Johnson Care Group, a prominent operator of 12 care homes in Leicestershire, faced criticism for its handling of a significant financial obligation to a customer. The company was involved in a prolonged delay in settling an outstanding balance, eventually resulting in the customer receiving the owed amount eight months late. Despite assurances and a series of partial payments, the care group failed to meet its commitments in a timely manner, causing financial strain on the customer.
The issue began when Johnson Care Group was unable to pay the full refund of £23,000 owed to a customer for care fees. The customer had initially paid fees themselves while awaiting a backdated payment for qualifying months. Although the group paid £13,000 to the customer, they repeatedly failed to clear the remaining balance. In January, the company sent an additional £5,000 but left an outstanding amount of £5,000 unpaid.
The delay was attributed to what Johnson Care Group described as a "significant backlog." However, this explanation did little to alleviate the customer's frustration, as they had to cover five months of fees themselves, amounting to £23,000. The group's approach was criticized as "cavalier," reflecting dissatisfaction with how they managed the situation.
In an attempt to reassure the customer, Johnson Care Group promised in a letter that the balance would be settled by Christmas Eve. Despite this assurance, the payment was not made by the promised date, further exacerbating the customer's financial burden. The delay continued well into the following year.
After months of waiting, the customer finally received the last instalment of the refund in February. This payment marked the end of an eight-month delay that had caused considerable inconvenience and financial stress for the customer.