Care home debt

[fatboy b]

Just after a "what would you do now" advice.

My dear mum passed in Feb this year. She was living in an independant living apartment that had 24/7 wardens + purchasable daytime care. On top of her rent was the services charges and care. The latter two pretty much doubled her rent.

When she passed, she owed all of the charges for January, and we then asked for a final bill to include Feb. Nothing was sent, but during Feb it was clear that we weren't going to get cleared, so extended to the end of March. Again we asked for a final bill given the circumstances of no care now being provided. Nothing sent.

We left things while probate was being sorted. This now done, I phoned the head office to request the final charges, but there was no one who could speak about it, so they promised a call back. Guess what? Nothing. I called a further three times before I got a call back. They arranged to send they final statements via email. They arrived, but included full care for Feb & March.

I've queried the costs and worked out what the estate owes in my opinion, and sent off an email. No reply. Queried again. No reply.

So what next? The debt is around £3k btw.

[Richie Slow]

My sympathies for the loss of you mum. It's a shame that so much time after such a sad event is taken up with such things as these financial problems.

I suggest that as you've essentially offered your view of what is owed and they haven't contested it you should forward that payment to them as full and final settlement. I don't imagine that they would want a fight anyway. We had similar with f-i-l several years ago, paying rent for the room that hasn't been fully vacated is fair but you can't be held liable for additional care in a period when none could have been given.

Good luck sorting this one smoothly.

[73mark]

Think you'll have to go through solicitors. My mums just had a similar thing with care home over my grandma.
Soon as the solicitor got involved it was sorted in two days.

[fatboy b]

Richie Slow said:

My sympathies for the loss of you mum. It's a shame that so much time after such a sad event is taken up with such things as these financial problems.

I suggest that as you've essentially offered your view of what is owed and they haven't contested it you should forward that payment to them as full and final settlement. I don't imagine that they would want a fight anyway. We had similar with f-i-l several years ago, paying rent for the room that hasn't been fully vacated is fair but you can't be held liable for additional care in a period when none could have been given.

Good luck sorting this one smoothly.

Thanks. Didn't think of doing that, so just might.

[fatboy b]

73mark said:

Think you'll have to go through solicitors. My mums just had a similar thing with care home over my grandma.
Soon as the solicitor got involved it was sorted in two days.

Hope it doesn't go that far, but may have to. Cheers

[Red Devil]

fatboy b said:

When she passed, she owed all of the charges for January, and we then asked for a final bill to include Feb. Nothing was sent, but during Feb it was clear that [b]we weren't going to get cleared, so extended to the end of March[b]. Again we asked for a final bill given the circumstances of no care now being provided. Nothing sent.

Am I correct in taking the bit in bold to mean that the apartment was not vacated (i.e. her possessions remained in situ) and that 'extended to the end of March' is you asking for additional time to do so?

I see what you mean about the care element, but there should be a contract which sets out what service is being provided. In it I would expect to see a clause which states how often you will have to pay and who is responsible for paying, including how long the fees are payable after someone has died. Is there one? If so, what does it say?

[fatboy b]

Red Devil said:

Am I correct in taking the bit in bold to mean that the apartment was not vacated (i.e. her possessions remained in situ) and that 'extended to the end of March' is you asking for additional time to do so?

I see what you mean about the care element, but there should be a contract which sets out what service is being provided. In it I would expect to see a clause which states how often you will have to pay and who is responsible for paying, including how long the fees are payable after someone has died. Is there one? If so, what does it say?

Yes. Correct.

I don't have any contract to hand. I know there was one and it has been requested, but given the lack of response from the owning company, we don't have it.

[Sheepshanks]

fatboy b said:

Again we asked for a final bill given the circumstances of no care now being provided.

Did you cancel the care?

[fatboy b]

Sheepshanks said:

fatboy b said:

Again we asked for a final bill given the circumstances of no care now being provided.

Did you cancel the care?

Not top of the list when your mum dies, but kinda assumed given there's no one to give care to.