Child leaving and payment question

[oons]

Hi,
I need a little advice about a child leaving. Parents normally pay me a month in arrears by vouchers (this will teach me!) and their child is leaving in the middle of the month. I asked them to give me a cheque for the two weeks worth of minding the day they leave but they want to pay me using the voucher scheme at the end of the month once she has already left. Would you accept this??? Bit confused as this is the first child I've had and I had to give them notice.

[Mouse]

No, I wouldn't. I would insist that all payments are made up to date before the child finished with me. You just run too much of a risk of the child finishing & you not getting paid.

[oons]

Thanks. That was my feeling but they acted as if I had offened them greatly as they've always paid on time. Will def say that's what needs to happen.

[bunyip]

I agree with Mouse, but not sure whether you can make it happen if the parents disagree.

They obviously wish to pay by voucher as it's cheaper for them. It'll depend what you've put in the contract as to whether you can even try to enforce payment in advance. They might be able to argue that you've always accepted payment by voucher in arrears, so they can do it "by custom and practice."

It's tricky cos you don't want to get stiffed, but neither do you want to annoy them too much if it's your 1st mindee and are relying on them for recommendations/references.

Hope it all works out well.

[appleblossom]

I'd go halfway and ask that they make the payment in the first week so you have it in your bank account before the second week., and that the payment covers the whole two weeks of that last month. Then you still have a week of care left to provide so won't be left missing the whole two weeks fees if anything goes wrong.