Vet statement help

this_charming_girl

Hello everyone, thanks for reading. I hope someone could help.
Last year 3/12013 to be precise, I was walking my dad's dog, unfortunately he managed to rip a whole section of his gums and I managed to get an emergency appointment with the local vets- we live around the corner from. The vets being pet medics.

The vet gave a consultation, said he was fine but needed some pain medication. Which was fine.
I explained he wasn't my dog but I was willing to pay as he was in my care.
So I paid £49.66 and went on my way with the meds and my dog.

I've just received a statement In the post, claiming that I now owe them money, as a balance was brought forwards when I was there and that was what I paid- not the medication.

I have phoned up twice to be told the admin staff have gone home and will be back on Monday, but they are claiming that the system shows I did not pay for the medication.

Now me and my dad are no longer living together/ on speaking terms and my question is- what do I do? I have never been pursued for outstanding balances before!

bod1467

How did you pay? Was it by some form of card? If yes then you should be able to get proof of having paid them and how much, just not what it was for.

sulphate

£49.66 is very cheap for an emergency appointment and medication, so it sounds like you didn't pay for everything. To me it sounds like you just paid for the appointment, and the medication charge wasn't added on to the system until after you left which is why you have received another bill.

You need to ask what you have paid for and what you haven't, and check that they have your original payment on record.

If it's correct, you are liable to pay for it as you are the one who took the dog to the vet. Whether you choose to pursue the payment with your dad, is obviously up to you.

JournalGirl

How much are they asking for?

I would explain that it was their mistake to take the previous balance, it was not your dog and that was not your liability. Ask them to re-allocate your payment against the treatment you did authorise, and they should pursue the dog's owner for any previous amounts.

If you owe more than the £49, then I think you are duty bound to pay it, as you agree to the treatment, but I would only pay the difference, not the full amount

this_charming_girl

Thanks, I paid by card on the day. I was told I was paying for a consultation, to me it was emergency to them it was a normal appointment, it says on the statement "standard consultation".
The medication was metacam oral solution, which was £22.49.

This is where the confusion comes in. Having just dug out the original statement, it shows that I have paid an outstanding debt on the account and not for the medication.

There was an outstanding balance for £49.66
Which appears to be what I have paid however I have had no follow up letters, emails or phone calls since then. Neither has my dad.

I told the vet on the day that he was not my dog, and I would pay for the treatment, yet they have let me pay an outstanding balance, and then let me walk out with the medication unpaid.
But I did not know this until now, my own mistake was not actually looking at the bill, but I didn't think I needed to as I was never informed of any outstanding monies. The outstanding monies were from beginning of 2012.
Now this could have been my mum but she has been dead for nearly a year and a half.

Cupcakey

It's unfortunate that you paid the bill for what was outstanding, but somebody has to pay for the care that the dog had when you took him to the vet, and that somebody should probably be you.

If you're really peeved about paying it, then chase it up with your dad. Having said that, if the outstanding debt was your mother's, why shouldn't you pay it? Surely you don't hold a grudge if that's the case? Veterinary care IS expensive, but remember it is a private service and they need to be paid. It isn't fair that the veterinary practice should lose out. If you stay on the wrong side of them, you risk not being able to use them again. And the dog needs somewhere to go when he's sick!

Also, you're blaming them for letting you pay an outstanding debt when you had that info in front of you in black and white. You have to check your bills!

You have lost out, but if it's just a case of paying for the metacam then just do it. It isn't worth the headache.

this_charming_girl

Thanks for your advice, it I think you have taken what I am saying in the wrong way.
I advised the vet I was only paying for the consultation and the medication. I was never informed of any outstanding balances with the vet bills.

Yea I have said I should have checked my bill, but it was told by the receptionist all I was paying for was again the consultation and the medication.

If I was advised of the outstanding bill beforehand I would have taken it to my parents. The issue isn't the money itself, it's the fact that they have charged me for something I was not willing to pay for, they never told me that I was walking out without paying for the medication.

Again as far as I was aware I had payed for the medication and that was that.

I've had no further calls,emails or letters since then to say I owe them money. Of course I will pay for the treatment but I would like to know why I have payed someone else's debt, and why I was not informed of that at the time of payment.

Why would I need to look at a statement, when I knew exactly what I was paying for? Having just witnesses being given a consult and medication.surely they can not just tag on debt to other peoples bills?

sulphate

I think you're the one that's confused, the person taking the animal to the vet is responsible for paying the bill, simple. You're not paying someone else's debt, in the vet's eyes you're paying what you owe.

I do sometimes go to the vet and pay on the way out only to get a bill for a little more later, with a note saying unfortunately I had left before the vet added the extra charge on for medication or whatever. The receptionists are not in the consultation room so have no idea what is being prescribed, they aren't mind readers nor medically trained.

Cupcakey

this_charming_girl wrote: »

If I was advised of the outstanding bill beforehand I would have taken it to my parents. The issue isn't the money itself, it's the fact that they have charged me for something I was not willing to pay for, they never told me that I was walking out without paying for the medication.

Again as far as I was aware I had payed for the medication and that was that.

I've had no further calls,emails or letters since then to say I owe them money. Of course I will pay for the treatment but I would like to know why I have payed someone else's debt, and why I was not informed of that at the time of payment.

Usually it is the animal registered to the vet, and the account is in the animal's name. They wouldn't know that the debt wasn't belonging to you.

Yes, they should have made it clear to you that you were paying a backdated payment. That's down to human error.

Vets do take some time to chase up outstanding moneys. Lots of people visit a vet without having the money to pay, or they leave without paying if they're emotional, and the vet will assume that the money will be paid by someone popping in or phoning up later. They should really have phoned you sooner, but it doesn't really matter that they didn't.

this_charming_girl wrote: »

Why would I need to look at a statement, when I knew exactly what I was paying for? Having just witnesses being given a consult and medication.surely they can not just tag on debt to other peoples bills?

Because you didn't know what you were paying for, you paid for something else. So that's why you need to look at the statement! Human error does happen. They made a mistake, you made a mistake.

this_charming_girl

I'm not confused at all, thanks.
The dog belongs to my parents. My parents split up and my mother moved out of the family house, as did I due to the nature of the split. The dog stayed with my dad.

My dad was working away, and asked me to look after the dog, dog got injured, I took him to the vet, and advised I was not the owner- I no longer lived at the address. The receptionist said that's fine you can bring the dog in for the appointment.

I did, and was given pain medication for the dog. When I asked how much it cost (consult and meds) I was told £49.66.
No problem, I paid, end of- so I thought.

I have no been sent a final notice (have not received 1st) to okay a remainder of £22 something. But when I paid by card at the vets the meds and the consult was all I was made aware of.

Now I understand the bill needs to be payed, but why did they not mention this outstanding balance? I had basically walked out without paying for the medication- which was unknown to me.

I was under the impression that all I had payed for was what the vet and the receptionist asked. Now the practise I go to is very small, run by a vet and the receptionist who also works as a vet nurse, so I think she clearly understood what I was being charged for.

I no longer take any of my family's animals to this vet, and have not made an appointment since this situation last year.

I do not even know who's animal the outstanding bill is for because the dog I had in my care did not attend the vets in 2012 at all.

this_charming_girl

I knew I was paying for the medication and the consult. That Is what I agreed to pay with the vet, nothing more or less. Also they keep records of who brought each animal in, I had to sign the dog into my name for that consult itself. The dog needed further dental care, which I was prepared to arrange but the vet told me all monies need to be paid upfront as I was going to ask for a payment plan.