Carehome bill for newspapers

Hayley jane

Registered User
Apr 1, 2020
29
0
Hi everyone, I have had a call today from the carehome telling me I owe £200 for newspapers they have bought for my dad. I had no idea they were doing that and they tell me they have cancelled them because we haven’t paid. How can I pay for something I didn’t know was happening. The Carehome manager argues that he has benefitted from them however the owner of the carehome says she has cancelled them because he doesn’t read them. Surely they should have mentioned it before racking up a £200 bill which they say is from the middle of June until now . He doesn’t have capacity but they said he has asked for the paper so they provided one. I’m unsure what to do and don’t want to cause a bad feeling but it doesn’t seem right, especially as they managed to ask for money for haircuts and chiropodist in the past But have failed to mention this. Do I pay it ? Do I offer half ? or do I refuse ? we are still very emotional about it all and haven’t even managed to visit him since he went in in may So I wouldn’t know if he was getting the papers or if he is reading them. I’m interested in your thoughts .
 

Bunpoots

Volunteer Host
Apr 1, 2016
7,342
0
Nottinghamshire
Hi @Hayley jane

I think it was extremely irresponsible of the carehome to spend your dad's money in that way. Was it made clear to him that he was paying for the newspaper or did he think it was a communal newspaper which everyone could borrow and read? I imagine the latter. I don't know what I'd do in your shoes though. They've put you in a really awkward position by their inability to communicate effectively.

Personally I think they are in the wrong and you have every right to feel aggrieved.
 

Hayley jane

Registered User
Apr 1, 2020
29
0
Hi @Hayley jane

I think it was extremely irresponsible of the carehome to spend your dad's money in that way. Was it made clear to him that he was paying for the newspaper or did he think it was a communal newspaper which everyone could borrow and read? I imagine the latter. I don't know what I'd do in your shoes though. They've put you in a really awkward position by their inability to communicate effectively.

Personally I think they are in the wrong and you have every right to feel aggrieved.
@Bunpoots thank you for that. I do feel aggrieved but as you say it is an awkward position to be in. knowing me I will pay but what is upsetting is that they have cancelled them and we had no idea and it might lead to a lot of distress . To be honest I’m not sure if it benefits them more and keeps him quiet because he wasn’t reading them at home . Because it’s such an emotional thing you wonder if you are thinking straight sometimes .
 

Weasell

Registered User
Oct 21, 2019
1,778
0
I think you are running into that always interesting question, what is capacity?
Someone can have capacity then get a UTI and get sectioned and have no capacity, then two weeks later, and a good dose of antibiotics get discharged with full capacity!
They can have capacity for one thing and not another.
I suspect your dad said ‘ I want the daily mail’
then the next day he said ‘ I would be so fed up in this place If I could only get the daily mail’.
So they got him the daily mail.
At this point they should have let you know and they didn’t.

I personally would not bother get into a war for £200.
Wont you walk in the home each time and wonder if the staff are whispering’ they would not even settle his paper bill because they are keeping the money for themselves?
I would justify the loss by thinking if self funding, this home is costing £1200 per week it is a drop in the ocean!
Or if funded then compared to what others are paying £200 is nothing.

But my answers are alway not what everyone else thinks. I do feel so sorry for you as I would be feeling frustrated.
 

jennifer1967

Registered User
Mar 15, 2020
23,137
0
Southampton
im probably all wrong and some one will tell me but if they cancelled them because he wasnt reading them, why has it taken four months for that to be noticed. thats a lot of newspapers for £200 for four months. £50 a month. i dont think theres a lot you can do but put in writing no papers unless they say and keep the receipt . personally i think its wrong they didnt tell you they intended to get him a paper and also why has it taken so long to present you with the bill
 

Frank68

Registered User
Jan 28, 2013
96
0
South Coast
Hi Hayley Jane,
As Weasell suggests, I expect they are charging around £1k+ per month so this amount is really not much! The Manager will be nervous of getting her fingers rapped of course, as it is simply not good enough to rack up such a large bill without consultation with yourself.... but we do all make mistakes and these have been stressful months for staff, especially managers.
For some families a sudden bill of £200 would be a very serious embarrassment, so it is to be hoped that they learn a lesson. If it is not too serious an amount for you, and otherwise you are happy with the home, you may feel it not worth risking a relationship that you have not yet really had the chance to establish. But make it clear that your are"disappointed" - and do not expect any future expenditure to be accrued that has not been authorised by you.
 

Weasell

Registered User
Oct 21, 2019
1,778
0
Hi Hayley Jane,
As Weasell suggests, I expect they are charging around £1k+ per month so this amount is really not much! The Manager will be nervous of getting her fingers rapped of course, as it is simply not good enough to rack up such a large bill without consultation with yourself.... but we do all make mistakes and these have been stressful months for staff, especially managers.
For some families a sudden bill of £200 would be a very serious embarrassment, so it is to be hoped that they learn a lesson. If it is not too serious an amount for you, and otherwise you are happy with the home, you may feel it not worth risking a relationship that you have not yet really had the chance to establish. But make it clear that your are"disappointed" - and do not expect any future expenditure to be accrued that has not been authorised by you.
Thank you Frank, I forgot to mention I would also point out my ‘disappointment’!
Also as pointed out above by @ jennifer1967 the bill does seem high, did he have a side order of ’Country life’ magazine?
 

