A Leicester care provider has refused to pay a £500 remedy to a former resident following an Ombudsman investigation after ceasing to trade.

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman investigated a complaint about their father’s stay at St Bennett’s care home in November 2022.

The Ombudsman found the home’s owner and sole trader, Mr Mapara, had disposed of the father’s lamp without telling the father or son, failed to keep proper records of how the father wanted to communicate with the son and also failed to involve an independent person to investigate the family’s complaint – and instead communicated with the family himself.

Paul Najsarek, Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, said: “The former owner of the home, Mr Mapara has told me he should not have to pay the remedy we have recommended because his company has ceased trading.

“I disagree – Mr Mapara was acting as a sole trader and therefore still has an obligation to provide the remedy we have recommended.

“I am disappointed with Mr Mapara’s response to my investigation and have shared details of my findings with the care regulator, the Care Quality Commission.”