payment 3 weeks late

[pebbles&bam-bam]

Hi everyone!
Im new on here so please dont judge me if this doesnt make sense!
Ive just taken on a new baby part time.... i live in a small village and know the parent but we are not ' friends' more aqquaintances.
She started 4 weeks ago and i got the first payment no problem..she's due to pay in arrears every week
Then on the 2nd week she's said her tax credits hadnt turned up in her bank...and that she'd called and the tax credits assured her payment had been sent...ok..i can accept that but its now 3 weeks later almost and still no money.... is it possible tax credits have sent 3 separate payments that have all been lost?
I know it shouldnt be my concern "where" the money comes from...but i feel bad asking her to pay if she hasnt had her t.credits..but im now wondering if thats really the case as it sounds fishy to me.Whenever i mention it..she avoids answering and just says "ill sort it"
Im now going to start adding a late payment fee per day..any ideas how much?
Also..at what point do i stop the care if payment isnt received..its 3 weeks late so far and building up fast!

Ive suggested standing order to pay but she wanted to pay cash but the thing is..the cash doesnt come as it should and as much as i love my job and care for her child...and as much as i appreciate parents money troubles...im running a business at the end of the day and i seriously need to toughen up over this because i find i am always soft

any advice would be much appreciated!!

[berkschick]

I insist that my parents pay in advance, either weekly or monthly depending on what they prefer.

Any late payments incur a late payment fee of £5 a day.

You need to insist that this parent pays you before it gets even further out of hand.

[nannan]

like as been mentioned by berkschick, I would charge £5.00 a day and tell the mother when she brings the child in the morning that if they is no payment by the end of the week she will need to look after her own child until she can pay you what she owes,

[tulip0803]

I never did this before and always accepted payment in arrears but when I re-register all payments are to be inadvance and this time round I am implementing late payment fees and I have a policy that all the parents read that says I have the right to withdraw care in the case of late payment until all arrears including late fees are paid as this is in breach of contract. I lost £300 to a single mum when I finished last time nad she had no means to pay the arrears as she had spent all the tax credits got herr self in debt and went bankrupt:( . Learnt from experience and have changed my rules - always take a deposit, always payment in advance.:)

[miffy]

Even if her tax credits haven't come through she has been at work for four weeks so should have received some wages whether she is weekly or monthly paid so she has no excuse for not paying you.

You need to sort this out with her straight away - if you keep letting her off she will keep messing you about.

Your late payment fee should be detailed in the contract - mine is £5.00 per day.

Maybe you should change to payment in advance now and no childcare until fees are paid

Good luck - let us know how you get on - sorting out money can be very tough

miffy xx

[sarah707]

I had a time a few years ago now when tax credits didn't pay me because of an error and I organised to go to my local tax office and collect manual giros... maybe she could do that?

What does your late fees policy say?

If you don't have one, I suggest you write one fast! :D

PS... we don't judge on here, we've all been in sticky situations and we all try and help each other out... so don't worry!!

[angeldelight]

Agree with everyone else

Good luck hope she pays up soon

Angel xxx

[JOANNE]

I insist that my parents pay in advance, either weekly or monthly depending on what they prefer.

Any late payments incur a late payment fee of £5 a day.

You need to insist that this parent pays you before it gets even further out of hand.

So do i, that way they soon pay on time, fair enough if she has had problems with WFTC but surely they wouldn`t have "Lost" 3 lots of money!!!

[polobear1970]

Like most of them on here mine is inadvance

Lisa

[jaja]

I have always done it at the end of the week but after hearing the stories on here i might change my policy asap!!!!!!

I charge £5 PER day late payment and i have always warned parents first but never in five years have i ever had to put it into pratice.

Hope everything works out ok, xxx

[manjay]

I too always charge in advance although I can be slightly flexible depending on the situation. I have just had a new lo start at very short notice. Mum wasn't able to pay until the end of the 2nd day he was with me. we came to an arrangement that she would pay for an extra day for the first 2 weeks and then she would be paying completely in advance. I made it very clear that if the money was not with me on the weds evening I would not look after the child until money was recieved.

