Threats (jokey way) to enter sister's house, change the locks and take possession after her death

M

Mothergoose

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My sister has stage 3 cancer - is undergoing chemo therapy and it seems to be holding the cancer at bay.

She has a partner but has never lived with him - he has his own house. However, over the years, and more frequently lately, he has made jokes to her - she has told me about them - and on one occasion in front of me - that he will get into the house and change the locks if she dies and take possession of the house. He has, almost since they first started seeing each other - had a key to the house. My sister laughed it off initially but now is concerned her children - three adults who don't live there - will be in danger of losing their inheritance. I am concerned too as when I googled people breaking into a house and changing the locks, it said that if this happens it could be a complex process of getting a Court Order to get them out.

I suggested either two things to my sister, i.e. taking the key back - she doesn't want the confrontation and also he could have copied the key, or getting the locks changed on the front, patio and side doors of the property, and not giving him another key. My sister hasn't mentioned anything about this to her children. Any advice/comment would be helpful.
 
I assume she has a proper will, leaving the house to the 3 children? Are the adult children not in a position to ensure the house is secured, such as all living abroad? Even if you change the locks, he could still break in. But I would change the locks as soon is it appears your sister is not going to return to the house. Better still would be to have someone else living in the house, to keep it secure.
 
Locks changed ASAP.

I would advise this system Garrison, one key for the house the same lock in all of the doors.
The key cannot be cut without the key card so you would need to become the key card holder for your sister perhaps?

https://www.aplockandsafe.ie/master-key-system/
 
This is in no way a joke. The partner is signalling intent. Your sister needs to act on this immediately. The part ner may have realised that they have no right to the house but may try to attain it by trying to show they have been living there...check whose names are on the household bills and what post they have directed there.
 
Change the locks as soon as possible.

If the house is not currently occupied, one of her children might consider moving in for a temporary period with change of electricity supplier etc into their name.
 
Thanks all for your replies. I do think my sister should dump him. I am not sure she has the strength mentally to do it now in the middle of treatment.

Re the Will - yes my sister has written a Will - last updated a year ago - leaving the house and any money in her bank accounts equally to her three adult children - now in their mid to late 30s. All three live abroad - two in the UK - one in Canada.

The bills in the house are all in my sister's name. These comments by her partner were initially made randomly several times over the years and then just recently. My sister when she was well told him in no uncertain terms that everything was being left to her children and that he had no right to anything from her as they were not living together.

My sister lives in Co. Galway - her partner stated that when certain people in the village died, people who knew them as neighbours/friends just came into their houses and changed the locks and then had to be paid money by the heirs to get out of the house. I think this is actually fact and this is where he gets his idea about changing the locks and claiming the house from. My sister was telling me a while back about a guy who used to work for a local framer, that when the farmer died, the labourer put a few cattle he had in on the deceased neighbour's land and claimed it as his own saying that he had used the land for years, but that was not the case. I think my sister's partner is going with this mentality.

I think the idea of the Garrison lock sounds like a good idea. Otherwise, in terms of the relationship, they have enjoyed doing things together, enjoyed the same things, country and western style dancing, gardening, meals out, until my sister became ill. At the moment she is holding her own, but I know her health could deteriorate quite rapidly. My sister asked me not to say anything to her children, but I feel she should be confiding in them about this.
 
Mothergoose said:
Re the Will - yes my sister has written a Will
Click to expand...

When she finishes her chemo and hopefully feels a little stronger a visit to the solicitor who dealt with her will would be a good idea to discuss these worries that she has to do with the partner who sounds like a nasty individual. The fact that he knows she has a very serious illness and he puts these worries on her also is horrible IMHO.
 
Terrible behaviour but a lot of good advice here, if she is up to it @Sue Ellen idea of speaking to her solicitor again would be very helpful. He can record in his visit notes her claim that her boyfriend while having a current key to her house has never lived there, that she is concerned that is she passes away he plans to take possession. I would say they will recommend a lock change also. If she does decide to dump him the solicitor can also record that the relationship is over.

People do insane things, at least she has some advance notice. Absolutely not something she needs to deal with at this time of her life. And try and get her to tell the kids,
 
Honestly and I could not be more clear on this: this so called partner will cause trouble. Your poor sister. Do all you can to support her to stop this before it starts.
 
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