Unpaid Nursing Home fees after death - who is liable?

Errata

Something else that Mr Ratty might want to ponder on, and HTH.
The Care Home may have increased its fees twice between the lady moving in and her death, care homes fee increases often cancel out each year's increase in SRP and AA. In order for the LA to work out how much its contribution would be it would need to do a financial assessment which would also take into account any increase in a resident's private pension.
Was this done? And was an annual review of the lady's care carried out at the same time? If so, what responsibility did the social work team involved have for ensuring the lady wasn't beeing financially abused. Which we know she was, as her daughter was failing to make payments from the lady's pension and AA.

ratty67

Errata - thank you for your ponderings! DH has noted them all and they are on his list of questions to ask the LA when we have that infamous meeting

Does anyone here know anything at all about the Public Guardians Office? Got a question regarding their fees for whomever raises their hand!

I do have an update to give of sorts, none of it fantastic news unfortunately but I'll do that later.

ratty67

No one has answered so I'll ask the question anyway! It's arisen in a letter from one of the solicitors (the one who dealt with the failed CoP application).

Apparently he also did some work on the husband's estate and lists as expenses on HIS estate -

£105 paid to the Public Guardianship Office for the checking of Estate Accounts.

We have NO clue what this means, can anyone shed some light on this before DH phones him (again) tomorrow?

Issues have also arisen surrounding her husbands funeral payments. The solicitor says HE paid the bill (to whom we have no idea) but it also APPEARS to have been paid from one of the bank accounts.

aycor

Hi I am a lurker on this thread I presume you googled public guardian office I did as it was new to me.
http://www.publicguardian.gov.uk/about/about.htm

anyway just wanted to say good luck.

Savvy_Sue

ratty67 wrote: »

Issues have also arisen surrounding her husbands funeral payments. The solicitor says HE paid the bill (to whom we have no idea) but it also APPEARS to have been paid from one of the bank accounts.

Is it possible that the solicitor paid the funeral director, and one of the bank accounts paid the solicitor for this as a separate item? That's my best suggestion, I'm afraid ...

However, if whatever has happened, then the solicitor should be able to demonstrate it. Even if they have to send someone into the finance archives to clarify it!

ratty67

Savvy_Sue - thanks for your suggestions! The trouble is the payment that looks suspiciously like the one used for his funeral left the lady's bank account during March 2005 and this solicitor took the case on WAY afterwards. Indeed the solicitor didn't have the funds to pay anything until October 2006.

DH has said he will phone the funeral directors in the morning, same ones who are dealing with the lady's ashes. He's on very good terms with them now That should clear the matter up as to when they were paid. If necessary he can then get back onto the solicitor.

aycor - I can find nothing on the PG website relating to this matter. No one as far as we know had 'control' over the late gentlemans finances as all bills were paid from the account he and his (now late) wife shared and she had her own seperate account. No-one needed control IYSWIM? So why were they used for Estate checking?

Another mystery :rolleyes:

Errata

I wonder if this http://www.publicguardian.gov.uk/about/912.htm
will shed any light? The amount for post 2009 is £225 - could the amount pre this date be £105. Shot in the dark I know, especially as no attorney or Public Guardian deputy had been appointed.
The Funeral Director will not only be able to tell you when the bill was paid, but who they sent the bill to and who they made the receipt out to.
Good luck - HTH

fredsnail

Gosh - every turn finds another query, good luck with the continuing road.

ratty67

Anyone want to share some good news?

The Royal London are going to pay the estate :j :j :j

Maybe the Financial Ombidsman had something to do with it?

Errata

:T :T :T :T :T

Super news - things might get really interesting now !

Well done Mr Ratty :beer: