tax avoidance. So you probably need to be careful when making your enquiries.

[sandyRoe]

Could you not realise your assets and then you might not need to claim housing benefit?

[murraymints]

In Scotland we did not actually have to sign anything pertaining to the disposition of the home..as there was no mortgage on the property...after instructions to solicitor he just drew up all deeds etc... so it may well be possible where you are to do the same...you can't be forced to act..but check out the implications re benefit etc.. if so inclined you might force an action of sale as part owner and reap the rewards ??? that does cost though..