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View Full Version : can i charge a retainer for this? thanks



sammy
17-09-2008, 09:22 PM
i childmind mon to thurs for a baby, and in november days will change to tues to fri until April of next year, then return back to mon to thurs. im not sure but this could be an on going thing of half a year mon-thurs and other half tues-fri.

we both did a contract with a 3 month review, so this will take place at the end of Oct, which is handy so this gives me a oppurtunity to chat or add things i hadnt thought of to begin with, ive started to childmind again after 3 years, so i didnt bring the retainer chat up when we signed contracts as i didnt think too then, but now im starting to wonder if i should.

the thing is i said to her that i couldnt work fridays as i have 2 after school, so she has considered taking fridays off of work as holiday as she only wants him to come to me and no other CM, BUT now im free to work friday afternoons as 2 after school have now changed days, (sorry if confusing you) i dont know if she will just want an afternoon, so im thinking she will only want me tue to thurs now, if this is the case, then i will be out of pocket and i feel as im holding the monday for her, that i should charge her some how. But if i charged a retainer that would work out quite expensive as i charge £6 ph, and i work 8.15 to 7pm on mondays. Anyway sorry its long winded, but not sure what to do.

If she did want me fri afternoons then i wouldnt worry about the mondays as i would be getting nearly the same pay as im getting now and i couldnt expect her to pay a retainer for mondays too.

what should i do? thanks for any replys

Annie_T
17-09-2008, 11:07 PM
bumping this up for you

sorry i cant help i no idea bout retainers etc haha x

kindredspirits
18-09-2008, 09:17 PM
i'd say you need to at least be breaking even - if they need you to reserve mondays then they need to pay for it - if they're happy to take a chance that you won't have filled the space on money then thats their call.

Andrea08
18-09-2008, 09:28 PM
i agree.

you cana charge a retainer if you cana hold the place BUT
IF YOU ARE happy to hold the days then charge half until the place is needed then charge full,

parents told me they didnt want to pay retainer any more for days not needed at the time ok i was a bit ,,,not happy coz i couldn't fill the days but hay what could i do ,,,, 2mths l8r they need thoes days mmmmmm
i soooo wanted to tell them the days had been taken lol lol lol
BUT Noooooo i gave in as we all do xx
xx

Chatterbox Childcare
19-09-2008, 07:08 AM
I would do another contract at the review and explain that if she wants the Monday held then she will need to pay for it. If she doesn't want to pay you could either:

charge a 50% retainer to hold the space

up the rate for the other 3 days as it is a shorter week.

I had a child go from 4 days @ £35.00 per day and then 3 days @ £38.00 per day.

Mum can't have it all ways and you are there to make a profit

balloon
19-09-2008, 07:10 AM
I think I would probably charge the retainer for the mondays as you will be unable to fill the place and so will be out of pocket. Perhaps you could arrange a weekly fee that was for four and a half days (spanning the five days) so you are all happy?

I have a similar situation at the moment where I've taken on a child for mornings only who wants full time at some point in the near-ish future (but we don't know exactly when). Meanwhile I've lost out on another contract that could have filled the afternoons so I'm a bit cross with myself for not being on the ball and thinking about retainers cos now I'm out of pocket.