A rare Adverse Findings Notice has been issued to a Leicester care company for a “threatening and abusive” response to a family complaint.

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman issue the notice to Pine View Care Homes after it suggested a family had complained only to get out of paying outstanding fees.

In its response to the family’s complaint, the company said: “Families like yours disgust me, as soon as there is an invoice to pay, all the complaints come out, no complaints were made when [Mr C] was a resident but as soon as he leaves and I ask for the invoices to be paid, this is what we get. Disgusting.”

Adding they were “not gangsters”, Pine View threatened to send their debt collectors to collect the debt if it was not paid within seven days.

Having conducted an initial investigation the Ombudsman found the provider’s response to the family’s complaint had caused an injustice and recommended the provider apologise and pay them £150 for the distress caused. It has refused to do so.

Paul Najsarek, Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, said: “The words of the company owner speak for themselves. He has shown a complete lack of maturity and professionalism in his responses to this family’s concerns. Instead of investigating their complaint and responding rationally, he instead sent them intimidating, abusive and threatening emails suggesting they were at fault.

“He then further escalated the threats when the family exercised their right to bring their complaint to my office.”

The Ombudsman has issued only 15 Adverse Findings Notices since it gained the jurisdiction to investigate complaints about independently provided care in 2010.

Najsarek added: “How an organisation responds to complaints, both from clients and to enquiries from my office, says a lot about the culture in which it operates. I am disappointed to see such contemptuous responses from a registered provider and will be sharing these findings with the care regulator, the Care Quality Commission.”

A spokesperson for Pine View Care Homes told Caring Times: Firstly and foremost, at no time did the Ombudsman find any fault with the care provided and all care records were sent to them. This happened at a site that the company previously owned in Derby which has now been sold.

“The company’s intention was not to cause any distress to the family, however, there is a debt which needs to be paid. If care fees are not paid the service cannot operate to its full potential. This is an extremely difficult industry with many closures of care homes happening daily. The financial pressures on care homes is immense. We refute the suggestion that requests for payments were sent only after the Ombudsman was involved this is not correct.”