Complicated one, parent confused about payments

[snufflepuff]

Right, this is complicated!
One of my parents used to pay me weekly in arrears but in April I took a week off and she paid me for it when it should have been unpaid. So I said that rather than refund her for that week we would leave it and she would now be paying me in the correct week rather than the week after- I have LO on the Mon and Thurs, she pays me on the Tues of each week.
Problem is, she must have forgotten this and still thinks she is paying in arrears so when she increased her hours recently she didn't change the standing order amount until the following week. I tried to explain that she owes me some money for that first week of the increased hours week but she is having none of it and has told me to check again. (I KNOW I am right, I went right back through my diary/ accounts/ bank statements last night to check)
Now, I can either let it go for an easy life- i'd lose out on the money for that first week of the increased hours but that is more than made up by the fact that I was effectively paid for my hol in April. I'd be paid in arrears in the future. Or, I can try to get her to understand how and why she is actually paying me during the week of care, NOT in arrears, and get her to pay me the difference that she owes me for that first week.
Which one? I'm full of cold, dosed up on co-codamol, and hardly slept last night so I can't think straight!

[Pipsqueak]

Do you issue repts or make a note of payments received for which week?

If not - do a grid - break it down week by week payment by payment.

Where you come to the 'confusing' weeks - make a note and verbally explain to the parent what you both agreed and how it got her paying for the correct week.

This is why I never will work in arrears again.

[Mouse]

I would write it down week by week. It'sll be a pain going right back to April, but it'll show her exactly what she's paid.

Go back to a couple of weeks before your holiday. Write down three columns - the date you were paid, how much she paid & which week it covered.
For the week you were on holiday you would write the date she paid you, the amount & show that it was for the following week. It should them follow that she can see each payment is paying for the following week. Then in the "week it covered" column highlight the date of the week when the increase started so that she can see she should have paid for it the week before.

[The Juggler]

good advice given hon. I can't believe that she would forget that you agreed this once you remind her.

[mama2three]

Id be very tempted to let her think shes still paying in arrears - you end up with an extra weeks pay ( eventually , when she leaves!) - but you have the peace of mind of knowing shes actually ahead .

[snufflepuff]

Id be very tempted to let her think shes still paying in arrears - you end up with an extra weeks pay ( eventually , when she leaves!) - but you have the peace of mind of knowing shes actually ahead .

Lol- see, this is the easier option. Especially as she is they type to argue that black is white, she can never be wrong, so I don't want to tell her she made a mistake. But it feels a bit naughty! Like i'm taking money that I shouldn't have? Albeit only about £15.

I write everything out as suggested last night for my benefit but I will find some time to write it out properly to show her. The way I feel today with this awful cold/ flu/ whatever I have wrong with me, I just can't be bothered with it!

[Mollymop]

Hope you get it sorted out with her Snuffle x

[rickysmiths]

Lol- see, this is the easier option. Especially as she is they type to argue that black is white, she can never be wrong, so I don't want to tell her she made a mistake. But it feels a bit naughty! Like i'm taking money that I shouldn't have? Albeit only about £15.

I write everything out as suggested last night for my benefit but I will find some time to write it out properly to show her. The way I feel today with this awful cold/ flu/ whatever I have wrong with me, I just can't be bothered with it!

Do you use the NCMA accounts book? If you do when you record the amou nt parents are paying each week/month on their page in the back of the book make sure this parent signs it and you do every month. That way there can be no dispute about what has been paid and when because it is recorded and signed.

I know there arguments for and against parents signing the register and accounts book but when incidents like this occur it makes it very easy to sort out if the parents have signed.

[Chatterbox Childcare]

You need to break it down as suggested, print it off and let her check her records.

I would suggest BACS payments or you issue a receipt each week

[snufflepuff]

I use morton michel accounts. I don't think i'd want her seeing them to be honest! (Once when signing the attendance register she commented on how late another parent had collected her child the day before and asked how much I charged her for being so late....I had to tell her the extra time was pre-booked!)
She pays by standing order and on the odd occassion the amount needs changing (extra hours, illness etc) I remind her to do it.....I still try to check regularly though because she has made mistakes in the past. That is where the confusion comes from you see- if I have had to close because of illness she adjusts the following week.....but only because it's not possible for her to adjust the actual week that it happens, if the payment gets to me on the Tues and I'm ill on the Thurs theres nothing she can do to change the payment!!

[rickysmiths]

I use morton michel accounts. I don't think i'd want her seeing them to be honest! (Once when signing the attendance register she commented on how late another parent had collected her child the day before and asked how much I charged her for being so late....I had to tell her the extra time was pre-booked!)
She pays by standing order and on the odd occassion the amount needs changing (extra hours, illness etc) I remind her to do it.....I still try to check regularly though because she has made mistakes in the past. That is where the confusion comes from you see- if I have had to close because of illness she adjusts the following week.....but only because it's not possible for her to adjust the actual week that it happens, if the payment gets to me on the Tues and I'm ill on the Thurs theres nothing she can do to change the payment!!

If you use the NCMA ones no parent can see your accounts there is a page where you record weekly/monthly payments made and it is signed by both of you. No parent sees or ever should see each others or indeed should see your accounts. It is the same with the Register. Each child has a page a month and each parent only sees their page it is none of their business to see anyone elses records they must be kept confidential.

[Zoomie]

I do a statement for my parents.

It has 5 columns:

Date (week)
Details (ie xx M-W / 10h @ xyz )
Debit (ie the actual amount)
Credit (or payment received)
Running balance.

Every week I up date it. If I do it at the beginning of the week and something changes I correct it (ie put a closure in cos of my sickness - ie a credit).

Works for me and my parents.

Can email a template if you want.