The grieving family of a pensioner who died of coronavirus have slammed 'callous' care home bosses after they allegedly demanded cash- because he didn't give noticed before he died.
Joseph Dearman was 90 when he was hit by the deadly virus at his Acer Court Care Home in Nuthall, Nottinghamshire on April 12.
Tragically just three days later the former Boots worker had died, The Nottingham Post reports.
His grief-stricken family donated Joseph's £400 wheelchair to the home as a sign of gratitude for their work.
But they say they were stunned when a letter landed through the door last June demanding £532 as Joseph didn't give them two weeks notice that he was 'leaving'.
Bosses are said wanted the family to pay from April 15 - the day he died - up to the end of the month, even though Joseph was dead and not using their services.
Joseph's care cost around £46,000 a year, family members have said.
The family have refused to pay up and this week claim to have received a threatening letter from the home claiming they would take legal action against the grieving Dearmans.
Joseph's daughter Wendy Machen, 66, said: "Having a bill to pay two weeks after he died to cover the care he never had is just awful.
"Then to threaten us with legal action if we don't pay it. Dad was such a gentleman and never complained.
"We had to do that for him. There has been a lack of compassion by the care home. They never even sent us a card when he died.
"We had a card from the vet when our dog was put down but nothing from them."
His father-in-law Mark Machen, 69, said the family will not pay the bill on the grounds that it is morally wrong to demand money from a man who is dead.
He said: "They told us 'we are a business' and 'what you should have done is given us notice that he was going to die.' How can you give notice when someone is going to die?
"They said 'that's what we do and those are the rules' and I said 'get off with you.' Can you believe the cheek of the care home?
"Can they honestly and morally charge my wife £532 for two weeks care that he could not have because he was already dead?
"It is the callousness of it. My wife is devastated. They were extremely unsympathetic and just said it must be paid.
"When we cleared Joseph's room, we left his brand new wheelchair for them to use.
"I've told them we are requesting the wheelchair back to offset the cost of having to pay the extra fees."
Avery Healthcare declined to comment when approached by the Nottingham Post.
