Care Home Fees overpaid

Allis_world

My dad died at the end of July and we inadvertently paid the next month's care home fees in error mid August. We phoned the home to tell them the next day and have been trying to get the amount refunded since then. I was told by the Accounts dept today that we would get the refund at the end of October! The payment is £5k+ and we are due about £2k for the period after Dad died. 
I feel this is an excessive delay. They said they had to reconcile the amount and do checks etc and that the care home didn't send through the figures till 6 Sept and that it had therefore missed the September run. However, as I said to them, the £5k was made in error and therefore should be paid back significantly quicker. 
I feel they are taking advantage of families who are at a difficult time of their life by being so slow with their refunds. Do we have any rights with this, to push for faster payment?

fimacdoodle

That is disgusting- you have enough to deal with in your loss. Do they have a regulator for care homes ? That is an option.  I would be getting a lawyer friend to send a letter........

Keep_pedalling

The care home should be providing a final statement of account and once they have done that they will issue any refund due. Had you not overpaid it is likely that you would have received a final account with a bill for any outstanding amount due. The timescale for either case is likely to take just as long. I think it took a couple of months for me to get the final bill from my mother’s care home.

SnowMan

Allis_world said:

My dad died at the end of July and we inadvertently paid the next month's care home fees in error mid August. We phoned the home to tell them the next day and have been trying to get the amount refunded since then. I was told by the Accounts dept today that we would get the refund at the end of October! The payment is £5k+ and we are due about £2k for the period after Dad died. 
I feel this is an excessive delay. They said they had to reconcile the amount and do checks etc and that the care home didn't send through the figures till 6 Sept and that it had therefore missed the September run. However, as I said to them, the £5k was made in error and therefore should be paid back significantly quicker. 
I feel they are taking advantage of families who are at a difficult time of their life by being so slow with their refunds. Do we have any rights with this, to push for faster payment?

When I was dealing with my mum's estate, the care home required probate before the £7,000 deposit and advance fees for the post death period were refunded. I didn't sense the care home were trying to delay the refund, only make sure that it was paid to the right person. When probate was obtained they paid it the next day.

I can understand why you are frustrated at what is happening in your case though, especially in relation to the 5K.