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View Full Version : Delayed pick up due to snow......



Millenium
19-12-2010, 03:33 PM
Just wanted to know what others do in the situation when the mindee's pick up from me is delayed because the parent(s) have been held up getting to me because of the atrocious weather. On Friday, one parent took nearly 90 minutes to get to me on what would have normally been a 10 minute journey.

So, the question is, would you make a charge for those extra 90 minutes?

Bear23
19-12-2010, 03:36 PM
I personally wouldn't as it was completely unavoidable.

DIPPY DOUGHNUT
19-12-2010, 03:40 PM
I had a perent who was late by 1 hour and another by 30 minutes last week becasue of road works and didnt charge for the extra time as it wasnt their fault they were late.

miffy
19-12-2010, 03:42 PM
Not under those circumstances no but I would make it clear that I had decided not to charge this time.

Miffy xx

sillysausage
19-12-2010, 03:44 PM
If the parents are normally on time and were apologetic and contacted you etc etc I wouldn't charge for such exceptional circumstances. However if the family was one that often messed you around then I would charge.

snufflepuff
19-12-2010, 04:03 PM
It's difficult isn't it- it's not their fault the roads are bad but it's not your fault either. I don't think i'd charge if it was the first time they had been late.

Gizmo
19-12-2010, 04:18 PM
I wouldnt charge any extra, I had a parent really late due to snow but then they couldnt get to work for the next 2 days and I had the days off with full pay,

brightstar
19-12-2010, 04:22 PM
I don't charge for late pickups, as long as its a rare occurance, the reason is genuine and the parent lets me know and apoligises. Otherwise I charge extra.

juejue
19-12-2010, 05:00 PM
I wouldn't charge. I have had one parent who has been late about twice now by 90 minutes and has not got in touch at all......but it was because he was still in the operating room and couldn't get out to ring me. So I had to for give them. they are always on time other days

AliceK
19-12-2010, 05:20 PM
It depends on their job. If they are a nurse / teacher or something then as long as they contacted me I wouldn't mind as it's not like they can just leave work early but if they were in the position of being able to get away from work early in order to add a bit of extra time on to their journey then I would. Sorry if I sound harsh but when I was a parent using a childminder I would always make sure I left work a bit early if I thought the weather meant it would take me longer to get to pick-up. It's called having some respect for your childminder and using a bit of common sense in my book :thumbsup:

xxxx

happytotschildminding
19-12-2010, 06:07 PM
What about dropping off early?? although coming back through snow late is unavoidable, how would you feel about parents coming, ten minutes/half an hour early to get through the snow to work??
xx

SYLVIA
19-12-2010, 06:18 PM
I would charge if they came early as that would be pre-planned. I don't charge for unavoidable lateness. Usually most of the parents tend to offer payment, must be lucky

Joannechildmind
19-12-2010, 06:23 PM
In last years snow i had a child collected 1 hour and 40 mins late ended up i finished work at 8pm from working from 7.30am.
She apoligised and said taxis were a nightmare and were running late i didnt charge her even though she was usually late, anyway the following week my friend ( of other mindee) told me she was in tesco that evening up until 8pm doing her shopping with her mum (who drives) :angry: :angry:
I was fuming she had took the **** :angry:

flowerpots
19-12-2010, 07:23 PM
i had a parent who was 40mins late on friday due to the snow, i didnt charge because it was totally unavoidable and mum was very apologetic. :D

wendywu
19-12-2010, 07:25 PM
I have not charged and one night 2 were 4 hours late, then another night they were 2 hours late.

It pays to have some brownie points in the bank :thumbsup:

Goatgirl
19-12-2010, 08:37 PM
Hi :),
Unless there were some very extenuating circumstances, I'd charge: either normal hourly rate, if they let me know in good time that they'd be late :thumbsup:

or, if they didn't ask first, with late fees added (penalty amount for being late, then double hourly rate for time used...)

If there's extreme weather its the parents' responsibility to make sure they can get somewhere to collect their children on time, and make alternative arrangements if needed.

I'd let them off late fees if there was some reason they really couldn't let me know, totally beyond their control, such as being in an accident etc...
If I'm working I get paid. I know its not their fault but its not mine either :D

AliceK
19-12-2010, 08:40 PM
Hi :),
Unless there were some very extenuating circumstances, I'd charge: either normal hourly rate, if they let me know in good time that they'd be late :thumbsup:

or, if they didn't ask first, with late fees added (penalty amount for being late, then double hourly rate for time used...)

