HELP - Problem With Persistant Late Paying Mum

[essexgirl1967]

I've been child minding 10 years so have had my fair share of late/non paying parents over the years and have always got my money eventually. Just wondered if anyone could help with wording a suitable text.

Basically I look after 2 brothers just before school Mon - Fri. I have been very flexible re the mum only paying for the days she actually needs as she is a student and at the moment is doing exams. She has a younger child due to start part time school in September and we agreed that I would then have all 3 children before and after school and at that point she would have to pay every day whether they came or not.

However.... she is an extremely 'laid back' sort of person, don't know whether is a culture things as she is not from this country. I should have known to expect problems when she was several hours late for our first meeting! She is always late dropping boys off, she pays from 7am but they are never here before 7.30, she just doesn't appear to be bothered by times etc. Anyway rather predictably she is just as 'laid back' when it comes to paying me.

I ask for money on a Monday morning in advance, and rarely get it before Thursday. Its difficult to ask her for the money as she doesn't actually come into my house in morning, she parks outside and just watches until I open the door and then drives off. Once, she gave my money to one of her boys to give to me, he forgot and I found it mid morning in my toy box where he'd dropped it! I have explained again and again how I need to be paid Monday morning as I have bills to pay and she seems to agree but it never actually happens.

Its now Saturday afternoon, I went out to meet her at the car on Thursday morning drop off time to ask for my money and she promised it the next day. But nothing so I rang her last night to explain that I needed it for the weekend and apparently the local cash machine is faulty... She promised to get money out in Tesco this morning and bring it round first thing, but no sign of her. I am reluctant to end the contract as in September the 3 children before and after school will be my main earnings but am feel I really need to make a stand now. If she is having trouble remembering to pay the relatively small amount she pays now, I'm sure she will forget to pay the much larger sums in September! I do desperately need the money too, my daughter has a school trip to pay for on Monday and I need the cash now. I need to text rather than ring as her English isn't wonderful and texts seem to work better with her than phone calls. Apart from just texting that I need the money today, or else, has anyone got any ideas?
Thanks x

[Alibali]

How about 'sorry I may have missed you when you came round earlier with my money, but I had to pop out. Would you like to bring the money roun d now or will it be easier if I come and collect it. It will need to be tonight as I am busy all day tomorrow and don't want to miss you again.'

A x

[sue32]

I agree with Alibali with the wording but I would put it on paper to her that you require payment first thing on Monday and if she is late then payment will be required on Friday for the following week as we all have bill and school trips to pay for.

[angeldelight]

Did you manage to contact this parent ?

Did she pay you ?

What a pain

I would enforce payment for late fees and tell her this

Its not fair on you

To be honest you have either got to accept she is the way she is and have your payments late or get tough !!!

You are going to have to sit down with her and have a good honest chat

Good luck

Angel xx

[miss muffit]

the above sounds ok, i hate asking for money and at the end of the day we shouldnt have to.:angry:

lets hope you get someone in need of childcare and you can tell her to :censored: off

my childminding friend charges £5 a day late payment and she never really has a problem any more, but if a parent dare asks if they can pay her tomorrow she tells them to put an extra £5 in for late payment ha :D

[miffy]

What a lot of hassle - are you sure it will still be worth it in September?

I hope you got your money today

miffy xx

[essexgirl1967]

Well I got my money without having to text or ring. I had 2 new mums visiting on Saturday evening so decided to leave any contact until after they'd all left as I didn't want her to maybe call back or arrive whilst I was trying to make a good impression on new parents.

However, she arrived with my money just as 1st set of parents arrived. It was quite difficult to really talk as all of us were now on doorstep together but at least managed to give the impression that I was much in demand! She has promised to pay this weeks money on Tuesday ( still a day late but I suppose better than end of the week).

