Pensioner dies hours after burglars strike
An elderly woman died after collapsing during a 999 call to report a break-in at her home as police were accused of repeatedly ignoring warnings of violent gangs operating in the area. Maureen Whale, 77, who lived alone in Barnet, north London, called police on Tuesday evening after thieves ransacked the house she had lived in all her life. But she fell ill while on the phone, and died in hospital hours later with her family at her bedside.
A PENSIONER, aged 91, has put his three-bedroom home in Chelsea on the market for almost £1million less than its market value in an attempt to raise funds to pay for his care needs. But there is a catch for potential buyers: the former architect will retain the right to live there until he dies.
George West, who lives at Cheyne Gardens, west London, has put his detached home up for sale for £2.7m to finance 24-hour care, but it is being sold for the knock-down price on the condition that he will continue living there for the rest of his life.
“Whoever buys it buys me as well,” said Mr West, who designed the property himself after being gifted the land by Cadogan Estates when he worked as its architect in the Sixties. The desirable property is a stone’s throw from the Thames and comes with a garden, garage and a tower offering 360-degree views over the affluent neighbourhood.
Buying a home complete with an elderly resident is common in France, where a viager (for life) system lets the seller cash in on the value of a property to receive a life tenancy, a lump sum and monthly payments.
It is a popular means of equity release and enables elderly people to stay in their homes.
In the UK, viager-style deals have been confined to a tiny segment of the market. However, Mr West has decided to cash in on the fact that he has no children to inherit and that his home is likely to be attractive to investors.
“I don’t see why it won’t catch on in Britain,” said Robert Green, of estate agent John D Wood, which is marketing the property. “We thought it was a good compromise and when we suggested it to George he was amenable.”
However, buyers should take note of the case of Jeanne Calment who, aged 90, sold her home in Provence to a lawyer who agreed to pay her £400 a month until her death. Mrs Calment went on to become the oldest living person, dying 32 years later, aged 122, and outliving the buyer by two years.