Caregiver wins suit over apartment

Source:Global Times Published: 2013-5-9 22:58:01

A district court has ruled a domestic caregiver was entitled to the apartment that her deceased employer left her, despite objections from the employer's stepchildren, Jing'an District People's Court said Thursday.

The caregiver, from Anhui Province, who was not identified, sued her former employer's stepchildren in June 2012 for refusing to cooperate with her so she could take ownership of the apartment, according to a court press release.

The caregiver's employer, who died in September 2011, had left the Yuyao Road property to the caretaker in her will, which clearly stated who should inherit her property, the court said. The will, which was drafted in 2008, also entrusted the caregiver with her funeral and burial arrangements.

The court said the employer took the unusual step of leaving her apartment to her caregiver because she was grateful for her long service. She made arrangements to see that her will was followed, signing two letters of attorney with two witnesses, the court said.

However, after she died, the caregiver could not take ownership of the apartment because her former employer's stepchildren refused to help her with the paperwork required to transfer ownership of the property, the court said.

The stepson, also unidentified, argued in court that his father had owned the apartment jointly with his stepmother, so he retained a right of inheritance. He also testified that he helped support his stepmother and contributed 25,000 yuan ($4,075) for her funeral.

The court ruled that the apartment belonged to the caregiver as stated in the owner's will. It ordered the stepchildren to cooperate with the caregiver so the property could be transferred to her.



Posted in: Society, Metro Shanghai

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