to refund or not to refund?

[BlondeMoment]

Hi everyone

Every month before I write out my invoices I send a out a text explaining I am about to do them and ask if anyone wants to take any holiday?

One parent in particular never responds and now I have collected money etc she says she wants to take two days next week. This lady pushes her luck quite alot with me in many ways which I won't go into but to cut it short I've said fair enough but I can't refund her the money now that the month has started (I only change half fee for parent hols)

She's said that in her job it all depends on work load as to when she can take holidays and she doesn't always know in time for invoice. I want to be fair to her but really don't want to give her any more opportunities to take the mickey. I've said in her case perhaps we can work something out to prevent her always paying full fees even when not using the space. Just don't want to refund her anything as I feel I need to stand my ground. Agh!

[aly]

I charge full fee for parents hols....

[Mouse]

I charge for child's holiday, so they would pay anyway. What does it say in your contracts? Do you not charge for their holiday? If not, do they have to give you a certain amount of notice?

[Pipsqueak]

That is mighty nice of you. Texting/Invoicing asking them if they want hols. Why would you do that? As far as I am concerned its up to the parents to book their hols in with me in advance - their responsibility not mine.

I charge full fee if the clients is not attending a contracted day


As to the parent - if that is the way you operate then perhaps you can deduct from next months invoice instead.

If your contract says there is no fee for parent/client holiday then yes you need to refund (as I say next month)

[BlondeMoment]

I charge half the normal fee if parents take holiday as it says in their contracts. It's not worded terribly well with how much notice I need. Think it says two weeks but really I need to change that to just as long as I know before the month starts so I don't get in a muddle

[caz3007]

I charge half the normal fee if parents take holiday as it says in their contracts. It's not worded terribly well with how much notice I need. Think it says two weeks but really I need to change that to just as long as I know before the month starts so I don't get in a muddle

I request at least 4 weeks notice or full fees will be charged. I charge 1/2 fee for both mine and their hols

[green puppy]

That is mighty nice of you. Texting/Invoicing asking them if they want hols. Why would you do that? As far as I am concerned its up to the parents to book their hols in with me in advance - their responsibility not mine.

I charge full fee if the clients is not attending a contracted day


As to the parent - if that is the way you operate then perhaps you can deduct from next months invoice instead.

If your contract says there is no fee for parent/client holiday then yes you need to refund (as I say next month)

Agree with Pip, I charge full fee anyway and it is down to the parent to inform me of their hols. If you need to refund half then I would take it off the next months invoice. I used to charge half fee, but it was a hassle to do charges so full fee now for them and nothing for mine.

[The Juggler]

i would go with the notice period in your contract regarding holidays hon. if she doesn't give the right notice - she has to pay for them.

[wendywu]

mine pay for their holidays ,

[jellytots2912]

as a parent who uses a childminder you are fantastic and i would love if my childminder did that lol

but as a childminder no i would charge full :-)

[donnam]

I charge full fee so wouldnt matter.

[Chatterbox Childcare]

Mine pay full fee for their holidays

If she has given 2 weeks notice that you will have to refund then

[breezy]

It's down to what it says in your contract, if she has given enough notice then you need to refund her next month. I would then review the contracts so you're both clearer!

[BlondeMoment]

In the contract it says 4 weeks notice to be given by either party for holidays and says half fee to be charged should parents take holiday. Nothing if I take holiday. So I'm right not to refund it I guess but it feels a bit mean if her situation doesn't allow her to book holiday so far in advance. And everyone else gets 4 weeks per year at half fee.
But I'm now thinking I should be charging full fee for their holidays seeing that you all do it.
Ah, what to say, what to do?
This lady is often late picking up her kids by 15 mins or so at least once nearly every week. She was also the reason I brought in a late payments policy. She expects alot from me - like doing her son's weekly homework with him as well as the reading and spellings I do with them all every day. So in a way I'm not feeling too keen on doing her another favour. But at the same time I've gone and said maybe we can work something out. Ah, wish I'd just kept quiet

[miffy]

If I were you I'd stand by what's in the contract (which she signed and presumably she knew what her works system was re booking leave when she signed the contract) otherwise you could end up with the same thing each time she wants a few days off at short notice.

Miffy xx

[Ripeberry]

I'm term time only. If parents take their holidays in term time, then they have to pay...end of

[appleblossom]

I've had the same this month. On 14th March I gave a letter to all parents reminding them of my availability over Easter (they had the dates originally in September). In the letter I also mentioned that if they wished to take any of their 4 weeks allowance of holidays at half fees I require 4 weeks notice. One parent told me they were off for the last week in April & first week in May. They all paid me on 1st April. Then last Thursday one Mum says, "we are away week beginning 18th April, I know we have already paid you but can we take it as one of the 4 weeks at half fees?" I said "I'm sorry but I don't do refunds for holidays. You can take the half pay holidays any time between now and 31st August however." They do tend to take a few weeks off in the summer holidays so it's not unfeasable that they will take advantage of that week at half pay then.

This does not surprise me about these parents though. The Easter crafts brought home from pre school last week are still in the bag, along with some soiled underwear from last Wednesday. (Mentioned to parents on Wednesday and again on Thursday when they were still there).
I know the daily diary is rarely read, so why would letters I give to them be looked at?

[Chatterbox Childcare]

how did you go?

[The Juggler]

In the contract it says 4 weeks notice to be given by either party for holidays and says half fee to be charged should parents take holiday. Nothing if I take holiday. So I'm right not to refund it I guess but it feels a bit mean if her situation doesn't allow her to book holiday so far in advance. And everyone else gets 4 weeks per year at half fee.
But I'm now thinking I should be charging full fee for their holidays seeing that you all do it.
Ah, what to say, what to do?
This lady is often late picking up her kids by 15 mins or so at least once nearly every week. She was also the reason I brought in a late payments policy. She expects alot from me - like doing her son's weekly homework with him as well as the reading and spellings I do with them all every day. So in a way I'm not feeling too keen on doing her another favour. But at the same time I've gone and said maybe we can work something out. Ah, wish I'd just kept quiet

That is not your problem hon. I can't imagine her work "telling" her to take hols at such short notice. usually firms who dictate holidays give the dates out well in advance. Sounds to me like she left it too late and now is booking at late notice with the options left. Tell her you have to budget too and you can't keep refunding at short notice.

Also on the homework front, I would tell her you trialled spellings, readign, homework for a while but its not working out so you will be stopping this after the Easter holidays unless there is time in the day but please do not count on it happening.

[nokidshere]

I charge half fee for the 11 weeks school holidays but full fee for any other holiday. I also charge annually (12 equal payements) so situations like that dont arise - they pay the same each month regardless of what they do.

Only time it changes is if I am sick (very rare) and even then almost all my parents still pay me - bless them.