Fairer Terms for Care Home Residents
30 Jan 2004
New guidance has been published to help people get fairer contract terms from care homes.
Fair Terms for Care, from the Office of Fair Trading, is aimed at those thinking about entering residential care who are paying fees for all or part of it. The leaflet, is a guide to unfair terms in privately funded care home contracts. It says that prospective residents should have straightforward, written contracts in clear, easy to understand language, and in a suitable format, such as large print.
Prospective residents, and those helping them, are advised to take their time to read the terms thoroughly and to ask for things to be explained before signing the contract so they know what they are agreeing. The leaflet includes a list of useful contacts who can provide advice.
Information which should be given in the contract includes:
Said OFT chairman, John Vickers, 'Choosing a care home is an important decision and it is vital that consumers are properly aware of what they are signing up to.'
Download the leaflet (OFT 688) from: www.oft.gov.uk
Information which should be given in the contract includes:
- full details of the care and services being provided
- how the fees or charges are calculated and when they are due
- what additional services have to be paid for
- the resident's rights and responsibilities
- the period of notice required to end the contract
Said OFT chairman, John Vickers, 'Choosing a care home is an important decision and it is vital that consumers are properly aware of what they are signing up to.'
Download the leaflet (OFT 688) from: www.oft.gov.uk
BACK TO TOP
