non payment

[toddlers896]

If you signed a contract but after the first time the child didnt come back would you chase the payment?
They left on good terms, it just didnt work our because i had a dog.

[Kiddleywinks]

Do you have a 'settling in period'?
Did you take a deposit?
If so, I wouldn't be refunding the deposit, but wouldn't chase for anything more after just one day as either party can terminate the contract within my settling in period without paying notice.

Got to ask.... Did they not know you had a dog before they started?

[BucksCM]

[QUOTE=Kiddleywinks;1160250]Do you have a 'settling in period'?
Did you take a deposit?
If so, I wouldn't be refunding the deposit, but wouldn't chase for anything more after just one day as either party can terminate the contract within my settling in period without paying notice.

Got to ask.... Did they not know you had a dog before they started?[/QUOTE]

That was my first thought?! Surely if it bothered them they wouldn't have signed a contract?!

[toddlers896]

Do you have a 'settling in period'?
Did you take a deposit?
If so, I wouldn't be refunding the deposit, but wouldn't chase for anything more after just one day as either party can terminate the contract within my settling in period without paying notice.

Got to ask.... Did they not know you had a dog before they started?

hiya

no settling in perioed.she signed contracts on the friday and came to me on the wednesday.no deposit because it is one day a week before and after school. The agreement was payment on the day.
Yes she knew i had a dog and the dog was there when she visited for 2 hrs.

Its not much money, only one day but its not the point in my opinion. If we provide a service then why should we not get paid. Its taking the P***.
When she told me she wasnt coming back she said what about the payment for last week.I said you owe me money and she replied with well i thought we could use that as a taster!!

[tess1981]

hiya

no settling in perioed.she signed contracts on the friday and came to me on the wednesday.no deposit because it is one day a week before and after school. The agreement was payment on the day.
Yes she knew i had a dog and the dog was there when she visited for 2 hrs.

Its not much money, only one day but its not the point in my opinion. If we provide a service then why should we not get paid. Its taking the P***.
When she told me she wasnt coming back she said what about the payment for last week.I said you owe me money and she replied with well i thought we could use that as a taster!!

oh the cheek

[toddlers896]

[QUOTE=BucksCM;1160254]

Do you have a 'settling in period'?
Did you take a deposit?
If so, I wouldn't be refunding the deposit, but wouldn't chase for anything more after just one day as either party can terminate the contract within my settling in period without paying notice.

Got to ask.... Did they not know you had a dog before they started?[/QUOTE]

That was my first thought?! Surely if it bothered them they wouldn't have signed a contract?!

was
Hi
Is a settling period necessary? I put a line through this section on the contract as she was more than happy to start straight away and didnt seem bothered about a settling in period.
So maybe i should be filling this section out then? whats your advice
Thanks

[toddlers896]

oh the cheek

my thoughts exactly tess.

It really annoys me becasue the agreement was she was to pay me after every session and she didnt bring the money for that days work,she said i didnt get a chance to get to the bank so i will pop it into your letter box. It was a week later that she knocked on my door to say she wasnt using me anymore so how dare she use the excuse that she thought it would be a taster! its out of order in my opinion.

[tess1981]

write her a letter explaining her fee overdue and she was aware she had to pay. i bet she thinks you wont chase the money as it so little and prob cost you more in fees to go after it. due with my insurance company (NICMA) it does not cost us they do it on our behalf. Had a parent once who owed money and dissappeared for a while i arrived at her door.her parnter answered and i said tell miss G i expect payment from her within a week or i contact inland rev and my insurance company will take this to court ,.... got paid soon after

[Kiddleywinks]

Ah, I presumed she'd paid for the days care she used.

I always insist on payment in advance, and if they turn up without it, refuse to take the child until payment's made. I'm fortunate that there is a non charging cash machine 5 doors away

A settling in period ISN'T necessary however, by having one, both you and the parent have a 'get out' if things don't suit or work out in the first few weeks.
Also, by taking a deposit (non refundable if care isn't taken up or is terminated within the first 6 months - mainly for tax credits claims under my registration) regardless of how long the care is for, in instances such as this you aren't left out of pocket
I also find that 'professional non payers' don't tend to cough up a deposit so it sorts the serious parents from the not so serious

[toddlers896]

Ah, I presumed she'd paid for the days care she used.