I do think you have to be tough with this one and write a fees policy with late payment fees explained. I think it is a bit far fetched to say that 3 lots of tax credits have got lost.. You seriously need to sort something soon or you will get more and more out of pocket.

I think I have gotton the point across to my parents. One went on holiday last week and forgot to drop the months cheque off before she went. She caught me at school yesterday and handed over a cheque with 10 days late fees added:D

[crazybones]

I too always charge in advance although I can be slightly flexible depending on the situation. I have just had a new lo start at very short notice. Mum wasn't able to pay until the end of the 2nd day he was with me. we came to an arrangement that she would pay for an extra day for the first 2 weeks and then she would be paying completely in advance. I made it very clear that if the money was not with me on the weds evening I would not look after the child until money was recieved.

I do think you have to be tough with this one and write a fees policy with late payment fees explained. I think it is a bit far fetched to say that 3 lots of tax credits have got lost.. You seriously need to sort something soon or you will get more and more out of pocket.

I think I have gotton the point across to my parents. One went on holiday last week and forgot to drop the months cheque off before she went. She caught me at school yesterday and handed over a cheque with 10 days late fees added:D


WOW result. :thumbsup:

[manjay]

WOW result. :thumbsup:

I am not going to charge her as it is her first "offence" and I did give her the invoice a bit late. I also want her to fill in my CSSIW inspection questionnaire favourabley:laughing:

[pebbles&bam-bam]

Hi Guys,
wow thanks for all the responses... u are all amazing!

I tried the late fees, 5 a day, its now 5 weeks late, she kept saying different things, first money lost, then "they've paid my working but not my child tax credit" i said fine, pay me with your working then! which she didnt.
Then i couldnt believe it a few days later when using her own pushchair, finding all my details, reg number etc in the pushchair, envelope still sealed with my business sticker!! so she has never even registered me as her childcare provider! I can only assume she was still using her previous nurseries details??!!
I now know she registered me with HRMC just after i mentioned it..but still no money.
In the end i have stopped caring for her child and said i would continue once payments were cleared, and payments were made in advance via standing order. But i think now i have no chance of getting anything-every time i ask her for the overdue money i get "i aint got it"...but i have a feeling she has been receiving the tax credits and just spending them ( i always seem to spot her at cash machines in the area on the day she's due her credits)
Is there any way i can report her as i am afraid it come back on me if she's claiming for childcare with me but not using it!!

[Pipsqueak]

Time to get tough now Pebbles.

Either by way of a friendly but professional chat or a nice professional reminder letter.

Lots of people on here can help you compose a letter - just ask.

I think initally Iw ould invite her in tonight and just say that although you appreciate she may be experiencing problems you still need paying as per the contract. You will need the fees bringing up to date by tomorrow when she collects the child(ren) otherwise you will have no option but to either/and a) suspend childminding service temporarily and b) recover the money through legal channels (NCMA).

Use the words - breech of contract - which she is.

[berkschick]

You have done the right thing in stopping her childcare.

Are you a member of the NCMA? If so, ring them for legal advise.

I would also write to the parent telling her that you will be informing tax credits of the situation and telling them that you are no longer caring for her child. I would also give her 5 working days to pay you in full or you will start legal proceedings.

It is your money, you have done the work and earnt it.

[Pipsqueak]

:blush: :blush: opps apologies - I didn't read your post right - you have stopped childcare:blush:

You have done the right thing. I would compose a letter to her giving her x days to bring payment up to date, give her the option of a payment scheme to agree to. AGain use the words breech of contract.
Also state that you will be using NCMA legal time to recover monies outstanding.

