Hi all
My mum recently passed in a care home and I have been doing some admin. I have recently had the final statement and invoice from the care home. I had hoped to just be able to pay it and see the back of them as my experience with them was not good. My husband has said just pay whatever they want and then you can put it behind you and maybe I should but I have never been able to make any sense of their “statements” even though I’ve repeatedly asked for some clarity, I’ve even sent them a spreadsheet I’ve done myself with the fees and payments on.
Apologies but some back story is needed as to how this became so confusing. Prior to going into the care home mum was struggling at home and was due to get a home care package. I also applied for LPA at this time as she wasn’t able to manage her money and her family were buying all her groceries. Mum became ill and went in to hospital. She was unable to say what money she had and no one else had gained access (LPA takes a while to be granted after application) so she had to have a social services assessment before she could leave hospital which took months.
Unfortunately when the council assessment was completed just before I was going on honeymoon so I wasn’t there when My uncle was visiting at the time mum was moved. He then started getting invoices from the care home asking for “top up” fees. These were never actually paid because after complaining I was told both by the care home and social services these had been created in error and to ignore them. I do have this in writing from both parties. I have no idea what these might even have been for as mums room was very small and basic and she didn’t have any additional services. Despite being told it was a mistake this continued for some time except they starting sending them to me rather than my uncle.
Mum was finally assessed as being a self funder and became responsible for making payments herself and the the council stopped paying at the end of October. I was signed a contract stating fees would be £1100 a month. It might seem very remiss in hindsight that I didn’t push for a contract earlier but my priority was getting the documents need for the council’s financial assessment and mum became very unwell not long after she moved into the care home, falling and breaking her hip and contracting pneumonia. I was not sure if she would be returning to the care home or if it was a temporary placement and was also told she would be going to a rehabilitation centre after hospital. In the event she the hospital sent her back to the care home without anyone telling me.
Prior to the signing the contract I did come across an email from the care home invoice team which states me they are charging £750.00 a week pending the financial assessment. I am a bit confused by this. I had been of the assumption the £1100 applied all along which seems to be a standard rate in my area so no objection but it is usual to change their fees retrospectively. I signed the contract in November but if they wanted to charge this beforehand why not tell me this would be the amount payable at the time instead of a different figure. At the time there was no information on their website about fees as it said words to the affect of “all our rooms are different so there is no set fee”.
I have also received a breakdwown of their costs from them in which they have included the “top up fees” they said they had removed. This concerns me but am I overreacting. It would be easier to just pay what they want as my husband suggests. The last thing I want is more contact with them and stress but something just feels “off”. I would welcome any thoughts. Thanks so much.
My questions are is it usual for care home to agree a charge with the council (albeit it for a period of time) and inform the client of this and then change it later?
Is it usual to charge top up fees, say they are not charging when queried and then include then on their billing account?