‘The final indignity’ – Families battle to claw back care home cash

The Final Indignity: Families Fight to Retrieve Care Home Deposits

After months of struggle, families of former care home residents have expressed outrage over financial disputes with Morar Care Group. The operator allegedly withheld up to £19,000 in deposits, which were paid by residents when they moved into the facilities. Some families resorted to hiring legal representatives and debt collectors, even taking the case to court, following an undercover BBC investigation that exposed poor care standards at one of the homes.

Legal Threats and Financial Grief

Morar Care Group, owned by Simply UK, operates Castlehill in Inverness. The facility was placed under special measures after an improvement notice from the Care Inspectorate. It later rebranded as Morar Highland and now holds an ‘adequate’ rating. Despite this, families continue to voice concerns over financial practices and care quality.

“I paid £24,000 before Keith entered the nursing home — £16,000 as the deposit and one months’ fees in advance,” said Victoria Hogg. “It was a phenomenal amount of money.”

Victoria’s husband, Keith, was diagnosed with rapid-onset Alzheimer’s at 64. His health deteriorated, and he passed away in June 2023. His estate was owed nearly £19,000, which the care home delayed repaying for over a year. “We had a period of going backwards and forwards, and nothing happening,” Victoria added. “It was difficult. I just wanted to close this down and I couldn’t. I got to the point where I finally got angry, because I felt as though they were just stringing us along.”

Months after contacting The Times, the money was finally returned in January 2025. Yet, Victoria said she never received an apology. “For the most part, I didn’t have issues with the care that my husband received. But I would never, ever recommend anybody to deal with Morar, ever.”

Exploitation During Vulnerability

Other families highlighted similar grievances. Retired nurse Jacqueline Banks reported that her aunt Caitriona MacMillan received inadequate pain relief at Morar’s Oakeshott House in Stirling. “They didn’t give my aunt adequate pain relief at the end of her life,” Jacqueline said. “She was often found distressed when we went in to visit.”

“Families are being exploited at their most vulnerable time,” said Jacqueline. “What concerns me is, there must be elderly people in these homes who don’t have families to fight their cause.”

The Care Inspectorate confirmed eight complaints about Caitriona’s treatment, including two related to pain management. After her death in August 2023, Jacqueline used a debt collector to reclaim £9,600. “It was very, very, very difficult to pinpoint anybody who would take responsibility for this money,” she noted. “I thought about maybe taking them down the litigation side of things, but the solicitor suggested a debt collector.”

With the money repaid almost a year after Caitriona’s passing, Jacqueline remained concerned about the broader implications for residents without family support. “We were dealing with a tragedy, but the financial delays added unnecessary stress,” she said. The issue of self-funded residents, who pay for their own care due to savings, affects around 11,500 people in Scotland, according to recent data.