Enough is Enough!!!!!
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  1. #1
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    Default Enough is Enough!!!!!

    I have done it finally stood my ground......Had LO full time every morning since September and no payment at all to date!! Retainer for august paid. Have used up all my savings paying my bills due to lack of income and with well over £1.5k owed I told mum tonight that no payment by monday means no childcare until paid in full.(have put all this in writing too) Feel bad but I had given her notice that i would do this prior to today and have constantly asked her for money from grant!! Am not a charity and no longer want to work for free and deal with stress of not being paid!!! NCMA legal deprtment were pants at offering advice so have taken it into my own hands and am no longer going to be taken for a mug!!!!A nursery wouldnt have put up with this so why should childminders! x

  2. #2
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    Default Re: Enough is Enough!!!!!

    Good for you, but what a mess to be in!

    What was mums reaction? do you think she will give you any money, or will she just take the child and run!

    I ask because I know a mum who left a cm friend of mine with 6 weeks unpaid fees saying waiting for grant, what she never told cm was that course only lasted one day, cancelled through lack of interest, so college were never going to pay cm, and the mum took advantage of minder not knowing that to get a load of free childcare while she put her feet up. Mum has no money so going to court wont make any immediate difference!

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    Default Re: Enough is Enough!!!!!

    I think she knew it was coming and to be honest I cant afford to work for nothing any longer. I am hoping to get this matter sorted out with mum and continue care when monies paid!!!!! If not then I will defo defo take it further!!!!!!!

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    Default Re: Enough is Enough!!!!!

    Sorry you're in such a pickle, but why did you let it go on for so long? There is no way I would work even one week with no pay.
    You need to review your payment policy and get everyone to pay up-front and then if they use more time or less you just adjust the next bill.
    That way you have no stress and everyone knows where they stand. Also from straight away, start issuing a £5 per day late payment charge on top of the fees.
    My CM from years ago learnt the hardway and lost almost £700
    Need a laugh? Visit my website: www.unclegargy.deviantART.com

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    Default Re: Enough is Enough!!!!!

    All my other mums pay upfront at beg of month and never had a problem before. Just this mum was being covered by her childcare grant from uni that as yet has not arrived! Your right I should have nipped it in the bud as soon as but I believed all of her excuses x

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    Default Re: Enough is Enough!!!!!

    i had a mum who tried it on with paying her fees saying uni hadn't sorted it, i told her that it was between her and uni and had nothing to do with my fees being paid,

    she is now paid in full til the kids break up for christmas

    it cleared the air, we both know where we stand and now have a fantastic working relationship

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    Default Re: Enough is Enough!!!!!

    A childminder friend of mine had the same issues with the college and she took the college to task herself. Spoke to the finance department and told them she could not fund this practice any longer. They now pay by bacs 2 weeks in arrears after she invoices them. They cannot pay in advance as the parent needs to attend to be paid.
    Debbie

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    Default Re: Enough is Enough!!!!!

    I had this last year and was owed quite a lot, I was going to refuse chlidcare like you but was told by the ncma legal line if i did this then i would be in breach of contract even though the parent was in breech first, so wouldnt be able to get my money back so i worked the notice period still with no pay and the ncma helped me get my money back, i found them to be very helpful and smypathetic.

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    Default Re: Enough is Enough!!!!!

    I did this once and the parent kept bringing the child but wasnt attending college (I never knew) so I wasnt going to get paid for the sessions she was using, it wasnt until I sent the invoice that they said "oh we cant pay you as the lady is no longer on the course and hasnt been for the past 4 weeks" so I terminated immediately and now its cash up front always or NO childcare!

    SIMPLES

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    Smile Re: Enough is Enough!!!!!

    Hi Jemima,
    Good for you - Its not easy is it?
    I had to charge late fees from one (lovely) set of parents this month. It was only 15 minutes, but my time is my time, full stop and they're welcome to ring and ask for more time at normal hourly fee if they think they'll be held up - which they didn't... on two occasions. I didn't charge for the first incident, but when it happened again I felt I coudn't let it go as they'll get the impression its not a big deal.
    Although its all clearly stated in my fees policy I still feel bad about it. I know they had a vey accommodating childminder before me who charged very little and went out of her way to make their lives easier, so i think its going to come as quite a shock to them

    Hope it all works out for you and the Mum manages to get some money together to pay you for the work you've done, at least

    bws,
    Wendy

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    Default Re: Enough is Enough!!!!!

    I hope this prompts mum to get her act together and sort out payments from college so she can pay you

    Miffy xx

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    Default Re: Enough is Enough!!!!!

    Don't think I'd take on this kind of work, as you may have to work a whole month for no pay and then find out you might not even get paid Upfront payments or nothing.
    Need a laugh? Visit my website: www.unclegargy.deviantART.com

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    Default Re: Enough is Enough!!!!!

    I have now been told by mum that she may have to wait upto 6 weeks for an emergency loan to come through!!!!!!!!!!so she will have to seek alternative childcare otherwise she will loose her place on the course! I have told her that I will take this as her months notice and although not having child I will still add onto her debt a months notice...I am so upset that i have done so much for her and it ended like this and also why is she getting an emergency loan wouldnt you be chasing up the people for the childcare grant that i was supposed to be being paid for?????? Does this sound suss to anyone else?Any advice on who to contact now to get advice apart from the NCMA?

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    Default Re: Enough is Enough!!!!!

    hi Jemima,
    Sorry this has happened .
    If it was me, I'd speak to the college/university direct, at least you might get to the bottom of what's really going on/how the system is working etc

    Hope you get your money back: don't know where you'll stand in terms of breaching the contract though as you have withdrawn care and therefore broken the contract yourself... there seems to be conflicting info regarding claiming your money back in these circumstances.

    is there maybe any way you could come to an arrangement with the mum where you continue to provide care with payment from her to cover immediate expenses - food, resources etc, just until the loan comes through? I've a feeling you may have a fight on your hands to get the money otherwise: she may countersue for the charges she will have to give to her new childcare provider and if she's unable to find someone at short notice, she may well lose her place at college and I don't know whether she'd still be entitled for payments for the part of the course she's already completed.?

    I know she has had notice etc and she should have sorted out the loan or actual childcare payment before now... but she hasn't.
    I hope you can salvage something from the chaos. All the best..

    take care,
    Wendy

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    Default Re: Enough is Enough!!!!!

    I would also speak to the college and see if you can find out what has been happening.

    I have been in this position in the past and I know it does sometimes take time to sort out the grants.

    I don't think you have breached the contract - as payment had not been made on the due date then surely the parent breached the contract herself.

    You might be able to salvage something from this once you have the full picture.

    Miffy xx

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    Default Re: Enough is Enough!!!!!

    Quote Originally Posted by Jemima77 View Post
    I have now been told by mum that she may have to wait upto 6 weeks for an emergency loan to come through!!!!!!!!!!so she will have to seek alternative childcare otherwise she will loose her place on the course! I have told her that I will take this as her months notice and although not having child I will still add onto her debt a months notice...I am so upset that i have done so much for her and it ended like this and also why is she getting an emergency loan wouldnt you be chasing up the people for the childcare grant that i was supposed to be being paid for?????? Does this sound suss to anyone else?Any advice on who to contact now to get advice apart from the NCMA?
    Where is she going to find alternative childcare with no money???!!! She'll end up owing 2 people this way. What a nightmare - I REALLY hope you get your money hun x
    Georgina x

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    Default Re: Enough is Enough!!!!!

    ah what a horrible situation for you! hope you get you money

    x
    a mummy to a new puppy! My lovely King Charlie!

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    Default Re: Enough is Enough!!!!!

    PLEASE READ

    You cannot refuse care and be paid your notice period unless you are prepared to work.

    That came direct from the NCMA legal line.
    Debbie

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    Default Re: Enough is Enough!!!!!

    So they expect you to work for nothing and then when you do refuse care after giving the parent enough time to sort it out you dont get paid for it and the parent gets away with not paying for the time she is trying to sort it out which in this case should have been done 2 months ago!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!So all in all I am the one that looses out of business and work as wont be able to fill the space immediately......ridiculous!!!!!

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    Default Re: Enough is Enough!!!!!

    I dont really care what NCMA say to be honest because in small claims court the contract count for FA in my opinion and experience , I would personally refuse care and let her take me to small claims court knowing what I know and chance it, but then thats just my opinion and view, i cant afford to work for nothing and I wont, I wouldnt have let it get further than a week though and has been said your contract is with the parent not the college so it was her responcibility to make sure she could pay you not theirs

    ( sorry if i offend anyone with my bluntness but my head is not in a good place right now and im not takin it from anyone anymore )

    xxx
    Love Mrs Edward Cullen x

 

 
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