Two elderly siblings are at risk of homelessness after losing a legal battle to remain in their late mother's home, following a bitter inheritance dispute with their sister. David Isaacs, 75, and his sister Ruth, who cared for their mother Sybil Isaacs before her death in 2013, had asked the High Court for permission to stay in the four-bedroom Croydon property for life.
However, Judge David Rees KC dismissed their appeal, ruling that they had no right to remain indefinitely in the house, now valued at around £600,000. The judge stated that allowing them to stay would deprive their sister, Susan Ellis-Cohn, of her inheritance. The siblings told the court they do not even have 'a car to sleep in' and would struggle to find affordable rented accommodation due to their age and limited income.
The inheritance feud began after Sybil Isaacs changed her will in 2008 to exclude David, fearing he might lose his inheritance in his divorce. Despite David moving back into the family home in 2011 to care for his mother alongside Ruth, Sybil never restored his inheritance. Following her death, Susan, who lives in a nursing home in California, initiated legal proceedings to administer the estate. David then brought a claim under the Inheritance Act 1975 for 'reasonable provision'.
In 2025, David was awarded approximately £150,000 from the estate, with Susan and Ruth splitting the remainder. However, the siblings' attempt to secure a lifelong right to live in the house was rejected. Judge Rees noted 'significant tension and ill-feeling' between the siblings and dismissed Susan's claim that their mother had always disliked David, pointing to his inclusion in her 2002 will and her gratitude for his care in her final years.
The judge concluded that Sybil's decision to exclude David was driven by concerns about his marriage, not personal animosity. David and Ruth now face eviction from the home their parents bought in 1956, with no clear alternative accommodation.
