The Consumer Council has urged silver businesses to build an age-friendly consumption environment after receiving numerous complaints regarding products and services catering to the elderly.
The watchdog highlighted on Tuesday a case where a company was criticized for its lack of after-sales warranty and overly complex termination procedures, which required a 30-day notice and submission of a specific form—posing difficulties for elderly users.
One care home was also reported for failing to provide meals and medication on schedule for an elderly resident, as well as refusing to refund fees after the complaint completed the early termination procedure.
The care home defended that a 30-day notice period was contractually required for residency termination and that it had never agreed to the complainant’s early termination request.
In another case, an elderly woman complained that her husband passed away before being admitted to the care home, yet the facility refused to refund the HK$2,000 deposit.
The facility argued that it had reserved a place for two months, which is far exceeding the standard 14-day practice and could result in a potential loss.
The council urged the industry to improve service quality and adopt a more empathetic and flexible approach to address the needs of elderly consumers and their families, especially in unexpected situations.
It also reminded the public to assist seniors in making well-informed decisions by carefully reviewing pricing plans, contract terms, and after-sales arrangements before committing to any services.
(Judy Cui)