Hayley jane

Registered User
Apr 1, 2020
29
0
Thank you for all the thoughts . I
im probably all wrong and some one will tell me but if they cancelled them because he wasnt reading them, why has it taken four months for that to be noticed. thats a lot of newspapers for £200 for four months. £50 a month. i dont think theres a lot you can do but put in writing no papers unless they say and keep the receipt . personally i think its wrong they didnt tell you they intended to get him a paper and also why has it taken so long to present you with the bill
@jennifer1967 , I tend to agree with you. I will pay up but It’s the way they have phoned me to say they are cancelling his papers because of an unpaid bill which I knew nothing about and their attitude. Perhaps that’s what’s bothered me. We don’t really have a relationship with them as we have never been to visit yet as they keep saying he’s not settled enough and it will upset him, but that’s another story .....
 

Hayley jane

Registered User
Apr 1, 2020
29
0
Thank you everyone for taking the time to respond with the advice. It has helped as I’m feeling quite emotional about it all as I haven’t seen him since the day he went in to the home and I the last thing I want to do is over react.
 

Banjomansmate

Registered User
Jan 13, 2019
5,395
0
Dorset
I would query what newspapers they were buying him and why you weren’t billed monthly for them. I have a newspaper delivered every day except Sunday and pay £6something per week so £200 seems like a lot of newspapers!
 

Bunpoots

Volunteer Host
Apr 1, 2016
7,342
0
Nottinghamshire
I would query what newspapers they were buying him and why you weren’t billed monthly for them. I have a newspaper delivered every day except Sunday and pay £6something per week so £200 seems like a lot of newspapers!

I agree with this. I don’t have a newspaper so have no idea how much they should cost. Ask for an itemised bill then of course you will settle it...
 

Weasell

Registered User
Oct 21, 2019
1,778
0
When I worked in one setting my client had a learning disability and could not read.
He wanted the sun and the mirror everyday.
He had capacity to make that decision and he had enough money.
Sometimes people don’t always choose things for obvious reasons.
He could never articulate why he wanted the papers, only that he did.
I think it was mainly because he wanted to look at the pictures.

Remember it may be that when the staff get five minutes it would be your dads room they go to ( because they want to flick though his paper ) but while doing it they discuss what they are reading and so he gets the benefit of extra attention?

Depending on if he has a day clock, it might be he likes a paper so when he continually forgets the day, he can refer to the paper?

I suppose what I am saying is the care home have disgraced themselves in their communication and conduct, but make sure your dad doesn’t suffer for their mistakes.
 

Rosettastone57

Registered User
Oct 27, 2016
1,839
0
When my mother in law was in a home she had a daily newspaper which amounted to about £25 a month. I was always billed separately for this. When she had her first bill I didn't realise the care home used a delivery company which charged a delivery fee to the home so obviously this was passed on to the resident. I cancelled this after it became apparent that my mother in law had got to the point anyway where she couldn't follow the articles
 

Canadian Joanne

Registered User
Apr 8, 2005
17,710
0
70
Toronto, Canada
I would pay up but I would first ask for copies of the invoices which they paid. Not an invoice from them, the bills they received. They should really have told you in the beginning that your father was asking for a newspaper. I arranged for my mother to receive her favourite newspaper the first 2 or so years she was in care and only cancelled it when it was very obvious she no longer had an interest in it. But I had organized everything directly with the newspaper.

You might want to point out to them that it would better in future for them to speak to the family first before incurring any costs. That way there wouldn't be any unpleasant surprises such as you received. I would also ask why it went on for such a long time before you were informed.

Actually, the more I think about it, the more I think you shouldn't be liable, but in the interests of harmony in the future, I would pay the bill, but as I said above, with the proofs.
 

jennifer1967

Registered User
Mar 15, 2020
23,137
0
Southampton
I would pay up but I would first ask for copies of the invoices which they paid. Not an invoice from them, the bills they received. They should really have told you in the beginning that your father was asking for a newspaper. I arranged for my mother to receive her favourite newspaper the first 2 or so years she was in care and only cancelled it when it was very obvious she no longer had an interest in it. But I had organized everything directly with the newspaper.

You might want to point out to them that it would better in future for them to speak to the family first before incurring any costs. That way there wouldn't be any unpleasant surprises such as you received. I would also ask why it went on for such a long time before you were informed.

Actually, the more I think about it, the more I think you shouldn't be liable, but in the interests of harmony in the future, I would pay the bill, but as I said above, with the proofs.
true i forgot about thye invoice they would have recieved to the paper shop and exactly what was supplied and when
 

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