Good luck

[pebbles&bam-bam]

thanks guys will try that. :)
do u just call tax credits helpline to inform them childcare isnt being used?

xx

[gailee]

I have the same prob at the mo she a FRIEND (don't work for friends its hard work) any way i have her son for minium hours a week she's not pay me for 3 weeks or offered any money at all!!! she's not turned up this week no text no nothing, On next Monday she'll owes me 4 weeks
AND also i have another parent who's does the same she's a student nurse and they pay me when they can??? she gets her childcare paid by the hospitial and she's mention that she can't afford to bring her son during the summer hols which is fine by me (he's a handful) and so i've charged her full day then halved it so i was getting some money over the summer weeks but she mention that she will finish coming to me on the 1st of July and then restart in September when the new childcare payments start but i think she's not going to pay me anything t keep her place open till then so i've done a letter stating what she owes for now then i added then we need to arrange a suitable payment to be paid to keep her sons place open if not then i will cancel her place ( shes just brought a new pushchair a little quinny i wonder how much that cost that money should have come to me???? sorry its long!!! whinge over Gailx

[mrsb]

Pebbles did you manage to sort anything with the tax office? Hope you do love x

I agree gailee, it is def not a good thing to mind for friends lol, I've had disasters in the past minding for a really good friend and now we no longer speak because of problems I had with her daughter :(

[pebbles&bam-bam]

Hiya
No nothing sorted still.. tried allsorts now.

She's now claiming she's had to send her bank statements in to the tax credits office to prove she's not received it... but she's still been receiveing working tax credits..sounds fishy to me.
Ive rang the tax credits office and informed them when she started, how much the total amount owed was ( including what little she has paid) all dates etc and how much has actually been paid to me and the date childcare has ceased.

Personally i think she is scamming it..because she's always in the pub at the weekend..always at the cash machine and always seem to see her with new look shopping bags! I informed tax credits but obviously they wouldnt tell me whether or not she was using me as her childcare provider or whether or not she was receiving payments for me or not..which i think is wrong..fair enough, data protection issues, but we're not asking for personal details, just a yes or no as to whether this person is receiving the childcare money- we dont need to know details, amounts etc, just a yes or no would suffice because at least that way, we know ourselves if we are being messed around and lied to, and given false excuses..and then at least then we know where we stand and can reasonably stop care.
i wont tolerate it under my registration number which is why i informed them..do feel slightly guilty about it though

She apparently used all her wages to pay a 17 year old babysitter because i wouldnt care for her anymore!! how rude is that? ull pay the new one, but if you had paid me you wouldnt have needed to!
its an absolute joke now and to make matters worse, muppett here didnt check the contract properly ( newbie error..wont happen again!) and theres several sections she's not even signed so im screwed!!

Think ill just have to put it down to experience and make sure i get deposits in and get tougher..and never do it for anyone i know!!

[pebbles&bam-bam]

HI ALL

JUST TO LET YOU KNOW SOME OF THE MONEY THAT HAS BEEN OWED SINCE 26TH MAY HAS BEEN PAID- IT WAS ONLY A LITTLE BIT OF IT ( HALF) BUT I GOT SOMETHING AT LEAST.

I WENT ROUND TO HER HOUSE YESTERDAY AND SHE IS HAVING A BRAND NEW GARDEN LANDSCAPE DONE & A POND AND SUMMERHOUSE PUT IN !I MADE A POINT THAT SHE TOLD ME SHE WAS PRACTICALLY POVERTY STRICKEN BECAUSE IN 2 MONTHS HER TAX CREDITS CLAIM STILL HASNT BEEN PROCESSED.... I THINK ITS SAFE TO SAY HER TAX CREDITS WERE SORTED MONTHS AGO AND SHE WAS MORE INTERESTED IN USING THE MONEY TO FIX HER GARDEN UP!!

BUT THE NEXT DAY SHE DROPPED 200 POUND ROUND! GETTING THERE AT LEAST AND HAVE LEARNT A VALUEBLE LESSON!!

[son77]

Thats great news, glad you are getting somewhere.

And good for you going round & telling her whats what, it takes some guts!

[angeldelight]

Yes good for you for going round to her house

So glad you managed to get your some of your money

I agree it sounds like she spent it a long time ago

Well done

Angel xx