Legal
Terms and Conditions
These terms apply to care services arranged through Lee Care Services. Please read them carefully before engaging our services. If you need anything clarified, contact us before care begins. By arranging care with us, you are agreeing to these terms.
1. About us
Lee Care Services is a domiciliary care provider based at No 9, St Andrews Avenue, Colchester, CO4 3AN, Essex, trading as Lee Care Services Limited (company number 11469011, registered in England and Wales). We are registered with and regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Our CQC registration can be viewed at cqc.org.uk.
"We", "us", and "our" refer to Lee Care Services. "You" refers to the person or family engaging our services.
2. Engaging care
Care services begin once we have completed an initial assessment and both parties have agreed a care plan in writing. The care plan sets out the type of support, frequency of visits, and any specific requirements for the person receiving care.
There are terms and conditions on which we supply our services to you. Please check that the details in the care agreement and these terms are complete and correct before care starts. If you need any changes, tell us in writing straight away.
We reserve the right to decline or withdraw services if, in our professional judgement, we are not the right provider for a particular situation. Where we do this, we will tell you promptly and, where possible, help you identify an alternative.
3. Paying for care
Rates
When you engage one of our carers, you agree to pay the hourly, weekly, or nightly rate stated in the care agreement. Rates depend on the level and type of care required and are confirmed in writing before care begins. We will give you at least four weeks' written notice of any change to your rate.
Invoicing
We invoice weekly in arrears unless otherwise agreed in writing. Invoices are due for payment within seven days of the invoice date. If you have any query about an invoice, please contact us within five working days of receipt.
Late payment
Where an invoice remains unpaid after the due date, we may charge interest under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 where applicable. We will always contact you before taking any further action.
Funding
Where care is funded by a local authority or through NHS Continuing Healthcare, the terms set by that funding body also apply. It remains your responsibility to ensure that funding is in place and maintained. We will assist with funding applications where we are able to.
4. Changing or cancelling care
You may change or cancel individual care visits with at least 48 hours' notice at no additional charge. Cancellations with less than 48 hours' notice may be charged at the full visit rate to cover staff costs already committed.
To end a care arrangement permanently, we ask for at least two weeks' written notice wherever possible. We understand that circumstances can change unexpectedly and we will always try to accommodate urgent situations.
5. Our staff
All care workers supplied by Lee Care Services remain our employees or workers throughout the period of care. You must not direct them to work for other parties, or discuss personal employment arrangements with them, without our prior written agreement.
We invest significantly in training and developing our staff. They are not permitted to accept direct offers of employment from clients while working for us.
Employing our staff directly
If a client directly employs a member of Lee Care Services staff who is, or has been, employed by us in the previous three months, a fee of £1,000 will be due from the client every six months. This fee covers our costs of recruitment and training and is payable within 14 days of demand.
If a particular carer is not the right fit for a situation, please contact us and we will arrange an alternative as quickly as possible.
6. Your responsibilities
To enable us to provide safe, effective care, we ask that you:
- Give us accurate and up-to-date information about the care recipient's health, medication, and needs.
- Inform us promptly of any change in the person's condition or circumstances.
- Ensure that our care workers can access the home safely at agreed times.
- Treat our staff with dignity and respect. Verbal or physical abuse directed at our workers is not acceptable and may result in services being withdrawn.
7. Complaints
If you are unhappy with any aspect of our service, please contact us as soon as possible. We take complaints seriously and aim to resolve them quickly and fairly.
You can raise a complaint by calling 020 8087 0075, emailing info@leecareservices.co.uk, or writing to us at our office address above. If you are not satisfied with our response, you may refer the matter to the Care Quality Commission. See our full complaints procedure for more detail.
8. Limitation of liability
Nothing in these terms limits our liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, or for fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation.
Subject to the above, our total liability to you in connection with any single incident will not exceed the total fees paid by you in the three months preceding the incident.
9. Governing law
These terms are governed by the law of England and Wales. Any disputes will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.
Questions about these terms? Contact us at info@leecareservices.co.uk or call 020 8087 0075.