The scale of the scandal is largely unknown but experts have voiced concerns that OAPs, many with complex care needs, are being turfed out at short notice, causing untold distress and disruption.

Last night they demanded urgent reform, saying new laws may prevent tenants from being put on the streets, but no such protection exists for frail care home residents already paying sky-high fees.

Care Campaign for the Vulnerable founder Jayne Connery said: “The frequency of such malign and morally bankrupt behaviour is escalating.

“Every single week I receive a complaint from a very agitated and anxious family telling me this is the course of action taken against their loved one.

“While I accept the vast majority of providers act responsibly, it seems too many use eviction notices or the threat of them as a tool to suppress complaints or address concerns.”

In the majority of cases, letters are sent to families who have raised concerns because their loved ones do not have the capacity to complain themselves – leaving them less than a month to find new accommodation.

The Daily Express was told some providers issue notices because they have received genuine complaints about unexplained injuries, poor-quality care or staff shortages – and do not want the trouble of dealing with them.

And the crisis is likely to be significantly worse because many families keep quiet, fearing they would be unable to place a loved one in another home.

Patricia Bunn’s six-year residency was terminated without warning after the 88-year-old was found slouched in a chair with blood dripping from her mouth.

Her daughter Debbie also noticed a bruise on her head, but the home said the injuries were unrelated.

The family complained and seven weeks after her eviction Ms Bunn died.

Debbie said: “Mum had late-stage dementia and was unable to walk, talk or feed herself. She was taken away from the carers who knew and understood her and everything that was familiar to her.”

The spiteful use of short-notice evictions comes as Britain battles with a deepening care crisis.

There are now thought to be 1.4 million older people with unmet social care needs and the long-awaited Social Care Green Paper – a 2017 Tory manifesto pledge – remains unpublished.

Miss Connery wants the social care document to include proposals like mandatory CCTV safety monitoring in communal areas of care homes and, with consent, in private rooms.

Alzheimer’s Society wants to see an NHS dementia fund to stop families facing financial ruin as they struggle with crippling care costs.

There have been calls for tax rises to plug a funding black hole which will be £3.5billion by 2025.

Andrew Geach, the chief executive of Shedfield Lodge care home in Hampshire, said: “The majority of care homes would not do this, but I know eviction notices are being served unwarranted.

“Some families are too scared to complain because they are worried they will be served with a 28-day eviction notice.”

Age UK’s Caroline Abrahams said: “The Government must urgently set out plans to strengthen consumer protections for residents.”

And Debbie Westhead of the Care Quality Commission said: “Care homes are people’s homes and those living there should feel supported to live a full and happy life.”

The Department of Health and Social Care said: “People in care homes and their families rightly expect the highest standards of care and it is completely unacceptable for anyone to be forced to leave unfairly.

“The Competition and Markets Authority published guidance to help care homes understand and comply with their responsibilities and will crack down on unfair practices where necessary.”

CASE STUDY

Dementia stricken Sylvia Wood, 94, was evicted after her family complained about her care home.

Sylvia moved to Fieldhead Park, Mirfield, West Yorks, following an Alzheimer’s diagnosis in 2013.

But in January last year her daughter Pam Catmull, 59, received a letter saying her mother must leave in 28 days.

There is no suggestion the care home was using the eviction to avoid addressing the family’s concerns or had failed in its care for her.

But Pam, from Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, who has chronic myeloid leukaemia, said she was in floods of uncontrollable tears when she first read the letter.

It said: “As you are aware, we have had concerns with Sylvia’s behaviour and her non-compliance to care for some time now.”

Upset Pam said: “Mum had two or three falls and I think those gave her a brain injury.

“I believe mum was probably a little bit upset, but it was their approach and I think it was down to lack of training.

“I wasn’t complaining in a nasty way, I was just concerned about her personal care.”

Sylvia is now in Croft House Care Home in Gawthorpe.

Fieldhead Park is run by Roche Healthcare Ltd and rated good by the Care Quality Commission. Regional manager Maria Kelly said: “Whenever anyone comes into a home or leaves a home we always involve professionals.

“It would never be a decision we make on our own.”

Pam added: “Ninety per cent of the staff there were lovely.

“But I think it was probably the best thing that could have happened because we haven’t had any problems since.”

Comment by Jayne Connery

I was pleased to note this week that private housing tenants with private landlords will be better protected by impending legislation to outlaw short-term evictions.

Tenants raising concerns over living standards or the quality of accommodation can no longer just be handed a notice to leave.

I am therefore calling for care home residents to have exactly the same protections.

Currently, a complaint about care or accommodation can result in an eviction notice from a care provider who, rather than making an effort to address a legitimate shortcoming, finds it easier to insist on the removal of a resident.

Many of these elderly people are self-funding and effectively have, in part, a rental agreement with the provider enabling them to live at the care home.

Yet no legal protections exist for them when notice is issued – at a time in life when they are at their most vulnerable and frail.

The frequency of such malign and morally bankrupt behaviour by some care providers is escalating.

Every single week I receive complaints from agitated and anxious families who have loved ones in care homes and they often tell me this is the course of action being taken.

In many cases, the resident doesn’t have the capacity to complain themselves so the initial concerns are raised by an advocate or family member.

The response to issue a notice to leave then impacts on a confused and vulnerable resident whose welfare is simply not considered during the process.

While Care Campaign for the Vulnerable accepts that the vast majority of care providers act responsibly, there are still too many who use eviction notices as a tool to suppress complaints or address concerns.

Private housing tenants are now being afforded the same rights and privileges under law as other tenants – care home residents deserve the same.

Anything less smacks of ageism and a complete lack of regard for the welfare of older, vulnerable people.

• Jayne Connery is the founder and Director of Care Campaign for the Vulnerable.

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