Runaway Parents

**learningfountai** · 28-07-2009, 09:45 AM

Hi

I am new to childminding. I looked after a child for 2 weeks and now the parent has left, moved house without paying. Is there anything I can do to trace the parent or get my money? Any advice or suggestion will be helpful

Regards

**rickysmiths** · 28-07-2009, 11:40 AM

Oh dear it doesn't sound hopeful.

I always take a 4 weeks fees as a Deposit. I hold the money until the end of the contract and then use it towards the 4 weeks notice period as long as all fees are up to date at that time. Parents then pay their fees in advance on the first Monday of the month or the first day of the week they have care.

Having had my fingers burnt in the early days ( I've been minding for 15yrs now) I make no exceptions to this rule. I also have a late payment fee of £5 per day which unless a parent comes and talks to me about a problem is added to the bill without exception.

I also have late collection fees of £5 for each 15mins late. Obviously I don't always use this because things happen and parents can sometimes be a few mins late the same way I have parents who will sometimes arrive a bit early. It is there for those who are always late and refuse to review their contracted hours when it is suggested. A month of late fees will ususally concentrate the mind!

Don't get me wrong, I'm not an ogre, really lol. I will not be taken for a mug either. This is my business. I provide a service for which I charge a fee. I can't go and have piano lessons without paying, or walk out of Tesco with the weekly shop and not pay without there being a concequence. It the same with my childminding Service.

When i interview parents I explain about fees etc. I make it clear what I expect and that I don't want to be in the embrasing position of having to ask them all the time for payment and that it is better for all of us if they pay on time of if they have a problem please talk to me don't ignore it.

A couple of years ago when I had a bad payer I served notice, saying that if all fees were up to date and being paid by the end of the four weeks I would consider continuing the contract. We did and they have never paid late again. However by having the four weeks fees deposit my loss would have been very little as the four weeks notice had been paid for.

Sorry this is so long.

**Daftbat** · 28-07-2009, 01:33 PM

I am not sure about how to trace the customer - perhaps their old neighbours might know something but its hard to go asking completel strangers. Have you kept trying contact numbers??

Are the children school age? Perhaps you could get the school to forward a letter for you? Honestly - you probably won't get very far.

Its a shame this has happened but believe it or not - 99.9% of parents are not like this.

**Ruth Saxelbye** · 28-07-2009, 05:41 PM

Sorry to hear that. I think you will have to put it down to experience! I take 4 weeks money in advance, and always expect payment in advance.
My friend had a runaway parent, she had looked after a child fulltime for four weeks and they didnt pay! A very expensive lesson to learn.

**mrs c** · 28-07-2009, 07:49 PM

This happened to me once but luckily they had not moved far and the mindee had talked about looking at the new house and I had an idea where it was. Off I went for a drive in that area, only knowing they had an old purple car. I saw what I thought was their car and kept going back until I saw the mum entering the house, confirming they lived there and then contacted the small claims court to get my money.
I think you do have to have an address for the court to communicate with them. I knew where she worked and would have been prepared to follow her home to get her address.
You could have a look at this for information. Its the money claim online, which I used to get my money.
http://www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/i...aims/index.htm

**Toothfairy** · 04-08-2009, 09:44 AM

Poor you, thats terrible.

I would'nt hold out much hope of tracing the parents and getting your money unfortunatley.
I am afraid you may have to chalk this one up as a bad experience.

After getting my fingers burnt, I now always take payment in advance, I don't except cheques and I always start as I mean to go on.

I soon realised that as well as having my childminder head on, I also had to have my business head on. At the end of the day I am providing a service and running a business.

Please don't dwell on this experience, most parents are fab.
Hope you find another mindee soon.