Buying home equipment with power of attorney

Verify authority before committing money

For England and Wales, check the registered property and financial affairs lasting power of attorney, its conditions and the appointed attorneys. Ask the solicitor to confirm the registration requirements before acting and whether you can approve this purchase now, including any permission or joint approval needed. If suitable authority is missing, pause the order and seek advice.

For Scotland, check the continuing financial powers. These can be used after registration with the Office of the Public Guardian in Scotland. Review the document for any further activation conditions and ask the solicitor to confirm the purchasing powers. Request the registration certificate alongside the authority document.

In Northern Ireland, an enduring power of attorney covers financial matters only. Ask the solicitor or Office of Care and Protection to confirm the document's scope, registration position and when you may act, particularly if capacity is changing. For an arrangement involving different UK nations, obtain advice before paying rather than assuming the documents are interchangeable.

Write a needs brief before choosing equipment

Record what your relative wants to do at home and what makes the current equipment unsuitable. Include available space, access for delivery, controls they can use, cleaning, noise, installation and help from carers. Ask an appropriate professional to assess suitability where the equipment supports mobility or care. Keep their advice with the brief.

GOV.UK advises talking to the donor to prepare for decisions in their best interests. Record their preferences, alternatives considered and why the chosen equipment suits them. For England and Wales, discuss changes affecting living arrangements, medical care or daily routine with any health and welfare attorney. Keep the relative involved through their preferred communication method.

Name the buyer and your representative role

Ask the seller to confirm the contracting buyer before accepting the quote. Where your relative is buying through you, propose wording that names the relative as buyer and identifies you as their attorney. Have the seller confirm the signature format. Keep the buyer, payer, delivery recipient and installation contact in separate fields.

State whether this is a personal home purchase or a business purchase. If your company is involved, explain its proposed role to the seller before using its purchasing account. Check the seller's identity, cancellation arrangements, warranty contact and return route using our UK seller supply terms guide.

Approve the full specification and delivery plan

Turn the needs brief into an agreed specification covering the exact model, dimensions, controls, accessories, instructions, servicing and spare parts. Ask the installer to review the proposed equipment before committing. Arrange a demonstration or sample where practical, and record who approves any factory substitution.

Request a written total covering the equipment, freight, import charges, delivery, installation and any return arrangements. Record what is included and what remains an estimate. Use understanding your landed price for the costing method, then record why the proposed total fits your relative's needs and available funds.

Connect every payment to the purchase

Ask the bank and seller separately what authority evidence they accept before the payment date. Use the approved representative access and payment route. Keep the quote, accepted order, invoice, payment authorisation, bank debit, currency conversion and supplier receipt together, with matching order references.

Keep a separate purchase ledger for your relative. If you propose paying personally and recovering the money, obtain advice on that arrangement before advancing funds. Record the reason, supporting receipts and any reimbursement separately. Include costs paid to installers or carriers so the file shows the complete purchase.

Keep ownership and refund records after delivery

Ask the seller to state who will own the equipment and when ownership passes. Keep that agreement, the invoice, serial details, delivery acceptance, installation record and warranty registration in your relative's purchase file. For the separate contract checks, see ownership and transit risk. Record delivery to someone else's address without changing the intended buyer or owner.

Before paying, ask how refunds are routed if the buyer and payer differ. Record the original payment source, authorised refund destination, return evidence, deductions and actual credit received. Explain and document any onward repayment. If a dispute develops, use our guide to handling a relative's order complaint. Cambridge China Bridge's staff in China can help collect factory specifications and inspection evidence for the authorised decision-maker.