My OH thinks that she is not paying late to be difficult, she just appears very disorganised with life in general. She seems to be very happy with the way I look after her boys, and has confirmed that youngest child is definitely coming to me in September, so I reminded her that when all 3 are here I will be very strict about full payents on Monday mornings and she agreed. I think I'm just going to have to accept that I will get my money every week but not always on the day that I would like, as I really can't see her changing.

She is totally different to another parent I have who often pays late or disputes amounts etc and is a total pain as they are extremely well off but resents paying every penny to me. As the mum has told me that she thinks I have a perfect life staying home with my kids, and having some of their 'friends' round every night! She really doesn't look on childminding as a proper job at all and always disputes amounts if she collects early or her child is absent for any reason.

I think there is a basic difference between the 2, in that one pays late because she is late with everything, whilst the other pays late because she resents paying me at all, and wants to pay me as little as possible in the process.

I hate chasing people for money but sometimes you have to and its the one bit of this job that I hate. Anyway thanks for all the good advice x

[cloud9]

I've been child minding 10 years so have had my fair share of late/non paying parents over the years and have always got my money eventually. Just wondered if anyone could help with wording a suitable text.

Basically I look after 2 brothers just before school Mon - Fri. I have been very flexible re the mum only paying for the days she actually needs as she is a student and at the moment is doing exams. She has a younger child due to start part time school in September and we agreed that I would then have all 3 children before and after school and at that point she would have to pay every day whether they came or not.

However.... she is an extremely 'laid back' sort of person, don't know whether is a culture things as she is not from this country. I should have known to expect problems when she was several hours late for our first meeting! She is always late dropping boys off, she pays from 7am but they are never here before 7.30, she just doesn't appear to be bothered by times etc. Anyway rather predictably she is just as 'laid back' when it comes to paying me.

I ask for money on a Monday morning in advance, and rarely get it before Thursday. Its difficult to ask her for the money as she doesn't actually come into my house in morning, she parks outside and just watches until I open the door and then drives off. Once, she gave my money to one of her boys to give to me, he forgot and I found it mid morning in my toy box where he'd dropped it! I have explained again and again how I need to be paid Monday morning as I have bills to pay and she seems to agree but it never actually happens.

Its now Saturday afternoon, I went out to meet her at the car on Thursday morning drop off time to ask for my money and she promised it the next day. But nothing so I rang her last night to explain that I needed it for the weekend and apparently the local cash machine is faulty... She promised to get money out in Tesco this morning and bring it round first thing, but no sign of her. I am reluctant to end the contract as in September the 3 children before and after school will be my main earnings but am feel I really need to make a stand now. If she is having trouble remembering to pay the relatively small amount she pays now, I'm sure she will forget to pay the much larger sums in September! I do desperately need the money too, my daughter has a school trip to pay for on Monday and I need the cash now. I need to text rather than ring as her English isn't wonderful and texts seem to work better with her than phone calls. Apart from just texting that I need the money today, or else, has anyone got any ideas?
Thanks x

I would ask to be paid by standing order direct to my bank account this way she cant be late. Either that or the banks now transfer money to and from accounts regardless of the bank receiving/sending within a couple of hours. Give her your details and if she forgets the money tell her thats pk but can she go and either transfer it by internet banking or telephone. All my parents now pay by standing order and i have no probs. good luck

[Trouble]

How about 'sorry I may have missed you when you came round earlier with my money, but I had to pop out. Would you like to bring the money roun d now or will it be easier if I come and collect it. It will need to be tonight as I am busy all day tomorrow and don't want to miss you again.'

A x

perfect


i might try this next time i have a problem

[Banana]

I hope you manage to sort something out.

I have just had the same experience only I got tough and the mum then terminated the contract.... fine by me, now I can fill the space with someone who pays on time!

If they dont pay on time you have 2 options. Accept it and know that you do get the money eventually or as I did do not accept it anymore and see how that goes - depending on the parent the ones worth keeping will appreciate you being firm, the ones that think they can dictate when they pay you arent worth having anyway!

x