Ending a contract/delayed pay

[newbieminder12]

Hi all,

I am fairly new to childminding and have had 1 parent from the first week I started, it was all very rushed contracts as she came on the Saturday and wanted to start on the monday.

When it comes to contracts with all of my parents I have been very laid back and maybe naive! I have not put dates on for payments or when they should pay although at the very end (NCMA contracts) I have put in the box for non payment that I will end contract after 7 days of non payment.

So anyway this parent for the first month was paying me on the Monday of each week for that week, she has different hours every week. For the last month or so she keeps fobbing me off, she will get other family members to drop off/collect her child so that she doesn't have to explain why she doesn't have payment. After this week she has a holiday starting on the 12th (which I have advised half pay for) and then the 6/7 weeks holiday, I have a feeling she is not going to pay me for next week or the week holiday she has as I'm struggling to get hold of her for this weeks!!

I would really like to end the contract at the start of the 6 weeks holiday also but not sure how to go about this, do I have to give a reason? whats the best way to go about trying to get her to pay?

Sorry for such a long essay! :(

[madmamma]

Contact your insurance company asap, explain the situation and they can guide you through their recovery procedures, which you will need to follow through if you want to see any money back

[rickysmiths]

If she has not paid you and is more than 7 days overdue end childcare immediately as you have in your contract for non payment.

Just write a simple letter reminding her that non payment means no childcare and that you expect all payments up to date on the first day of care this week, also payment for the week she is on holiday if it is the next week and if it isn't then you will be unable to care for the child.

Pop it through the door today.

How much notice do you need to give is it four weeks? It sounds like she is term time only so you only have two week left this term and if you use the NCMA Contracts you and the parent are not allowed to give notice during your or the parents holiday. So you would have to work the first two weeks of term as well. However you and the parent can agree to end the contract sooner just put it in writing what you agree and both sign and date it. She should still pay the notice period.

As for your Contracts do a Contract review with your parents and when you do put in the day payment is expected then. :thumbsup:

I would also strongly recommend taking a four weeks fees Deposit when signing a Contract in future and keep it until the end of the Contract to cover
the notice period. It also gives a cushion if a parent like this doesn't pay.

[bunyip]

You need to request payment, state how much is owing, plus any late payment charges due, and give her a chance to pay. There are ways of recovering fees, but you have to have done all that first. Call your insurers to talk this over.

You can normally terminate a contract without giving a reason, but it's probably good form to give a reason. Hopefully you've already stipulated a notice period in the contract, so stick to that length of time. Failure to pay is generally regarded as a damn fine reason to stop providing a service for a client. Any good contract will state this anyway (I think it's printed on the last page of the current NCMA contracts.)

I strongly suggest you revise all your contracts at the earliest opportunity in order to tighten things up and clarify payment dates. I suggest you take payment in advance. Anything else is asking for trouble.