SON ‘BLOCKS’ SALE OF MUM’S £800K HOUSE
Solicitor says bid to sell family home is being stopped by long-running feud
A SON is trying to block the sale of his elderly mum’s £800,000 home in a long-running legal row over the estate of “Scotland’s greatest composer”, a court has heard.
Lawyers for 89-year-old Margaret Wilson claim she is “in danger” as she is being forced to live alone in the seven-bedroom Victorian townhouse in Glasgow’s west end, while son Martin tries to put buyers off the pad.
Margaret, whose composer husband Thomas died, aged 73, in 2001, was first taken to court by Martin over the musician’s will in 2012.
Her solicitor, David Welsh, told the Court of Session the latest in a series of court actions brought by Martin is a bid to stop Margaret selling the property and he has already succeeded in putting off two prospective buyers.
Welsh told the hearing: “Mr Wilson keeps bringing proceedings because he knows live proceedings will put off any purchaser of the house.”
Lawyers for both parties drew up an agreement over the Thomas’s estate in 2015, which gave Margaret the right to sell the house. But Martin brought an action in 2017 to alter the terms.
The case was abandoned but Martin has lodged an appeal and a hearing was held this week. He has also raised petitions for interim interdicts to prevent the sale of the house.
Welsh, representing Margaret’s power of attorney, said Martin had no legal right to the house and Margaret was being prevented from moving to England to be close to her other son.
He said: “She’s living alone in a very large house. Neighbours are assisting Mrs Wilson as she has nobody else there and it is dangerous for her to live in that house. Mr Wilson now doesn’t want her to sell the property. He seeks to do that by keeping litigation live.”
The lawyer argued for the case to be thrown out.
Martin argued it should go to a hearing and said it was safe for his mum to live on one level of her home.
Lord Doherty will deliver his decision at a later date.