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Original poster

(Veterinary) Bill confusion….

45 replies

Blueemeraldagain · 09/11/2023 16:03

My cat has just come back from a two night stay at an emergency vets. I am happy to report he is recovering from his blocked urinary tract and seems to be doing well.

Where I need a little help is with the bill (not asking for money!!). When my brother dropped the cat off he paid a £600 deposit and when I picked him up I paid £1,709.37. I have been given a printed invoice (I will include a photo). My question is does the TOTAL OUTSTANDING £-600 mean we owe them or they owe us or something else?? If we owed them more, they would have surely mentioned it but I hate to think they have essentially “overcharged” us £600.

(Veterinary) Bill confusion….
OP posts:
TeenDivided · 09/11/2023 16:12

I think you have overpaid by £600. Almost as if they didn't subtract the deposit when ringing up your credit card bill on leaving.
I'd phone them to clarify.

fishandricecakes · 09/11/2023 16:13

I agree with the above, they have charged you without taking into account the deposit paid. They owe you £600.

purplecorkheart · 09/11/2023 16:14

They owe you the 600. Seems strange that they did not take it off the bill unless you signed it as some kind of retainer so you will not have to pay a deposit on each visit Seems a bit odd though and is probably an error on their part.

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LeakyPipes · 09/11/2023 16:14

They've not taken account of teh deposit, duh... Get it back.

StaySpicy · 09/11/2023 16:15

It shows you owe them negative £600, meaning they owe you (you can't owe a negative amount)! A positive amount for the amount owing would mean you owe them that amount, but a negative means they owe you.

I've now written the word owe too much and it looks weird.

LeakyPipes · 09/11/2023 16:16

BTW that 'duh' was directed towards them, for not checking, and not you, stressed picking up your wee darling. (Mine had the same issue a couple of years ago. Glad yours is improving 💐)

Tinkerbyebye · 09/11/2023 16:26

The bill should say xxxx done and owed £xx, less deposit £600 amount owed £111

what does it say above the subtotal of £485?

it does look as though they owe you back the £600 deposit

ChipButtiesRule · 09/11/2023 16:28

They owe you £600.

Also, the black sharpie doesn't actually hide the cat's name - if that's what you intended Smile

GingembreThe · 09/11/2023 16:34

Do you have an itemised bill to check against?

SoupDragon · 09/11/2023 16:43

I also think you've overpaid because they forgot to take the deposit off the final amount they charged to your card.

Original poster
Blueemeraldagain · 09/11/2023 16:44

Thank you everyone for confirming what I thought was most likely but was just doubting myself! I didn’t even think to look at the bill as I paid, I was just so relived he was ok!

OP posts:
123ZYX · 09/11/2023 17:12

It looks like the cost was £1,100?

If you paid £1,700 and your brother paid £600, havent you overpaid by £1,200?

They may have added the £600 instead of deducting it when asking for payment

GeneCity · 09/11/2023 17:30

God, that's completely unintelligible. I'd go back and ask them to go through it with you.

Original poster
Blueemeraldagain · 09/11/2023 18:11

I’ve just spoken to the vet office and they have agreed to the £600 refund straight away but now I can’t make any of the other numbers add up correctly….

I’ll try and post a full photo shortly if I can’t get the sensitive info to be actually covered up! 😅

OP posts:
Original poster
Blueemeraldagain · 09/11/2023 18:14

Ok here is the bill! My husband and I are about to go through it together so hopefully we can all make some sense of it!

(Veterinary) Bill confusion….
OP posts:
VisionsOfSplendour · 09/11/2023 18:19

Looks like the total was 1109 made up of all the individual items plus the amount at the top. When they return the 600 that's what you've paid

Floralnomad · 09/11/2023 18:19

Have you got the previous invoice itemised as what you’ve got doesn’t add up .

PragmaticWench · 09/11/2023 18:20

Their total of £623.68 (charge for services presumably?) plus total for extras of £485.69 comes to £1109.37.

They've then ADDED £600 to the total owed, rather than taking off the £600 deposit already paid.

So you've paid £1200 too much.

Original poster
Blueemeraldagain · 09/11/2023 18:20

Ok the 623.68 + 485.69 is 1109.37. Now I understand!

OP posts:
Floralnomad · 09/11/2023 18:21

VisionsOfSplendour · 09/11/2023 18:19

Looks like the total was 1109 made up of all the individual items plus the amount at the top. When they return the 600 that's what you've paid

The op has paid the £600 + £1700 so if the total bill is £1100 something they owe her loads .

VisionsOfSplendour · 09/11/2023 18:22

Floralnomad · 09/11/2023 18:21

The op has paid the £600 + £1700 so if the total bill is £1100 something they owe her loads .

Show quote history

You're right, I posted too quickly, seems odd they would get it so wrong though

Maybe there's another bill that covers the initial 600

Original poster
Blueemeraldagain · 09/11/2023 18:23

So they haven’t taken our original deposit away and added another?

OP posts:
Original poster
Blueemeraldagain · 09/11/2023 18:25

I really hope they are better vets than they are accountants!

OP posts:
Cynderella · 09/11/2023 18:29

£623.68 brought forward ... from the original emergency treatement?

Then the items detailed which come to £485.69.

You've overpaid by £600, and they're refunding that.

All done.

threebean · 09/11/2023 18:32

Cynderella · 09/11/2023 18:29

£623.68 brought forward ... from the original emergency treatement?

Then the items detailed which come to £485.69.

You've overpaid by £600, and they're refunding that.

All done.

She's overpaid by £600

Her brother paid £600 deposit.

They owe her £1200