Arabic version: العائلات تطالب باسترداد الأموال من مشغل دار الرعاية بعد الصعوبات المالية

Families have voiced their anger and frustration after spending months, and in some cases over a year, battling to get back thousands of pounds they were owed by Morar Care Group, a care home operator. According to BBC News, relatives of ten former residents say the operator withheld sums of up to £19,000, which had been paid as deposits when moving into the homes.

The situation has forced some families to instruct lawyers and debt collectors and pursue taking civil cases against the operator. Morar Care Group, whose parent company is Simply UK, has denied the allegations, claiming that the concerns regarding contracts and fees are “incorrect and misleading.”

The families’ frustrations were compounded when they received threats of legal action from the operator for taking part in a BBC investigation into care standards at their facilities. The investigation revealed poor care conditions at Castlehill Care Home in Inverness, which has since changed its name to Morar Highland and is now rated adequate by the Care Inspectorate.

Concerns have been raised not only about financial issues but also about the quality of care. Families have reported instances where residents were not given adequate pain relief, leading to distress. The Care Inspectorate upheld eight complaints about the treatment of residents at Morar homes.

Despite the operator’s claims of having clear refund policies, families have described the process as unnecessarily complicated. Freedom of information requests show that at least 25 families across four different council areas logged concerns about financial issues with Morar homes in the past three years. Jim Pearson from Alzheimer Scotland criticized the delays in refunds, calling them “appalling” and emphasizing that families should not face such difficulties during vulnerable times.