I always insist on payment in advance, and if they turn up without it, refuse to take the child until payment's made. I'm fortunate that there is a non charging cash machine 5 doors away

A settling in period ISN'T necessary however, by having one, both you and the parent have a 'get out' if things don't suit or work out in the first few weeks.
Also, by taking a deposit (non refundable if care isn't taken up or is terminated within the first 6 months - mainly for tax credits claims under my registration) regardless of how long the care is for, in instances such as this you aren't left out of pocket
I also find that 'professional non payers' don't tend to cough up a deposit so it sorts the serious parents from the not so serious

Hello again
Its not much money but its the principle of the matter so i will chase it up. They wouldnt be long in chasing us if we were not doing something.

I will also learn from this and take everybodys advice on taking payment upfront.
Thankyou

[brightstar]

Is she claiming Tax Credits? If so she's got your registration number now and could carry on claiming. Give tax credits a call and let them know you no longer provide care. And definitely chase the money, she sounds like she's taking the mick. Hope it works out for you x

[bunyip]

I'd call my insurer/NCMA for advice. A really small debt like this might cost too much to recover, so not 100% sure they'd want to pursue it on your behalf. Anyone can pursue small debts through the small claims court, but there is a non-refundable fee (£35 ???) - and then there's all your time and hassle. No guarantee you'll ever see the money even if you win.

Subject to what your insurer/NCMA advise, I'd consider sending mum a letter. State how much is owed and that late payment fees will continue to be added, according to whatever your contract says about this. Point out that the matter is in the hands of your insurer/professional body's legal team, and their intention to pursue the case at no cost to you. Make her aware that, if she has an award made against her in court, it could damage her future credit rating. Be sure to offer to reach an agreement on how she can repay: this is important cos it will be considered if it goes to small claims court.

Also advise her that she needs to tell Tax Credits of the change, if she has claimed from them. Tell her you are obliged to cooperate with TC if fraud is suspected.

I know this is upsetting, but do consider whether it's really worth the hassle. Like you, I do think the principle is important (I get upset when thinks don't work out fair.) But it is possible to give yourself more grief than it's worth and end up wishing you'd let it lie. Only you can decide.

Don't let this one incident put you off CMing. Although it probably doesn't feel like it, in one small way you are lucky. Most CMs get scred for far more than one day's money before they learn to always take money up front, so you might've done far, far worse. You need to make this clear in your contracts and policies: no payment - no care - no exceptions, and if that means turning them away at the doorstep, then you do it.

On the subject of settling-in periods, I always include one. It's not just for the family's sake. If the little darling turns out to be a screaming, house-wrecking machine that attacks my other mindees from day one, then I can eject them without 4 weeks of hell.

All the best

[The Juggler]

oh hon. cheeky woman. did anything happen with teh dog to scare the child whilst they were there. if not then she hasn't really a leg to stand on. go and chase the money through your insurer.

[toddlers896]

thanks for all your views on this one. i wouldnt take it further because its not worth it, especially as its only a few hrs work, but i will write her a letter to make her aware that ive not forgotten. its the principal that you take your time and money to fill out contracts with these people and explain all the ins and outs and they still think they can get away with not paying.
I would normally say oh its only a few pounds, but i have only just started cm and i think why should i just leave it. If everybody did it then we would never earn any money.
I went out of my way for her child to be with me one session a week and had to buy an appropriate buggy with a board on the back so i could get all the kids up to the school. I panicked all week before she came thinking how i was going to accomodate evrybody and would i have this buggy in time so how dare she decide she wont pay when it states clearly in the contract how things work
As for the dog, it was never mentioned that a dog had upset her when she was little, they saw my dog, and my dog never did anything to upset her, so again how dare she use the excuse of my dog to get out of paying.
Wether is 300pound or 30pound it shouldnt matter. Sometimes we just get treated like idiots and i dont see the point of us completeing contracts if they are not going to be taken seriously.

[pinkbutterfly]

A very close CM friend had similar situation ... it was a family of three (all school aged children). They used her for a week and then didn't come back. She did not put anything in settling in period on the contract. The payment was in areas and they of course didn't pay. She took them to court and she got the money for the one week of care as well as further 4 weeks notice. The judge said if they wanted something put in settling in period box they would have done so. But as they didn't the 4 weeks notice applied from day one.