If there's extreme weather its the parents' responsibility to make sure they can get somewhere to collect their children on time, and make alternative arrangements if needed.

I'd let them off late fees if there was some reason they really couldn't let me know, totally beyond their control, such as being in an accident etc...
If I'm working I get paid. I know its not their fault but its not mine either :D


Thank goodness. I was beginning to think it was just me being mean :blush:

xxxx

FussyElmo
19-12-2010, 09:28 PM
No I wouldnt if it was due to adverse weather conditions etc.

In fact I have told all parents just to concentrate on getting to me safely. If possible a text or call would be nice but if they are stuck on icy roads I would sooner them concentrate on the driving. If they are not here by the usual time I will assume they are going to be late.

wendywu
19-12-2010, 10:16 PM
[
QUOTE=If there's extreme weather its the parents' responsibility to make sure they can get somewhere to collect their children on time, and make alternative arrangements if needed.

With the weather we have had recently with all trains out of victoria being cancelled and the roads being grid locked and one of my parents taking 11 hours to do a 45min journey, then no one was going no where and that includes the emergency contacts.

I know its that time of year but i dont expect them to work miracles. The only way the children would have been collected was if grandparents lived in the next street.:panic:

It came on so suddenly the first time this year. They were having heavy snow in Kent and London but i was driving around quite content in just a few inches in surrey.

In fact last dec i ended up sleeping two children in this same situation. Now then the parents insisted on paying me. So you see it is give and take.

But to me a good working parent relationship is worth more than a few pounds. :)

Goatgirl
19-12-2010, 10:29 PM
Hi wendywu :),
Yes I do take your point: I guess my comment is aimed in general and to cover a wide range of situations. If parents had not known the delays were possible, of course they couldn't avoid them. However, some would just stay at work till the normal time and expect me to 'absorb' the extra tavel time though :rolleyes: ... or struggle to understand this was a one off favour.

I may be mean... but I'd still charge in the situation you illustrate, but only my hourly rate.

Putting myself in the parents shoes I'd be very glad to pay £3.75 an hour to know my children were safe and warm, and being cared for somewhere whilst I struggled to get to them.

bws,
Wendy

wendywu
19-12-2010, 10:56 PM
No i do agree with you Flora and to be honest if i had penny pinching liberty taking parents like some poor girls on here then i WOULD charge them. And its me that is always saying on here, its a business and keep it professional.:rolleyes:

My parents are very good to me, they never quibble about money, they get me £70 Debenhams gift vouchers bithday and christmas, they take me out for dinner they bring me flowers now and again.

And as i often go away and will ask them to pick up an hour early now and then i dont feel so guilty if i have done extra hours for them along the line.

But at least neither of us is moaning that parents are being late :thumbsup:

Cazz
20-12-2010, 12:36 AM
Personally I wouldn't charge either - but I'd make sure they know that I was within my rights to!

One of my parents was about half an hour late one evening last week due to the weather- she phoned me to say there had been an accident and the roads were not good at all so she will be late. I said that it was fine and I wasn't going anywhere.

When she paid me as usual she said "I must give you some extra for being late the other day" - I said "No, don't worry it's okay" - but she insisted on giving me an extra £5.00. (My hourly rate is £3.20!).

Daftbat
20-12-2010, 08:45 AM
I really do think we have to work together in situations like these where there are some very difficult weather conditions. Even if the main roads have been cleared there are still accidents that happen because of numpty drivers and so its difficult for parents to estimate what time they should leave work etc.

I would never charge extra because of delays due to severe weather and I don't charge extra if parents are caught up in delays on the motorway - something that happens quite regularly.

You get to know which parents are taking liberties and which are genuine.

Vickster
20-12-2010, 08:48 AM
I wouldn't charge...

snufflepuff
20-12-2010, 09:00 AM
If it is genuine I wouldn't charge. If the parent was the type to regularly take the mick, I think I probably would, unless I was feeling very generous. I'd worry that letting them off once would make them think they can get away with it in the future!

The difficult part is, the weather is not their fault....but it's not our fault either is it?!