What to Do If Care Problems or Contract Refund Disputes Arise After Moving into a Facility? A Guide to Resident Rights and Complaint Channels
After moving into an elderly care facility, if you encounter disputes regarding care quality, safety, or fees, you can follow three channels: for improper care or suspected abuse/neglect, first report to the facility and call the Ministry of Health and Welfare's 113 protection hotline, or file a complaint with the local municipal/county social affairs bureau; for fee and contract refund disputes, call the national consumer service hotline 1950. The following summarizes resident rights, complaint procedures, refund regulations, and placement guarantees when a facility closes, for neutral consumer reference, not individual legal advice; for specific disputes, consult the competent authority or professionals.
Who to report to for care quality issues or suspected abuse/neglect?
The competent authority for elderly care facilities is the municipal/county government (social affairs bureau) where the facility is located, responsible for guidance, supervision, inspection, and evaluation under the Senior Citizens Welfare Act. If you discover improper care, it is recommended to follow these steps:
- Internal: First report to the social worker, nursing staff, or person in charge, and record the time, personnel, and specific details, keeping records
- Competent authority: File a complaint with the local municipal/county social affairs bureau and request an inspection
- Emergency protection: For suspected abuse, neglect, abandonment, or financial exploitation, immediately call the 113 protection hotline (24 hours, toll-free, with foreign language interpretation) or report via the Ministry of Health and Welfare's 'Care e-up'; call 110/119 if there is immediate danger
How are facility violations handled? What protections do residents have?
Under the Senior Citizens Welfare Act, when the competent authority finds violations, it may order corrective action within a time limit, impose fines, order suspension for a certain period, or revoke the establishment permit if not corrected; severe cases involving abuse or harm to residents' physical and mental health are subject to heavier penalties. The law also requires facilities to have public liability insurance and operational guarantee capacity to protect residents' rights:
- Evaluation and inspection results are important bases for monitoring facility quality and can be obtained from the competent authority
- Facilities must have public liability insurance to protect residents in case of accidents
- Serious violations (e.g., abuse) may result in fines, suspension, or revocation of license
How are admission contracts, deposits, and refunds calculated?
Before admission, the facility must sign a written standard contract with the resident or family. Residential long-term care facilities are subject to the 'Mandatory and Prohibitory Provisions for Standard Contracts of Residential Long-Term Care Service Institutions' (announced by the Ministry of Health and Welfare in 2024), while nursing homes are subject to the elderly care facility standard contract. Common points for refunds and deposits:
- Deposit must be no less than one month's and no more than two months' care fees, and must be deposited in a dedicated financial institution account and not misappropriated
- Refund: After contract termination, prepaid service fees are refunded proportionally based on unused days (within seven working days for residential long-term care)
- Deposit is returned without interest after deducting outstanding fees; before signing, read the 'Mandatory and Prohibitory Provisions' carefully, and pay attention to the notice period and conditions for termination
Who can help if contract or refund negotiations fail?
Fee and contract issues are consumer disputes. First file a written complaint with the facility; if negotiation fails, call the national consumer service hotline 1950 (automatically transferred to the local county/city consumer service center) or apply for consumer dispute mediation with the county/city consumer protection officer. For disputes involving care services themselves, you can also report to the social affairs bureau:
- 1950: National transfer hotline for consumer complaints and standard contract disputes
- County/city consumer protection officer: Can apply for consumer dispute mediation
- Keep the contract, fee details, and communication records as evidence
What happens to residents if a facility closes or has its license revoked?
Under Article 50 of the Senior Citizens Welfare Act, when a private elderly care facility suspends operations, ceases business, closes, dissolves, or has its permit revoked or canceled, it must immediately arrange appropriate placement for residents; if the facility cannot arrange placement, the competent authority will assist, and the facility must cooperate. Non-compliant facilities may be subject to fines, enforcement, or even takeover by the competent authority to ensure uninterrupted care:
- Placement responsibility lies with the facility; if the facility cannot arrange it, the competent authority assists
- Non-compliant facilities may be fined, enforced, or taken over by the competent authority
- In such cases, proactively contact the local social affairs bureau to confirm placement arrangements
FAQ
If I suspect an elderly relative is being abused or neglected in a facility, what should I do first?
Immediately call the Ministry of Health and Welfare's 113 protection hotline (24 hours, toll-free, with foreign language interpretation) or report online via 'Care e-up'; call 110/119 if there is immediate danger. Also file a complaint with the local municipal/county social affairs bureau and request an inspection. Try to record the time, personnel, and specific details, and keep photos or records as evidence.
Which unit should I complain to if an elderly care facility has problems?
The competent authority for the facility is the municipal/county social affairs bureau where the facility is located, which is responsible for supervision, inspection, and evaluation under the Senior Citizens Welfare Act and can accept complaints. For suspected abuse or neglect, call 113; for fee or contract consumer disputes, call 1950. The three channels can be used concurrently as needed.
When moving out or upon the death of an elderly resident, can prepaid fees and deposits be refunded?
Yes. According to the standard contract, after termination, prepaid service fees should be refunded proportionally based on unused days (within seven working days for residential long-term care facilities), and the deposit should be returned without interest after deducting any outstanding fees. The actual amount is calculated based on the contract terms and actual usage for the month; it is recommended to check the fee details.
How much deposit can be charged? What if the facility refuses to refund?
Under the current standard contract, the deposit must be no less than one month's and no more than two months' care fees, and must be deposited in a dedicated account. If the facility refuses to refund or disputes the deduction, first file a written complaint; if negotiation fails, call the 1950 consumer service hotline or apply for mediation with the county/city consumer protection officer.
What is the difference between 1966, 1950, and 113?
1966 is the long-term care service hotline for applying for home, community, or residential long-term care 'services' and needs assessment, not a complaint channel; 113 is the protection hotline for reporting suspected abuse, neglect, or abandonment; 1950 is the consumer service hotline for handling fee and contract consumer disputes. Call the appropriate line based on your needs.
Where can I check the facility's evaluation rating? Is it helpful for complaints?
Evaluation results for each facility are published by the competent authority (county/city government) and can be obtained from the social affairs bureau; this site's 'Elderly Care Facility Evaluation' page also provides an explanation. Evaluation and inspection records are important references for understanding facility quality, filing complaints, and requesting improvements.
· This page is a neutral compilation of information for reference only, not medical, legal, tax, or admission advice. For actual regulations and services, please refer to official announcements from competent authorities and the institutions themselves.