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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not pay final care bill

20 replies

Bumblebee412 · 28/01/2023 23:41

For context my nan is 94, housebound and suffers from mobility issues and vascular dementia. She has morning and night carers and the family does afternoon.
She has been receiving care since 2021 after a femur break.
She had been with a care company for over a year, no major issues.
Just before I gave birth to DC2 I had heard rumours that the care company was in financial trouble. This ended up being true as I recieved a call on the Monday from the manager and to say they would no longer be able to stay open, and as we are private clients we would have to find alternative arrangements. The manager assured me on the phone that they would continue to look after my nan until we found alternative care. We did this immediately and found a replacement company to come out a week and a half later. Before we had a chance to meet the new carers I got a phonecall at 4pm on the Friday to say they would be able to do the night call but from tomorrow they were to cease trading so wouldn't be sending any carers out. This left us as a family having to pick up all the calls.
As a result of this I feel they broke their contract so the final bill hasn't been paid.
I don't like going this and to make it clear they were paid on time for every other bill.
They also still haven't paid any of their staff so left many people in a really shirty situation over Xmas.

Would you pay it or not?

OP posts:
AmIThatMam · 28/01/2023 23:43

They can’t pay the staff f the customers don’t pay…. It you shouldn’t pay for any visits that were not carried out.

BiscoffAnythingIsTheWayForward · 28/01/2023 23:45

I would pay them for the exact care they provided. I understand your animosity from having the care responsibility dropped on you, but you say they aren’t paying their carers, it’s no wonder if every customer was like you and refusing to pay the final bill? These things happen unfortunately. I’d pay what is owed.

Floralnomad · 28/01/2023 23:45

You have to pay for the service you received .

Ponderingwindow · 28/01/2023 23:45

I would pay for services rendered, but nothing more.

Original poster
Bumblebee412 · 28/01/2023 23:48

AmIThatMam · 28/01/2023 23:43

They can’t pay the staff f the customers don’t pay…. It you shouldn’t pay for any visits that were not carried out.

So within the contract they ask you to pay a month in advance which I've always been fine with. So the week they couldn't send carers due to closure was paid in the previous months bill. The final bill was for the next 4 weeks of no care at all due to the closure. I hope that makes sense

OP posts:
MolkosTeenageAngst · 28/01/2023 23:48

You should pay for the care received. You shouldn’t pay for care you didn’t receive. So if they stopped caring after 3 weeks but are charging you for the full month then you should knock off the days care wasn’t provided, but don’t withhold the money for care you did receive even if you are annoyed about the situation.

Original poster
Bumblebee412 · 28/01/2023 23:50

BiscoffAnythingIsTheWayForward · 28/01/2023 23:45

I would pay them for the exact care they provided. I understand your animosity from having the care responsibility dropped on you, but you say they aren’t paying their carers, it’s no wonder if every customer was like you and refusing to pay the final bill? These things happen unfortunately. I’d pay what is owed.

They only had 3 private clients so all of the other were paid for by social services but appreciate your point

OP posts:
Chilliee · 28/01/2023 23:51

Course you shouldn't pay an upfront bill for a company that has closed for the whole period of the bill. You should pay for the care that was received.

Original poster
Bumblebee412 · 28/01/2023 23:53

Chilliee · 28/01/2023 23:51

Course you shouldn't pay an upfront bill for a company that has closed for the whole period of the bill. You should pay for the care that was received.

Thankyou, yes they have been paid for all the care they provided and even for the final week that they were unable to come.

OP posts:
OnTheRunWithMannyMontana · 28/01/2023 23:57

Agreed if this is an upfront bill for services that haven't yet been provided and will not be provided due to the closure then you shouldn't be paying it.

Viviennemary · 29/01/2023 00:01

Only pay for the care received. Thats fair.

BiscoffAnythingIsTheWayForward · 29/01/2023 00:02

Bumblebee412 · 28/01/2023 23:50

They only had 3 private clients so all of the other were paid for by social services but appreciate your point

Show quote history

I can see you updated that you’d paid a month in advance. Ignore the bill. If you’ve already paid then they’re cheeky sending another bill, knowing full well they haven’t provided the care. Nothing for you to do there.

Ponderingwindow · 29/01/2023 00:03

If they were paid for time they did not show up you should be requesting a refund. It may not materialize, but you should put in the claim anyway. you may be a long list of creditors they owe so if it goes to bankruptcy you may not find a happy resolution, but you need to get your claim on record now.

youshouldnthaveasked · 29/01/2023 00:04

If you’ve paid for all services received which it looks like you have, then no

youshouldnthaveasked · 29/01/2023 00:05

And how awful for your grandmother. My Gran has vascular dementia and this upheaval would be very upsetting to her.

Thinking of her

SuitsYouSirS · 29/01/2023 00:20

I’m confused about how this was the “final bill” but then now it’s the bill for a month in advance.

PugInTheHouse · 29/01/2023 00:24

I can't believe they are asking for a months payment for care they haven't provided. I wouldn't pay either. Different if you asked them to stop but it was them who did that.

Mummyoflittledragon · 29/01/2023 00:25

Now that you’ve clarified, yanbu. I would put this in writing. Ie the company was paid on x date for services up until y date, however, care ceased on z date. No monies are therefore owed.

Iwanttoridemybicycle641 · 06/02/2023 15:34

Thankyou it's an awful awful disease. I wouldn't wish it on anyone

MrsTerryPratchett · 06/02/2023 15:36

SuitsYouSirS · 29/01/2023 00:20

I’m confused about how this was the “final bill” but then now it’s the bill for a month in advance.

It's not a bill, it's an invoice for services they didn't provide.

The OP is wrong.

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