Not happy

[Gracie's mamma]

Am i being unfair ??
I sent my bill out last Friday via email , i had thought i 'ld sebt it the day before but the parent text and asked for it , i apoligised - saying i thought i'ld sent it and that was that,
I got a text last night - Monday saying he had just transferd the money over but still owed me about £30.00 as they has used the money up - thay pay through work vouchers and would it be ok to pay me the resxt on the 16th when they get paid .
I'm a bit hacked off about this actually .Does anybody agree with me ??

[boxtree7]

of course it unfair it money owed to you - when my parents use up their vouchers they either do bank transfer or cash.

[EmmaReed84]

I have a late/partial payment policy which states that payments not made on time or in full will incur a £12 fee and any other charges I incur as a result of the non/partial payment.

I also explained to parents when they signed the contracts that this is my business and the money I earn is verymuch needed and that I cant afford late/partial payments and stressed that this policy is not negotiable I have yet to have a late or partial payment... Infact one parent tried to over pay me for 2 days I had off lol

[AliceK]

Are they monthly payers? I assume they got paid at the end of November and that Decembers wages are being paid early due to Christmas? If so then even though they may have used up all their childcare vouchers they should still be able to find £30 cash to pay you. I would text back and say that's fine but you will be incurring £x late payment fee per day. I would not be happy about this at all. In my experience if you give an inch they take a mile and I have had too many problems with late payers so now I don't give an inch. I can't afford to be messed around with money.

xxxxx

[brightstar]

I agree totally. I have a bad payer too. I've explained that I need to be paid on time (its only £21 a week) because DH has been made redundant and she still owes 3 weeks money. She texts me 15 minutes before her 7:30am drop off to say she is taking him to school, so I have gotten out of bed early for nothing. My attitude is that when she pays me I am giving notice. I can due without the stress of chasing peanuts! Sorry Rant over. Nip in the bud, because if they get away with it once they will take he mick. If you charge late fees - charge them. I wish I had.

[snufflepuff]

I'd reply letting them know that I am happy to wait until the 16th but that I charge £10 per day for late payments, starting the day after fees were originally due. My fees are due on the last day of each month, so that £30 would become £180 if left until the 16th.....which would do very nicely over Christmas, thank you very much!

[Gracie's mamma]

Thank you ladies

Have a good day xx

[The Juggler]

I'd reply letting them know that I am happy to wait until the 16th but that I charge £10 per day for late payments, starting the day after fees were originally due. My fees are due on the last day of each month, so that £30 would become £180 if left until the 16th.....which would do very nicely over Christmas, thank you very much!

just what I was going to say.

[stardust]

To be honest if it was the first time and they usually paid on time and were not a problem, i would say that as a gesture of good will i am happy to wait however it is a one off and the the next time i will apply late charges.
I just think if you have lovely parents who are normally good i would give them them the benefit of the doubt as it is only £30 and they have said they are going to pay it and given you a date fore payment.

My gearbox went a while back and had to use some of my council tax money to pay for it until my next lot of wages came through. if i hadn't I wouldn't have been able to get to work and then wouldn't have been able to pay anything at all.
Being lenient doesn't make you weak or a push over telling them its a one off but being able to be flexible for this one time could be the difference between them resenting you or praising you to their friends.

Just a thought x

[wendywu]

To be honest if it was the first time and they usually paid on time and were not a problem, i would say that as a gesture of good will i am happy to wait however it is a one off and the the next time i will apply late charges.
I just think if you have lovely parents who are normally good i would give them them the benefit of the doubt as it is only £30 and they have said they are going to pay it and given you a date fore payment.

My gearbox went a while back and had to use some of my council tax money to pay for it until my next lot of wages came through. if i hadn't I wouldn't have been able to get to work and then wouldn't have been able to pay anything at all.
Being lenient doesn't make you weak or a push over telling them its a one off but being able to be flexible for this one time could be the difference between them resenting you or praising you to their friends.

Just a thought x

I would be the same

[snufflepuff]

Tara has a good point, I have had parents pay a few days late and have never implemented my charges. (In one instance I really should have done but didn't!)
If they are usually on time with payments I honestly would let it go this time.

[Bear23]

To be honest if it was the first time and they usually paid on time and were not a problem, i would say that as a gesture of good will i am happy to wait however it is a one off and the the next time i will apply late charges.
I just think if you have lovely parents who are normally good i would give them them the benefit of the doubt as it is only £30 and they have said they are going to pay it and given you a date fore payment.

My gearbox went a while back and had to use some of my council tax money to pay for it until my next lot of wages came through. if i hadn't I wouldn't have been able to get to work and then wouldn't have been able to pay anything at all.
Being lenient doesn't make you weak or a push over telling them its a one off but being able to be flexible for this one time could be the difference between them resenting you or praising you to their friends.

Just a thought x

totally agree, I think sometimes it creates a better working relationship, unless ofcourse they always do it. We do deserve to be paid in full i agree, but sometimes things happen x

[rosebud]

I think it depends how much as a percentage of the total the £30 is too. If the total bill was something like £400 then I could afford to be generous on this occasion (making it clear its a one-off) however if the total was only about £60 then I wouldn't be very happy to wait.

[onceinabluemoon]

I think it depends how much as a percentage of the total the £30 is too. If the total bill was something like £400 then I could afford to be generous on this occasion (making it clear its a one-off) however if the total was only about £60 then I wouldn't be very happy to wait.

exactly what I was thinking

[Helcatt]

Good advice already given. I am on the more lenient side and tend to say that normally you would charge a late fee but on this occasion you won't. If it happens again, you may have to

It is frustrating, esp when every penny counts - esp at this time of year!

Hope you are ok honey

Hx

[Gracie's mamma]

Thank you again ladies

Helen - i'm still waiting for my second grade

[stardust]

I think it depends how much as a percentage of the total the £30 is too. If the total bill was something like £400 then I could afford to be generous on this occasion (making it clear its a one-off) however if the total was only about £60 then I wouldn't be very happy to wait.

I would do it regardless if it was a one off like i say things happen that nothing can be done about and if it was £60 then to be honest its not a massive amount to wait for as £60 a month wouldn't be my main income.
Plus I am in a round about way paid in advance (deposit used to cover notice fees so I wouldn't really bother me) plus the parent has given a date if after this date I didn't see the money I would add late fee's

I pride myself on my excellent relationships with parents and being able to be flexible. Flexibility works both ways and I do have a limit on how much i'm willing to put up with.
Both my current parents are lovely and help me out as well so i'm happy to do more for them.

The parent of my 2 full time mindees is more like a friend to me now and i've had her children 3 months. She is just as flexible with me, happy to send her eldest to breakfast club a few days a week to help my day run smoother and is more than happy to help and this i believe is because i am flexible with her and help her out as much as possible. I have an amazing reference from her and wants to 'arrive' towards the end of my ofsted inspection so she can tell the inspector exactually why I should get at least a good if not outstanding

[Helcatt]

Helen - i'm still waiting for my second grade

That is just soooooooo unfair! You shouldn't have to wait this long!

I did finally get my certificate and then lost it! (We have been decorating the playroom and re-arranging, so am hoping it will make an appearance when we finally get all sorted)

Hx