not being paid on time. .....

[Npg1]

This is annoying me now. I sent invoices out beginning of this week to be paid on 29th nov. So far 2/5 parents have paid me and the other 3 are my main income. What do I do? How long until I send a reminder? This happens every month and 1 of the parents doesnt pay until 1st

[Koala]

Join the club.....

I have learn't not to get wound up about it.
I ask for payment on the 1st every month, I value the parents who pay as soon as I send invoices (the week before). I now budget my own accounts accordingly to how my parents pay -some have issues with voucher payment dates (apparently) so I allow for this but I expect any money owing over their voucher payment to me paid on or before the first.

I wait a week and then ask for the funds (which I really hate doing) - this is a black mark against them and I remember next time they want a favour (petty I know).

I have never charged late fees - I should and it is in my contracts. From now on and from the New year which is an ideal opportunity I am putting on my invoices reminders of the late charges and the fact that I will implement them - £5 per day. New year no :censored:. It really is not acceptable and to be honest they only do it because we let them get away with it.

It really is a wind up though when your left high and dry at the weekend with no money. Maybe you could send them a reminder now, but don't hold your breath, but if it was to be paid yesterday you really should ask for payment, how else will they learn. Why do we get like this - if we worked in a nursery we would be in the office demanding payment the same day if it hadn't gone in our bank account.

Send a text reminder now if you need the money for this weekend if not on Monday first thing - get it sorted. :thumbsup:

[samb]

I resend the invoice (I email them) with a big red capital but under the date stating "reminder" the day after its due if not paid. And from December for 1 reoffender it will also have a red bit in my additional costs box stating late fee and then red at total due stating revised total. That's if they don't pay on time- which I am so hoping they do as I really don't want bad feeling and I have spoken to this one who I've had since may and they've never paid on time and I explained last month that actually I incurred bank charges as they'd paid so late and so to cover this I am implementing late fees per day its late in future so I don't have to worry so much if I am charged. Well its due this weekend and not there yet and sent invoice a week ago... Watch this space!

[Bluebell]

I've had a family that are consistent late payers - they are my only family that pay in arrears at the end of the month - so 4 - 5 weeks in arrears depending how long the month is. They pay when they like - sometimes the 7th and sometimes the 12th! They pay through vouchers so I let it slide a bit but now they are paying direct I thought there was no reason for ongoing late payments. after all if it is a 5 week month and they are paying 2 weeks after that then it is actually 7 weeks in arrears ! (i know i know - i should never have let them pay in arrears)

I recently sent a letter to all parents reminding them to pay on time. It reiterated my payment policy of no pay = no stay and that non-payment or continual late payment is breech of contract and instant termination. I also sent this particular invoice to the parents a few days early this month so they would have time to receive and pay.

She then wrote and said she hadn't realised that they had a date they had to pay by!! Unbelievable!

However, I am hoping now I have confirmed that there pay date is the last day of the month they will pay on time. She did this month anyway.

[funemnx]

It's frustrating when we don't get paid on time - occasionally, it's because the parents payday doesn't coincide with ours. It might be worth asking when they get paid and adjusting the invoice date to match. I did this once for a parent who got paid on the 17th of the month and it made things a lot easier for her and for me - many people don't get paid until the 1st of the month...

[maisiemog]

Join the club..... I have learn't not to get wound up about it. I ask for payment on the 1st every month, I value the parents who pay as soon as I send invoices (the week before). I now budget my own accounts accordingly to how my parents pay -some have issues with voucher payment dates (apparently) so I allow for this but I expect any money owing over their voucher payment to me paid on or before the first. I wait a week and then ask for the funds (which I really hate doing) - this is a black mark against them and I remember next time they want a favour (petty I know). I have never charged late fees - I should and it is in my contracts. From now on and from the New year which is an ideal opportunity I am putting on my invoices reminders of the late charges and the fact that I will implement them - £5 per day. New year no :censored:. It really is not acceptable and to be honest they only do it because we let them get away with it. It really is a wind up though when your left high and dry at the weekend with no money. Maybe you could send them a reminder now, but don't hold your breath, but if it was to be paid yesterday you really should ask for payment, how else will they learn. Why do we get like this - if we worked in a nursery we would be in the office demanding payment the same day if it hadn't gone in our bank account. Send a text reminder now if you need the money for this weekend if not on Monday first thing - get it sorted. :thumbsup:

I do this! One gets paid every 4 weeks so I get paid every 4 weeks which is nice as it moves through the month as the year goes on! I also have one pay me on 20th of every month as well and the other three families pay on 1st. And all 3 have paid already so I'm happy with that! Been very lucky and never had a problem with payment so far other than when one mum started a new job and got paid a few days later than she expected to be!

[samb]

When mine first sign contracts I ask them what payment date they would like and frequency- they can choose weekly, monthly or 4 weekly. I explain I send the invoice for 4 weekly or monthly a week in advance to give them appropriate amount of time to pay especially if using a mix of methods and if weekly I expect payment at beginning of each week. It is a question in my feedback forms too after their settling period to check they don't need to change it.

[bunyip]

If this is happening repeatedly it's simply cos the parents think you're not serious about the payment date. It's entirely up to you to show them that you are serious, or continue being treated like a doormat.

I'm assuming you have a late payment clause in the contract, right? :thumbsup: So this month, tot up and add the late payment charges to the next invoice, then deduct them as a discount, together with a note that it is the first and final warning. That way, the client sees what they could have been charged, and you've recorded a clear written warning in a non-threatening way. Next time they pay late, you jolly well charge the fees.

I'd get in a contract review asap and introduce payment in advance (if you don't already do this) and a strict policy of "no payment = no childcare + no exceptions." Parents will take your fees policy just as seriously as the CM does. If you're serious about it being a first priority, they will. If not, they'll pay their other bills, hairdresser, night out, etc. first and leave you waiting because you've given them no reason to do otherwise.

Parents won't like this but they have, to all intents and purposes, brought it upon themselves because their disregard is leaving you carrying the consequences for them failing to fulfil their responsibilities.

I have exactly the same policy with all my clients (together with accepting payment monthly/weekly/daily, so they can't claim to be out of pocket to me.) They know they can pay me daily if they wish, and they also know I will not work a single day without payment, so I've never had a payment problem in this way. :thumbsup:

[clairer]

I send a text reminding a parent if they are late paying. Also when I updated contracts I wrote in a late payment fee. Funnily enough nobody has been late paying since!

Might be worth doing a newsletter and adding **reminder, please could parents pay on time as you have the mortgage payment going out and if you have not been paid on time, it might bounce!

Or something similar.