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View Full Version : Would you talk to the neighbours first?



Emra81
17-06-2013, 06:34 PM
Warning, this is very long winded!

So, I'm hoping to be registered sometime in August, if I'm lucky. I live in an end terrace, opposite another set of terraces which form a dead end off a fairly quiet residential street. Everyone is friendly enough and says hello when you happen to bump into each other outside the houses but generally it doesn't go much beyond that. I have permission from the landlords to childmind but, obviously, they have the power to revoke that if my childminding causes a problem e.g. they get a complaint from the neighbours.

I'm not worried about noise as there are a few people with small children so it's not unusual to hear kids playing out in the gardens but parking is VERY limited so I plan to have a separate policy specifically to cover this and be very strict with parents about lurking around too long at drop off and pick up times and will encourage phone calls/meetings outside of busy times if there are any issues (what a shame they won't be able to stay for ages!).

My question is: would you go round and chat to the neighbours and let them know that you were setting up a childminding business or would you just set up and keep it quiet, hoping they don't even notice? I'm leaning towards talking to them as, I feel, I would appreciate it if a neighbour were to do the same and came to give me a heads up. Plus my theory is that they will then be more inclined to come to me first if there are any issues rather than just complaining straight to the landlord. Also, explaining that I'm aware of the parking issue and will be hot on the case when I start up AND that my numbers will be limited so there won't be hoards of screaming children pouring in and out of my house might help alleviate any concerns. But, my mum has made the point that telling people I'm setting up a childcare business right on their doorstep might get the neighbours backs up straight away and lead them to look for reasons to complain hence having the opposite effect!

Did any of you guys talk to your neighbours first or did you just keep schtum and hope to fly under the radar?! Any thoughts greatly appreciated....

smurfette
17-06-2013, 06:49 PM
Hi! I would tend to agree with your mum and this js what I did . A lot of my neighbours are out at work but I do have an older man living next door... Who I thought I might have trouble with as my playroom is attached to his house and this is where the babies sleep so they can be crying before they go off. Anyways I reckon he doesn't know exactly how many I mind which is a good thing as sometimes I think people get their backs up and expect noise and commotion, and will your neighbours want to know how many you are going to mind then keep an eye and complain if you choose to expand?? I sort of feel as long as I am not encroaching on anyone's property then they have no right to be nosey about what I do in my own home.. We put up with teenage parties, DIY and lawnmowing at odd hours and early in the morning don't we?! I have only once had a problem where a parent parked across his drive and he shouted at her, I don't blame him to be honest and I had been keeping an eye and warned parents not to do this but she took no notice!

Koala
17-06-2013, 06:54 PM
First of all you have to remember this is your childminding business, And exactly that, your business.

I may sound a bit harsh, but as soon as you start thinking that other people have the right to interfere in your business you will be forever on tenterhooks. Have your neighbours told you how they earn a living? Why should you tell them?

If I were friendly with my neighbours I wouldn't keep it a secret but otherwise I wouldn't go out of my way to advise them.
As long as you are respectful of noise and as you say parking, I can't see a problem.

However, regarding parking, I have countless times asked, written and advised parents that their inconsiderate parking reflects on me, but still they do it. So the first thing I would say is don't take ownership of how parents use the road, you have no control over this, ask when they first come to be respectful and write it in a policy, thats all you can do, you can't make them be considerate and some are totally inconsiderate.

I didn't speak to my neighbours when I first started, none of their business, they don't tell me about their income and I wouldn't want them to either.

Good luck in your venture :thumbsup: and just make sure whatever you decide to do is based on what is best for you. :thumbsup: and not done out of some kind of misguided allegiance to your neighbours.

I'm with you mum on this one. :D

Mouse
17-06-2013, 07:01 PM
What would you do if you spoke to your neighbours and one of them turned round & said they didn't want you childminding? Would you forget your plans, or carry on knowing they were against it?

I wouldn't say anything. Get your business up & running. Encourage parents to park elsewhere (can they park round the corner & walk?) and deal with any issues if they arise.

Good luck :thumbsup:

bindy
17-06-2013, 07:16 PM
I agree with what's been said, nothing to do with anyone I don't think your landlord can stop you either, long as your rent gets paid, I know it's good practise to get their permission though.

sarah707
17-06-2013, 07:16 PM
Do you know all your neighbours well enough to announce that you are looking after children on your own every day?

I don't - and I have lived here nearly 20 years :panic:

xx

FussyElmo
17-06-2013, 07:33 PM
I agree with what's been said, nothing to do with anyone I don't think your landlord can stop you either, long as your rent gets paid, I know it's good practise to get their permission though.

If a landlord refused permission to childmind and you went ahead it would invalidate all the insurances on the property and the public liability :thumbsup:

Im like Sarah really don't know my neighbours well enough. We know them well enough to say hello and pass pleasantries but other than that.

