AIBU to think that the counsellor overcharged me

[Karenthetoadslayer]

but I am not sure about the going rate, so I may be AIBU.

My DD's counsellor wrote a one page report and charged £320 for this.

I am finally able to discharge the bloody thing which has been causing me sleepless nights, but I only have myself to blame, because I did not ask how much it was going to be and I assumed that it would be about the same as a GP's report which cost about £80.

Please don't tell me that this is my own fault, because I know this.

But isn't it rather a lot of money for a report?

£320 does seem like a lot of money for 1 page. I paid £190 for a 10 page OT report which I didn't begrudge but I would have if it was only 1 page!

I think that it sounds about right. My friend paid a psychologist £200,15 years ago for an assessment fir dyslexia. The fees are quite high if you go private.

Why didn't you ask how much it would be?

I would never assume private/independent would be anywhere close to NHS prices, just the same as dentists or any other service.

I was just too frazzled with things and I do admit it was an oversight on my behalf which cost me dearly! I was just wondering if the cost was right or if she has taken me to the cleaners.

What did they do before the report? What exactly have you paid for? Did they do an assessment beforehand? Most psychologists charge by the hour for an assessment - so that report sounds bloody expensive if it's just a single page.

No the counselling was funded counselling and paid for through her school. I was only supposed to pay for the report. The hourly rate that is usually charged if you pay for this counselling privately is £45. I was expecting to may be pay for three hours at the most.

Should I challenge the costs? I was hugely embarrassed that I could not afford to pay for it immediately and therefore I did not dare to say anything.

She wrote in the report that an assessment took place (2 hours), so if she did charge me for the assessment that would still not add up.

I would query it, it may be easier to do via email.

I think I will pay first to discharge the debt and then find somewhere to complain about her. There must be some regulatory body somewhere?

Could you ask for a breakdown of the charges - it might seem less confrontational.

Before complaining you need to question her fee with her.

If I have read this correctly, you are paying for a 2 hr assessment and a write up so potentially the cost is accurate. It is in line with what a friend has just paid for her child's assessment.

But you should feel free to query it, just as you would any other bill.

An awful lot, ugh

I am not sure what I am paying for as the invoice just says "report for DD".

If it is in line with what other people have paid, that is more reassuring, still a lot of money to find, of course.

She is a qualified child psychologist, but not a professor.

The report was to assess DD in her environment and her relationship to other members of her family as well as school and how she sees herself in her surroundings.

I used it to highlight her relationship with her father and how she sees her father.

If it includes the two hour assessment and she is also a psychologist them ot does sound about right.

A child psychologist is a lot more expensive than a counsellor.

Oh dear, I hope the report helps.

DD's counselling was school funded as they saw it necessary due to DD having witnessed domestic violence and abuse for such a long time. They sent me on a guilt trip about funding it and told me every time they saw me how grateful I should be to them to fund this.

I am of course extremely grateful that they funded DD's counselling and I did not really dare to complain when I received the invoice from the counsellor for the report.

How can you complain about something that you don't even know is wrong?
It's up to you to check the T&C as people in this sort of profession set their own rates, you can't just guess the price & hope for the best.
Personally, if she'd done a good job I'd happily pay her.

No, I asked for it frequently and when she finally finished it I had no more time to submit it, as she missed the deadline and we could not include any more evidence. In the end I had enough evidence anyway, so it did not matter. I am not only bearing a grudge about the costs, also because it was not done in time.

Exactly shakethetree this is why I asked if it was wrong.

If it isn't I will of course pay, as I said I would anyway in my OP and I also said in my OP that it is my own fault. Please do not tell me it is my own fault, I know this.

£45 an hour is extremely cheap for a qualified psychologist, would be more like £100 an hour in our area. so at £45 an hour its a lot, as unlikely to be 8 hours work, but at £100 an hour would be fine. Nothing wrong with clarifying with her how she arrived at the cost.

Thank you all, I will pay anyway and ask for clarification afterwards, just to know how the invoice was created.

It is completely correct, I should have asked for a cost estimate, as I would with everything else that does not have a price tag.

It has to do with not mentioning "money" round here, I think. I just did not dare to ask which is a stupid excuse. Next time I shall know, take a deep breath and ask for the costs.