Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about an increase in care home fees. There is not enough evidence of fault by the care provider.

The complaint

1. Mrs X complains about the increase in care fees charged by Roseberry Care Centres (England) Ltd for her mother’s residential care home placement.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. We investigate complaints about ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’, which we call ‘fault’. We must also consider whether any fault has had an adverse effect on the person making the complaint, which we call ‘injustice’. We provide a free service but must use public money carefully. We do not start an investigation if we decide the tests set out in our Assessment Code are not met. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended)

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How I considered this complaint

3. I considered information provided by Mrs X and the Care Provider.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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Final decision

5. We will not investigate Mrs X ’s complaint because the care provider has confirmed the increase in fees applied to all privately funded residents. It is not for the Ombudsman to state what private care providers can change for residential care.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman