Fees for holiday only care?!
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  1. #1
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    Default Fees for holiday only care?!

    Hi,

    I have come across my first 'holiday only' contract and am unsure of what and how to charge?

    The parent needs the place from the April school holidays and is willing to pay a retainer fee to hold the place for then. What do I charge for this?

    They want 5 days per week 8.30-5.30 per day. I charge £4 per hr. Does this sound reasonable? £36 per day to include snacks and trips out etc. Lunch will need to be provided.

    Do I charge anything during school time to retain the place for the holidays?

    Mum suggested I take the total cost of all school hols from April '12-April '13 and then split it over 12 months. Does this sound okay? What happens if either of us end the contract before then?

    Thanks for your help,

    Lottie x

  2. #2
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    Didn't want to read and run ....

    I only have a term time only contract at the moment and I charge 50% retainer during the school holidays.

    For holiday only contracts I would just charge for the first school holiday period as soon as they say they want you (non-refundable if they then choose to cancel). Then at the end of each holiday period I would say if they want to gaurentee a space for the next school holiday, they need to pay for it now (again non-refundable if they then choose to cancel).

    If they don't book that far in advance then you will still have them but only IF you still have a space at time of booking.

    Splitting it over 12 months is good in theory but complicated if one of you cancels

    I hope that makes sense

  3. #3
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    I have a Holiday only contract.

    We work our roughly how much she will need me over the year and divide that over the 12 months. She pays at the beginning of each month and I keep a tally of how much she has paid me and how many hours I have had the children.

    At the end of the 12 months we will settle any final balance and start fresh for the next 12 months.

    If either of us terminates the contract then we will just settle up whatever is owed at that point in time. (minus a 4 week notice period amount)

    For us it works well because I dont take a lot of holiday. For her prev childminder it didnt work as the CM took loads of holidays and ended up owing the parent ££££ back because she had a monthly payment but barely had the children.

  4. #4
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    I have some holiday only contracts - I don't charge a retainer during term-time.

    I don't split the cost over 12 months either - parent books in at least two weeks before the holidays and lets me know what days child will be coming (they have to pay for their holidays) and pays up front on the first day they come.

    Miffy xx
    Keep smiling!

  5. #5
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    i don't think you could charge a retainer for 39 weeks of year when they only need the school hols hon.

    what I would do is have a contract so all hols are set days/hours. Then parents have to pay 1 month up front of all holidays (split into two payments for the long summer break maybe). All holidays are payable unless they give notice to finish contract and then it still has to be 4 weeks notice
    if you do what you've always done, you'll get what you've always got

  6. #6
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    I wouldn't take a retainer either, as you can't keep the space available to them in the term time.
    But I would take a deposit to keep until notice is given on the contract.
    If you are going to average it over the 12 months make sure the contract is for the full hours, if they start chopping and changing you could owe them money.
    Also I would double check the exact term dates and inset dates, many schools round here differ slightly by an odd day here and there.

 

 

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Fees for holiday only care?! Fees for holiday only care?! Fees for holiday only care?!

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