The council has asked for proof I live alone or they will cut my rebate

I am a widower over 60. I live alone and have the single persons rebate on council tax. I received a letter from the council saying it has come to their notice I have another adult living at my address and this rebate could be cancelled.

My son was working in London having moved out of his marital home, and had letters redirected to my address. The council has asked me to prove he doesn’t stay with me and wants proof of the employer and address which is now in the north of England. I don’t see that I should have to prove anything.

You maybe shouldn’t, but you might be better to. Don’t risk getting your benefit cut out of obstinacy. If the local authority has information it must investigate it as, although you’re honest, some are not, and they steal our money through false claims. Sounds like it should be easy enough to get a letter from son’s company or perhaps a copy of his lease.

MY car was hit by a van. The police discovered the driver had no licence, MOT, tax or insurance. I have had to pay more than £900 to have my car repaired.

I did not wish to claim on my insurance as I would lose my no claim bonus and also my premiums would increase. Is there anything I can do?

You can always sue the driver but if he is not insured he will have no money. You may be able to make some recovery from the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB), which is an organisation set up by Britain’s insurance company as a compensator of last resort where a driver causes injury or damage and is not insured.

There are strict rules and procedures that govern claims, but there is an excellent website www.mib.org.uk or tel. 01908 830001. They will even pay your lawyer’s costs if a claim is successful.

I live in an ex-council house (four in a block). I live downstairs. Do my neighbours upstairs need to get permission from me to let the window cleaner get access to clean their windows at the back (ie plant their ladders against my wall outside my window?)

It depends on what your title deeds say. I suspect it is pretty certain that there are mutual rights of access for maintenance which would include window cleaning. Equally, if you needed access into the roof void to get, say, some TV aerial work done, they’d be bound to let your tradesman in.

A shared property, especially an ex-council building, normally has a complete set of rules for what is intended to be harmonious neighbourly living.

I made a will years ago but now have made a new one. What happens if I die and someone brings out the old will?

The new one will over-rule it, and lawyers making wills should always put a clause in the new one stating clearly that all old wills are superseded so there is no doubt. But you should ask for the old one back and physically tear it up.

Make sure the new one is with your lawyer and there is a copy in your personal papers at home. Do NOT keep the original at home.