Assisted living facility is scamming me.

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Assisted living facility is scamming me.

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I moved my elderly mother from the assisted living facility that she was living for the past five years and moved her to another facility. The former facility had to move her to another room last year because her original room for 3 years had plumbing problems and they moved her to another room which she lived until last week. The room was fully furnished already and now they’re trying to say that I’m fully responsible for taking out all the furniture that they provided! They’re trying to scam me because they’re saying that they will keep billing me until the room is cleared. It doesn’t belong to her! The only thing that she had was her clothes which we removed. How can they say that I’m responsible for furniture that she/I don’t own?

Elder Law Frauds & Scams Moving Skilled Nursing Facility

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Reply to your response to me. Well then, tell them you will be getting it out. You can't work with stupid. Make sure you have something signed that the furniture was removed with a witness being present. That whoever picks it up, says "We r picking up the furniture of Mrs Jones room 219" Maybe have your own form to have signed.

"On this day April , 2025, Mrs Joans is having furniture, declared by (name if AL)as her property, picked up by (Habitat or whomever)." Then have a place for a witness or director to sign. Its called covering your tail. I will not be surprised if someone does come back one day telling you that the furniture was not yours to take. Document the calls you made. If on a cell, take screen shots.

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It is possible that the furniture was donated by another family who left the facility and it was to be given to another resident who needed it. So they gave her free stuff and now it is her responsibility.

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I’m just mind boggling how these people can get away with unethical behavior. Overall I donated everything

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I would try one more time saying the room was furnished by you. So how do they figure its Moms furniture. It belongs to the facility. If they continue to say its hers, call Habitate or Salvation army and ask if they will pick up. You don't have to hire a UHaul. They will.

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I've been back and forth for few days now with these people telling them that it’s their stuff! They totally refuse to listen and are giving me a hard time because I filed a complaint against them with the state so the administrator there is being difficult

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This makes utterly NO SENSE.
What happened to your MOM's furniture when she was moved? Where is IT? Are you certain that HER furniture she moved in with three years ago isn't there waiting to be cleared.

Have you been to the facility and spoken with the administration?
Because what they have told you about removing your mother's furniture is a fact and is in all contracts.

The big questions here are:
1. Three years ago did your mother move in WITH furniture with WITHOUT furniture?
2. What happened to MOM'S furniture?

If this isn't mom's furniture then you will have to write a "lawyer letter" that your mother never had furniture at this facility, that she moved into first ONE room already furnished and was then emergently moved to ANOTHER already furnished, and that this is not her furniture and you are not responsible for it.

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My mom’s original room had some furniture in there when she moved in including a dresser and nightstand. The only thing at the time that she needed was a bed a tv and tv stand and a mini fridge which was all missing after they moved her. Everything in the second room was in there as far as I know

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Just curious what happened to the furniture that was in the room she was in for 3 years?
Was that her furniture that she moved in when she moved in?

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They are totally scamming you and most likely have done the same thing to other people's family who were in the same AL. Your mother lived at this AL for some time. Do you know any other resident's family that you could talk to? If you can find other people who the facility pulled this on, that will shut them up.

The reason for the furniture removal scam, is so the AL can bill your mother for the room even though she's moved out and they will bill her full cost as if she was there.

If they won't listen and want to continue trying to work this kind of hustle, burn them on the money. Your mother is already living somewhere else. I'd definitely contact the state's Ombudsman's Office and let them know what's going on, just so you have proof if you need it.

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In my MIL's former facility residents' families often would tell the admins that they are donating the furniture. If they agree to this I would have them sign an informal itemized list as proof (and dated). They may not want the furniture but it doesn't hurt to ask. Or, you call a charity that has a truck and will pick up furniture in decent condition. I was in southeast FL this past Jan-Mar cleaning up my deceased Aunt's home and the charities are flooded with crappy furniture. They only wanted 1 good item, but it won't hurt to call around and ask. The one that wanted the furniture was a thrift store run by a small church. Or, you advertise "Free Furniture" on craiglist.org with the condition that they come get ALL of it by XX date and have to move ALL of it out themselves. I've done this. I also agree that a U-Haul is cheaper than an attorney. You can rent a large, open-bed pick-up from from Home Depot by the hour that is very inexpensive.

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What does the signed contract say about the responsibilities upon move out? It may just be that mom does own the furniture once she's used it for a year, thereby making it your responsibility to get rid of it. In any event, they can keep billing you until you DO get rid of that furniture so I'd rent a Uhaul and then drive it over to Goodwill where you can donate everything but the mattress, most likely. Ask the AL if you can throw the mattress in their dumpster if you cannot use it. That's what we did with my mother's practically new one after she passed. Otherwise it's expensive to unload one at the city dump!

Renting a U-haul is cheaper than hiring an attorney to sort thru this for you too.

Sorry you are dealing with this mess in addition to moving mom again. I feel your pain. The aggravation involved in move outs is beyond comprehension, I've been thru it many times with my folks. Do read that new contract though. If the AL didn't give you one when mom moved to the new room, then you may have a case. But it'll cost you to get an attorney IF the AL let's it get that far.

Good luck!!!

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Interesting! No I didn’t sign a new contract when they moved her to another room and nor was I ever notified. So basically they are required to have me sign a new contract if they changed her room?

Assisted living facility is scamming me.

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