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snufflepuff
24-05-2010, 09:50 AM
I had someone come to visit last week who seemed very keen but had to run everything past her partner before signing contracts. We arranged settling in sessions for this week and i asked her to bring deposit with her and agreed that we would sign contracts then too.
She emailed at the weekend to say she cant get the money for the deposit until next week so did i want to postpone the settling session until then. She was meant to be starting work next week but its flexible so she can push it all back a weekif i need her to.
Im not sure what to do really......do i trust that she will bring the money next week? (it will mean one months fees as deposit plus one months fees paid in advance, all in one go) or do i change the settling in to next week when she can pay deposit?
I can understand that she is not working at the moment which is why she doesnt have that sort of money to hand. I think i just have it in the back of my mind that she could come for the free settling in sessions then i may not see her again!! (Not sure why anyone would do that though!)

Tealady
24-05-2010, 10:01 AM
One months deposit and one months fees all in one go can be alot of money to find.
In this case I would charge your normal rate, payment up front, for the settling in sessions as she hasn't paid a deposit (and tell her this is why) but not let the child start until you have both paid in full.

If you feel awkward about charging for settling in sessions you could always refund once the other payments have cleared. That way if she is taking you for a ride you won't be out of pocket.

Mouse
24-05-2010, 10:28 AM
A deposit & a month's fee is a lot to find in one go.

I charge the first months fee as the deposit, so when the child starts, the first month is already paid for. I don't charge a deposit AND a month's fee in advance.

Could the parents afford to pay just the first month's money in advance? At least you've been paid a month's money, you could do the settling in sessions & if for any reason they don't turn up, you've at least been paid for the month?

Twinklestars
24-05-2010, 10:54 AM
i charge a month in advance too, and wouldn't ask for a month in advance and another as i would be worried it would scare people off

ajs
24-05-2010, 11:02 AM
i ask for and get an undated cheque as a deposit and don't bank it unless they default, (undated as they can expire after 6 months )
it has always worked for me no money for the parents to find and i have some security if they decide to go owing me money

HomefromHome
24-05-2010, 11:11 AM
i ask for and get an undated cheque as a deposit and don't bank it unless they default, (undated as they can expire after 6 months )
it has always worked for me no money for the parents to find and i have some security if they decide to go owing me money

make sure they write the card no. on the back - cheque guaranteed then and it wont bounce!

marzi
24-05-2010, 11:29 AM
make sure they write the card no. on the back - cheque guaranteed then and it wont bounce!

But can they still cancel the cheque?

PixiePetal
24-05-2010, 12:37 PM
I have a months deposit - happy to take in 2 instalments and a month up front fees. Deposit is for last month of contract when notice given so I have notice money in hand if they do a runner :laughing:

Millenium
24-05-2010, 12:37 PM
Lots of suggestions about the money so I will refrain on that but if this is an indication that payments may be a tricky in the future I suggest that you insist that the mother's partner at least also signs the contract.

I had a child where the grandparents were responsible for the payment to me so I insisted that they too sign the contract - the contract ended up with 5 signatures, mine plus 4 for the child! What it did enable me to do was pursue the grandparents through the small claims court when they fell out with their daighter and decided to stop funding the childcare.

The Legal Advice people at NCMA said that if I only had the mother's signature I could have still pursued her through the courts but she wouldn't have had any money to meet the claim - at least I could pursue the ones with the money. Sounds a bit severe I know but I have been caught out before so now insist that ALL parties to the contract sign.

Zoomie
24-05-2010, 12:56 PM
If you want the deposit and fees paid up front, perhaps ask for the deposit to be paid in installments. Half now, and the 3rd and 4th quaters a month, and two months into the contracts.

The Juggler
24-05-2010, 01:03 PM
i wouldn't ask for a deposit if she was starting next week, as long as they were paying me a month in advance:)

snufflepuff
24-05-2010, 01:29 PM
I have a months deposit - happy to take in 2 instalments and a month up front fees. Deposit is for last month of contract when notice given so I have notice money in hand if they do a runner

This was what i was thinking of- deposit held to pay the last months fees. I already offered to split the deposit in to instalments, whatever she could afford, but she says she cant get any money at all until next week. Shes only going to be doing 15 hours a week so its not like its full time fees in asking for. Perhaps i could ask for a months fees in advance (i always ask for fees to be paid in advance) and add on the deposit over a number of months, do you think that might work?

Toothfairy
24-05-2010, 01:54 PM
I wouldn't ask for a deposit to hold a space just for 1 week, however I would ask for a months fees in advance when they started next week. But if they moaned about that then I think I would give it up as a bad job, I wouldn't let them pay in arrears as they sound unreliable already.

I agree about getting both parents to sign the contract.

Good luck, I hope they don't cause you problems. :thumbsup: