Top Social Democrat Bought House from Dementia Patient – Never Put on the Market

While the woman’s son was in the hospital, the Social Democratic municipal commissioner took the opportunity to purchase her house without it ever being listed on the market. This avoided a bidding process, and, according to the son, resulted in a lower price than what could have been achieved.

It was Åsele’s municipal commissioner, Andreas From (S), who bought a house that previously belonged to a woman suffering from dementia. The price was a bargain since there were no competing buyers and the Social Democrat avoided a potential bidding war.

According to Jan Wallgren, a lawyer and expert in guardianship law, this is not how things are normally done. Properties sold in cases where a legal guardian is involved are usually put on the open market to ensure the best and fairest possible price.

But here, the house was sold directly by the woman’s legal guardian straight to the municipal commissioner, bypassing the usual process. The price was 280,000 kronor after an estate agent’s assessment.

When the sale went through, the woman’s son was under sedation in the hospital after a stroke and was unable to object or block the deal. The house and farm have been in the family since the 1940s. Given the property’s excellent location, he is convinced they could have gotten more money if it had been listed on the market.

Advantage for the Ward

The transaction was approved by the southern Lapland guardianship board, where chairman Jon Essebro (C) says that selling through an agent can be extremely expensive.

– If there is already a buyer, in some cases that can actually benefit the ward, he tells public radio.

He claims to assume that you’ll still get the market price with agents who do reliable valuations.

Olle Lundin, professor of administrative law at Uppsala University, believes the municipal commissioner could have acted differently.

– He should have gone for another property listed on the open market instead, he says.