Clear deposit cap and guaranteed refunds: Beijing's six departments jointly issue new elderly care regulations

The Beijing Civil Affairs Bureau and five other departments jointly issued the “Beijing Elderly Care Institution Prepayment Management Measures” recently, focusing on three types of prepayment items: elderly care service fees, deposits, and membership fees. The measures clearly specify the upper limits of charges, fund escrow, and refund guarantees, effectively safeguarding the property rights of the elderly. Regarding issues such as difficulty in refunds and institutions “running away,” the “Measures” clarify that if an elderly care institution suspends or ceases operations, it must report to the district civil affairs department 30 days in advance and make a public announcement. For pre-collected fees that meet the refund conditions specified in the service agreement, the elderly care institution should refund the remaining fees in one lump sum as agreed, and cannot refuse or delay. When processing refunds, refunds should generally be made through the original payment channel. Elderly care institutions must not provide services exceeding their bed capacity commitments, and the total prepayment amount must not exceed their net fixed assets. (CCTV News)