Situation 10 of 10
Selling a parent's house to pay for care
One of the hardest sales there is. Get the paperwork right first, and you can take the rest at a kinder pace.
“Mum needs care, and the money has to come from the house.”
How to improve it
- Check who can legally sign. If she can't decide for herself, you need a registered Lasting Power of Attorney for property and finances. Without one, it's a Court of Protection application, which takes months.
- Ask the council about care funding. The house is usually ignored for the first 12 weeks of a permanent care home stay.
- Ask about a deferred payment agreement. It can let you pay care fees later, so you don't have to rush the sale.
“The house is full of a lifetime of memories.”
How to improve it
- Let the family take what matters first, and photograph the rooms as they were before anything moves.
- Then book a house clearance firm. Many sell or donate what can be reused.
- Don't refurbish. A clean, a tidy garden and good photos are enough.
“My brothers and sisters don't agree on what to do.”
How to improve it
- Remember who it's for. Attorneys must act in your parent's best interests, not the family's.
- Get an independent valuation, so the price isn't one person's opinion against another's.
- Keep a written record of every decision and offer. It protects you if anyone questions it later.
General guidance only. Age UK and your council's adult social care team can explain care funding.
Other situations
- Your house isn't selling and nothing's happening
- Your house sale has fallen through
- Selling a house you've inherited
- Selling a house that needs work
- Selling a house during separation or divorce
- Selling a house with tenants in
- Behind on the mortgage
- When you owe more than your house is worth
- Selling your house when you're relocating