Is there an ombudsmen for Carers?

[Deleted User]

Hi,

My mother is disabled and requires care help in the morning and in the evening, my step father also requires assistance in the morning. We use a care agency and they have sent some invoices out, I have checked their figures and they do not add up, my mum is not paying them until they sort it out but they are refusing the figures I have given them even though it is very clear, they just refuse to work with us. I have asked mum to ask them for a break down on each invoice so I can go back to them and tell them how much each invoice is wrong as they said that is the only way. However each invoice does not tell you what period of time it relates to as it stands...but perhaps they will re-do them? Anyhow failing that I wonder is there an ombudsman I can go to to report them? or does anyone have any other suggestions related to this question?

KR.

elsien

If this is a care agency, you need to make a formal complaint requesting an itemised bill. 

If it’s a care agency provided by the local authority then go back to them if you don’t get anywhere.
if it’s privately sourced you need to complain to them directly and find another agency if this one is not working for you. 

You need to give a lot more information, than you have - in what way are they refusing the  figures you have given them or they are not adding up? The times? The amounts? 

No, there is no ombudsman. CQC are the regulatory body but they do not deal with individual complaints. They gather information towards the next inspection; they will not help you sort your bill out. 

powerful_Rogue

https://www.lgo.org.uk/

[Deleted User]

powerful_Rogue said:

https://www.lgo.org.uk/

Thank you @powerful_Rogue I actually happened to find this last night, thank you, perfect.

tacpot12

If you mum owns her own home, check to see if she has home insurance and legal expenses cover as part of that insurance. If she does, let the legal helpline know that she might get sued for the cost of the invoices. The solicitors that operate the legal helpline should step in to write to the agency who might respond better to a request from her legal team. 

Your mother should put the money aside to pay the correct invoice, once a court decides what is owed, or the agency produces correct invoices.

[Deleted User]

tacpot12 said:

If you mum owns her own home, check to see if she has home insurance and legal expenses cover as part of that insurance. If she does, let the legal helpline know that she might get sued for the cost of the invoices. The solicitors that operate the legal helpline should step in to write to the agency who might respond better to a request from her legal team. 

Your mother should put the money aside to pay the correct invoice, once a court decides what is owed, or the agency produces correct invoices.

That is most helpful. Thank you so very much.

DullGreyGuy

tacpot12 said:

If you mum owns her own home, check to see if she has home insurance and legal expenses cover as part of that insurance. If she does, let the legal helpline know that she might get sued for the cost of the invoices. The solicitors that operate the legal helpline should step in to write to the agency who might respond better to a request from her legal team. 

Your mother should put the money aside to pay the correct invoice, once a court decides what is owed, or the agency produces correct invoices.

How can the OP sue the agency for the OP not paying the agency @tacpot12? What losses do you think they sustained to be able to litigate?

The OP would withhold payment, or potentially better pay what they think is the correct payment and withhold the rest, and it would then be up to the agency if they want to sue the OP for the delta. Having paid nothing to date the agency would get statutory interest on the monies that the OP does think has to be paid. 

You can certainly check the home insurance for LE cover but contractual disputes, unlike Property, is normally limited to claimant work rather than defence.