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A new draft consumer law advice for the UK care home industry is being considered, with a particular focus on curbing charges after a resident’s death.
The care home industry has been under close scrutiny in recent years from the UK’s competition watchdog – The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) – over families bearing the costs of fees after a resident has passed away. The CMA has been looking at the industry as a whole to ensure there is fair competition to keep fees down in an era where elderly care is both costly and straining under a continually ageing population.
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CMA clamp down on car hire websites over “hidden” costs
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) have clamped down on car hire websites over “hidden” costs, resulting in changes as to how quotes are to be presented, and ensuring more information is provided as to what additional costs could be incurred.
The investigation has seen online travel agent P&P Associates Ltd, as well as price comparison website companies Affordable Car Hire Ltd and Flexiblecarhire.com Ltd, commit to ensuring all compulsory charges are contained within quotes.
Now, things like fuel surcharges, additional fees for young drivers and out-of-hours pick up charges must be included in the initial quotes.
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CMA investigate the design, construction and fit-out services industry
At the end of last year, six months on from initial investigations and information gathering, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) decided to open investigations in to the ‘design, construction and fit-out services’ sector over suspicions of competition act breaches.
No conclusions have yet to emerge, and the investigations remain ongoing. However, this sector has had its fair share of investigations and breaches in the past, so we wouldn’t be at all surprised if the investigation concludes that the law has been broken in some way.
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The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has hit Ping Europe Limited (Ping) with a fine of £1.45m for refusing to allow their golf clubs to be sold online.
They have also been forced to repeal their online sales ban immediately.
The CMA ultimately found that Ping’s online sales ban was a restriction that could adversely affect competition in the market by closing one of the most important distribution channels available to the retailers involved; i.e. the world wide web.
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Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) decision was published about Micronclean Limited and Berendsen Cleanroom Services Limited who were found to have allocated territories and customers plus both companies had agreed not to compete with each other’s relevant allocations.
This is a very serious breach of competition laws – the market is essentially rigged in their favour by sharing the market and agreeing not to compete. This can lead to inflated prices, a lack of innovation and little choice for consumers in the market. This behaviour favours the companies financially, and not the consumer; totally against the principles of fair competition.
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CMA provides updated reports on investigations into the care home sector
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has published a couple of reports concerning their investigations into the care home market in the U.K. The first is a final report on the general market, and looks at how elderly and vulnerable residents are being treated. The second consists of an order to stop care homes from overcharging families in upfront costs, fees and continuing to charge families when the resident passes away.
The care home sector has seen a fair amount of scrutiny in the past few years, and for good reason. These institutions take in the elderly and vulnerable to provide them with a home and a sense of community with peers. These people are the most susceptible to harm as their physical and mental states deteriorate; relying on carers to look after them.
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After a year of making its preliminary probes, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has decided that there are substantive grounds and evidence to continue investigations into the pharmaceutical sector for allegedly charging excessive and unfair prices for liothyronine tablets.
Liothyronine tablets are used to treat hypothyroidism. Without enough thyroid hormones, our bodies’ metabolism slows down, making us feel tired, depressed and cold, all the while putting the pounds on. Liothyronine isn’t the main drug used to treat hypothyroidism but a lot of people are not suited to the primary drug and can only take liothyronine.
The suspected players in the market may be distorting competition for the thyroid hormone drugs
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Competition and Markets Authority determines TalkTalk and CityFibre appeals over BT leased lines
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has made a determination after TalkTalk and CityFibre have allegedly been overcharged for BT leased lines.
Leased lines are “high quality, dedicated, point-to-point data transmissions services” for essential communication services. BT leases out these lines to other telecommunication provides like TalkTalk and CityFibre, but the control they have other the prices has been disputed by the two users.
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CMA has found evidence of cartel arrangements in the supply of precast concrete drainage products
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) will be going ahead with their investigations into the supply of precast concrete drainage products industry over suspicions of cartel behaviour after reportedly finding enough evidence from their initial probes.
The case was opened on 15 April 2016 and the CMA has spent over a year obtaining vital information for analysis and review. The competition watchdog’s preliminary investigations have apparently proved fruitful as it announces its intention to continue the probes.
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The Competition and Markets Authority opens two more investigations in the pharmaceutical sector
Announced only days apart, the two Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) investigations will be looking into suspected anti-competitive agreements and conduct in the Pharmaceutical and Pharmaceutical Drugs sectors. The competition watchdog will be checking how companies conduct their business and looking into whether any of their practices are in breach of Chapters I and II of the Competition Act 1998, and Article 101 and 102 of related competition laws.
From October 2017 to April 2018, the CMA will begin its investigations and gather as much relevant information as possible. At this point, they will issue formal and informal requests for information, and if need be, the CMA will also attend state-of-play meetings with the investigated parties.
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