parent not happy with advance payments.

[donnamarie2]

Hi,I charge monthly in advance so parents pay on the 28th of the month for the one ahead .
I took on a child for holiday care at easter , they rung up a few days before they needed me as had been let down and couldn't get in to see me till the start day . Mum came early signed permissions, contracts etc and read through relevant policies paid and off she went.
She didn't know if she would need me at spring bank but again it was a rush job ending up paying on the first day for all the days.
i rung her asking to let me know what she needed me through summer the other day so i knew what i was doing , she confirmed dates so i said ok and explained my usual payment system which i also told her before and she was most put out by this and said she will pay on her first day like she has before!
I charge like this as i have been let down by my very first mindee and it was a harsh lesson to learn.
Im at a loss really as what to say ?

[melanieabigail2004]

Something along the lines of "if you don't like it feel free to look for alternative childcare ...."

Mel

[gigglinggoblin]

I would tell her that payment is the only way to ensure the place will be available, if she wants to pay later you cannot guarantee that you will not have taken someone else to fill the space, first paid, first served!

[Goatgirl]

How are you communicating?
I'd remind her the reason she paid at the last minute then was because arrangements weren't finalised until that time. It is not your usual practise to accept payment on the first day of care, as you have explained before, and it has been put in place for very good reasons. (if she pushes for these: parents aren't inconvenienced by being turned away, should they forget to bring payment along; there are resources you will have to buy before the first day; and you have set days for payment for the ease of your business arrangements, and you may have turned away other enquirers who would be happy to pay in advance according to your payment policy).

Every parent pays like this, you feel it wouldn't be fair to make exceptions and (if you can afford it) you wont be holding the places without payment made on the due date. Take it or leave it!

hope she is ok about it: if not you're probably better off without her. She doesn't sound very respectful

Good luck: let us know what happens

Best wishes,
Wendy

[donnamarie2]

Thanks, i dont know why shes so against it as its only a week before .
Also i like to get all my payments at same time as hers and 1 other are cash so i can get it into the bank in one go without messing about .
Forgot to say she probably feels she can do this as i dont have any other holiday children.

[rickysmiths]

To be honest if I have read it right, she only wants holiday care? I would not expect a parent to be paying at the end of June for a week in July. If they are attending all of August then yes payment by the end of July is fine. I wouldn't expect people using this kind of care to follow quite the same pattern as full timers.

Did you take a four weeks fees Deposit when they signed the Contract? This is what I do to cover myself for non payers, then you always have 4 weeks fees in hand, until they give notice, then as long as all fees are paid this covers the 4 weeks notice.

[FussyElmo]

Perhaps with you asking for payment a little earlier she has not budgeted for it.

Time to talk I think and see what solution there is for you both.

[donnamarie2]

Hi, No i didn't take any deposit as it was all very rushed at easter and i didnt know if she would want any more holidays or even if i wanted to work in the holidays.
She is wanting all of august so i didnt think i was being unreasonable as its difficult for me to get to the bank once i have the kids off.

[rickysmiths]

Hi, No i didn't take any deposit as it was all very rushed at easter and i didnt know if she would want any more holidays or even if i wanted to work in the holidays.
She is wanting all of august so i didnt think i was being unreasonable as its difficult for me to get to the bank once i have the kids off.

If its difficult to get to the bank could she not tranfer the money direct into you account for you?

I always take a Deposit from evry parent, no exceptions at all. Had my fingers burned too many times in the past. If they don't want to pay it then I don't sign a Contract with them, simple. Not that I have ever had a problem.

[The Juggler]

what about she pays a deposit now and pays the rest upfront when the kids come??

[Goatgirl]

,
As you did explain it to her before, I don't think its unreasonable at all to expect her to pay the fees in advance, on a day that suits you.
However, if you want to keep her custom (and I'm not sure I would, considering her attitude ) Juggler has suggested a very good compromise

Hope it works out

[miffy]

Do you think her paying at the last minute is because she is disorganised or because she is waiting to see if another cheaper option pops up (like going to grandparents or friends)?

If you think it's the second one then I can understand why you want all of the money upfront because I can see, if she did not need the care, she definitely wouldn't want to pay whatever agreement you'd come to!

Juggler has suggested a reasonable alternative but I would make it clear that whatever deposit you accept will not be returned if she cancels the care.

Miffy xx

[zippy]

Maybe she doesn't get paid till the 31st maybe a deposit now and payment on first day depends how much you need the work really