Backdated nursing home fees.

RossM

Hello everyone,

I`ve arranged an appointment with Citizens Advice Scotland in 10 days time with regard to this question but thought I`d post here in the meantime as my wife is worrying too much about it.

Her mothers nursing home fees were paid by standing order.Her mother went into hospital for specialised full time care that the home were unable to provide in November 2008

This month we received a bill for £2,500 in outstanding fees from the nursing home.They had upped the fees in April 2007 and then again in April 2008 but had never indicated this fact to us.

Offhand does anyone know if this is binding ? It`s the second time we have had trouble with them.The last time they said we never paid for a month and sent us a demand.We got the proof from the bank that it had indeed been paid and cashed at their end...no letter of thanks or apology was received from them over this.

Anything I can tell my wife that is positive would be gratefully received..!

Regards,

Ross.

Savvy_Sue

Someone else may come along and say for sure, but meanwhile I'd have thought contacting the SCRC (as you're in Scotland!) would be worthwhile.

It sounds pretty dire that they'd leave a shortfall building up for all that time, but they may argue that they had different ways of notifying you of the increase - a sign in the home, for example, or that they notified the residents.

CHCscandal

Hi Rossm

I know a lbit about nursign home fees, their contracts etc, but could you supply a little more info first please.

Q. Did the contract come to an end in Nov 08 on hospitalisation?

Quote: Her mother went into hospital for specialised full time care that the home were unable to provide in November 2008

Q. From Nov 08, Did your MiL contract cease with the nursing home?


Quote: This month we received a bill for £2,500 in outstanding fees from the nursing home.They had upped the fees in April 2007 and then again in April 2008 but had never indicated this fact to us.

Q. Are the home claiming backdated fees from April 08 to Nov 08, OR are you advising they are charging increased fees from April 07 thro to Nov 09, additional to the 'normal' fees already paid by standing order which wasn't amended?

Q. Did you have a contract as a self funder and if so from what date?

monkeyspanner

I would have thought that if the nursing home failed to inform you of any price increases and did not challenge the standing order payments then the price increase could not be considered to form part of the contract. You could understand this happening for a few payments perhaps but not for an extended period. Personally I would resist their request.

mandyc

Something similar happened to me. Following the death of my father they the nursing home said that he had been underpaying for a period of time and owed £1400.

This information came over six months after his death and after I had finalised the estate.

This was very upsetting and I agreed to pay them back at £100 month but I think if I had offered them a lesser amount they would have accepted because at no time did the home indicate that the standing order was not meeting the required payments.

I think you will have to pay this but make them an offer that you can afford without putting unnecessary strain on your finances.

Biggles

It's somewhat archaic that a care home accepts SOs anyway instead of taking the money by DD (as my mother's certainly did), this must lead to endless, time-consuming correspondence upon each increase and the onus must surely be on the care home to make sure everyone is notified and to check that they have the correct SO in place (or they could be assumed to not have received the increase letter).

As they clearly failed to do so, you should dig your heels in.

RossM

Thank you everyone..sorry I was late in getting back. I think I had better wait for Citizens Advice.I will of course let you know the outcome.

For what it`s worth.I called the nursing home in Nov.08 to cancel the contract and they sais that was fine,standard 30 day notice.

The backdated fees are from April 2007 up until November 2008

Thanks once again for your help from my wife...

Ross