Hi, my name is CD35! Care company billing me for the visit even though they didn't do anything.

CD35

My care company are scheduled to visit at 9:30 pm. A couple of days ago they called me at 11:20 am asking if I could be ready for 8:30 pm instead of 9:30 due to staffing issues, I agreed this would be ok. I have to do something personal before they come which takes me about 1 hour so I started doing this early. By 8:40 they hadn't arrived so I gave the office a ring, I was advised they were running late and would be at mine 9pm-9:15pm I said I'd have everything done by then. They turned up at 9:04. I have a keysafe but they just kept ringing the doorbell. I eventually had to answer the door. I told him I'd got everything done and he could just go home.

They're still billing me for the visit even though they didn't do anything.

If I hadn't answered the door he wouldn't have been able to scan the fob to say he'd arrived.

Can they still bill me and would I have been better not answering the door so he couldn't scan the fob?

Albus_Scope

Heya @CD35 and welcome to the community.

That does sound very annoying indeed. I believe legally they can still bill you as they're charging for the man hours and the person did turn up for the appointment as arranged. Usually there'll be a cancellation notice, sometimes an hour, sometimes longer. Did you expressly say they weren't needed when you called?

CD35

I just said I'd have everything done.

I have to give them at least 24 hours notice but they can just change it when they want. Ihad to rearrange my day for them.

CD35

The person on the phone was foreign so wasn't easy having a conversation with them.

Albus_Scope

Ok thanks for the clarification @CD35 unfortunately they can legally charge you for the time as you'd not given enough notice. It could be worth asking one of the care agency's managers for a chat about it, or raise it as an official complaint?