Tell them when they ask about the extra children turning up :thumbsup:

loocyloo
17-06-2013, 08:23 PM
when I started minding I was living in a little cul de sac. majority of neighbours went to work all day, only my immediate neighbour was at home and she loved me having all the children!
we moved and neighbour one side had just moved in. I mentioned what I did in passing and she thought it was great as she had children. ( she then became my assistant! ) neighbour the other side ... I was told she would love it, as used to be a dinner lady/TA etc ... everyone was so wrong! but she had a problem with everything & anything we ( or most of the people on our road ) did, so didn't pay her any attention!
moved to house now in ... my immediate neighbour is a holiday let and the other side of that has children ( and will come to me when older! ) no other houses nearby!

I think that as long as you are sensitive to your neighbours and ask parents to be so too, then that is enough.

( my difficult neighbour once had a real rant and screaming rage at a parent who was blocking MY drive ( not hers, she could easily get past ) and said she was going to phone the police . he said please do ... and got out of his car ... 6ft 6, and big with it ... in a policemans uniform !!! her excuse was that she 'didn't know he was one of my parents' and he told her that it didn't make a difference, she should not be creating and that she did not have a right to say who parked on my drive! LOL he was only a temp parent I was doing some emergency cover for, but I did smile, as he looked very scary, but was a softy really! )

Mrsh3103
17-06-2013, 08:35 PM
My house is exactly the same as yours. End terrace with another terrace opposite. I decided not to tell my neighbours when I started as I didn't want to have any mindee's that lived that close.
I didn't like the thought of a mindees parents knowing my private life. They see who comes & goes when I'm not working etc.
Also I was a bit worried that I might be having a day off, they just pop over the road & ask me to have their child for the day as they can see I'm clearly not busy. It would be awkward saying no.

My husband made another point that if there was ever any problems such as parent not paying. Issues with the child etc it would be very difficult to give notice as I'd have to see them every day.

I just like to keep my private life private.

Emra81
17-06-2013, 08:39 PM
Lol! Well, looks like it's unanimous; it's none of their business! I guess I was just trying to pre-empt any problems but as you've all rightly pointed out, telling the neighbours actually causes more problems than it solves! Decision made.

Thank you so much for all of your thoughts - I really appreciate it. I bloomin' love this forum!

Addicted?! Me?!?! ;)

bindy
17-06-2013, 09:55 PM
If a landlord refused permission to childmind and you went ahead it would invalidate all the insurances on the property and the public liability :thumbsup:

Im like Sarah really don't know my neighbours well enough. We know them well enough to say hello and pass pleasantries but other than that.

Tell them when they ask about the extra children turning up :thumbsup:

Don't think that's correct but I will check tomorrow, never been told other wise by anyone including Ofsted

FussyElmo
18-06-2013, 06:30 AM
Don't think that's correct but I will check tomorrow, never been told other wise by anyone including Ofsted

Well that's put it this way when I put my insurance claim in for a few years ago. When the loss adjuster found out I was a cm the first thing he said was I hope you told us and he told me then if I was found to be running a business and not had the relevant insurances they would not have pay out and we owned this house.

So imagine you did this in a rented house and the landlord hadn't given you permission and something happened :D

jackie 7
18-06-2013, 07:16 AM
ok I rent and was desperate when i moved in as I hadn't found a place. I told landlord i looked after children. Remember the buisness thing on leases is because you have to change the status of the building from residential to buisness BUT childminding is not considered a buisness by tax people. Ncma organised this a long time age. Landlord saw i had loads of clients and never asked anything. Had a comment on an inspection with owner.. Place is very clean and well looked after considering you have children in was the comment. what you do is your buisness not anyone elses. I take in post for neighbours etc so they like me. Also if anyone says anything you say now you are in and out a lot you feel you are the local neighbourhood watch. As for cars introduce a policy for charges for bad parking!

bindy
18-06-2013, 07:35 AM
Well that's put it this way when I put my insurance claim in for a few years ago. When the loss adjuster found out I was a cm the first thing he said was I hope you told us and he told me then if I was found to be running a business and not had the relevant insurances they would not have pay out and we owned this house.

So imagine you did this in a rented house and the landlord hadn't given you permission and something happened :D

I always tell my insurance I'm a childminder and I rent the house, my insurance never asked the question if my landlord knew.( may be different insurances have different policies ) My estate agent who found the house for me, told me, just as long as it was legal to childmind from a home( he was concerned it was a business, which it is, but comes under very different rules) all would be OK. He said it would only change if the children stayed the nights. Ofsted told me, it's not a legal requirement from their point of view. I don't even know my landlord, they live in the USA. The estate agent looks after the house and they know am a childminder, don't know if they have told the landlord!

wendy latimer
18-06-2013, 10:42 PM
I have to agree with mum it has nothing to do with your neighbours what you do, i never told mine i own my house but it is a middle terrace.I have never had a problem with neighbours i do try and keep the noise level down as much as possible most people work,my youngest has a full set of drums in the bedroom,the rules are you can only go on them after school and not after 6.00pm. He is only ever on them for 10 mins anyway,everybody has to give and take when you have neighbours.If anybody did complain about my business then i would hope they came to me first.I am sure i could find something on them to complain about.Lots of my neighbours actually comment on how nice it is to hear children playing,laughing and having fun.:)