Grrrrrrr, why don't parents pay on time??!!

[tiredandemotional]

Sorry, feeling the need to vent my spleen on what is probably one of the most common and annoying downsides to being a childminder!

None of my parents seem to feel the need to pay on time! I charge in arrears to be accommodating and considerate (something I definitely WONT be doing once I return from maternity leave and re-jig my business and contracts) and they don't show the same courtesy and actually pay the damn things on time!

Several are monthly and it takes them a few days which is fair enough as they are higher amounts and are waiting for their salary's to clear, but I have two parents, who pay by bank transfer, I invoice weekly on a Friday and neither of them have paid yet - one is only for £18, and the other £46, so why they can't pay in cash I don't know.

I constantly have to check and chase them and I am so fed up with it. I have just emailed them and asked for payment and to set up alternative arrangements to pay until I go on maternity leave - cash on the Friday when they drop off - and fear this may affect our relationship as no one likes talking about money or being chased, I just wish they would honour their contracts and do it promptly and without asking. They may think I am being a bit impatient as it is only a few days, but it happens every week now and I don't see why I should wait when they already pay in arears and I bet they don't keep their hairdressers/ supermarkets/petrol stations etc waiting for money, so why should I have to wait when I am caring for their most precious 'posession'!!!! Arghhhhhhh:angry:

One parent, who used to pay really promptly, kept telling me it was her bank that was mucking up the payments but it happens so frequently - and she has now 'forgotten' as well a few times, that I don't believe a bank can be that incompetent (well, perhaps I should take that back :laughing:) so I feel angry that I have been lied to as well.

Anyway, I shall wait and see what their response is and if it makes any difference...

Thanks for 'listening'

xx

[Rick]

Many people have the same gripe! I have had no problems so far but I doubt it will be long before someone doesn't pay on time, or at all!

You should say you will apply late fees, it should stamp it out

[Happystay]

Its the same in Devon .I get so fed up with excuses like "Oh I have forgotten my cheque book ect, or sorry I forgot to go to the cash point even when they pass 2 or 3.I have been getting tougher lately .This week I have phoned 2 as they are a week late and both payed straight away.I dont mind if its cash cheque or bank transfer as long as I get it weekly or monthly.I stress this before they start but it makes no difference been minding 21 years so I should have learn t my lesson but no it still happens.

[Rick]

Its the same in Devon .I get so fed up with excuses like "Oh I have forgotten my cheque book ect, or sorry I forgot to go to the cash point even when they pass 2 or 3.I have been getting tougher lately .This week I have phoned 2 as they are a week late and both payed straight away.I dont mind if its cash cheque or bank transfer as long as I get it weekly or monthly.I stress this before they start but it makes no difference been minding 21 years so I should have learn t my lesson but no it still happens.

Are they parents that you had a feeling wouldn't pay or a feeling that they would when you first met them?
I've always wondered whether it is wise to ask for payment in arrears. I only have three parents; one is a friend of my wife, one was with my childminder friend who left town and the other I could tell was trustworthy. That's the only reason I felt comfortable doing it that way. If I'm not sure about someone I may change my stance to pay in advance.

[Stapleton83]

I do most of mine in advance but have recently had a lucrative contract come to me who couldn't afford to pay me in advance as she was just returning to work after her maternity leave. She told me upfront she was struggling to do it so I agreed to do it in arrears until 6 months hence, by which time she would have to go onto advance payment. First bill went in and I got a text to say she hadn't got paid anything like she was expecting so her vouchers hadn't worked and how was best to pay me. Whilst I felt she was waiting for me to go back and say don't worry just delay it or pay me some I decided I needed to be hard nosed and merely texted back with the details.

At the end of the day this is a business, how would they feel if they were paid a week late by their bosses. Put some late fees in place and stick to them they will soon get the message, but in advance is way easier!

Good luck and don't feel awkward you don't childmind just for the love of it.

Sam x

[Mrs Scrubbit]

Thankfully in 23 yrs I've never had any problems over fees being paid, and I have always charged in arrears too( hope I haven't put a jinx on things now!) x

[tiredandemotional]

Thanks everyone. It is so very annoying and I'm glad to read that some of you haven't had any problems, restores some faith in our parents! Both parents have replied to say that they are paying now (it hasn't happened yet!) and one has agreed to pay in cash every week. I did introduce late payment fees to my last few clients and one of these did pay nearly two weeks late as she was setting up the voucher scheme at work (she should have paid me directly whilst it was being set up really) and i just let it go. It's so hard being tough about money when you are British! :blush: Lots of lessons to learn when I re-start after maternity leave!

[NI MINDER]

I dont charge in arrears either - noone seems to around here in NI!! - but the number of times parents 'forget' to stop at autobank, or tell me I will throw your money in next time I am passing etc ..... it really bugs me especially when we have a big weekend planned. Feel as if i am begging when I ask to be paid even though I have already done all the work to earn it.

[cathtee]

I have one that regulary pays late and she's the lowest amount to pay that I have. she still owes me last weeks but she does give it me
B leaves in july so problem solved.

[tess1981]

I dont charge in arrears either - noone seems to around here in NI!! - but the number of times parents 'forget' to stop at autobank, or tell me I will throw your money in next time I am passing etc ..... it really bugs me especially when we have a big weekend planned. Feel as if i am begging when I ask to be paid even though I have already done all the work to earn it.


I have only ever been paid in arrears but only weekly, i would not go a month in arrears. i tell parents to pay on a friday morning or a friday evening at the latest. if i have a weekend planned and a parent says they forgot to stop at cash machine i have no problem saying i will be home for another hour yet just come back with it before i go... it lets them know i expect them to go get my fees there and then but i am very lucky with the parents i have all good payers :)

[Jenna]

This is what I find the biggest down side of being self employed when I first started out last year I billed everyone in arrears you soon learn mind. All new contracts are now payment in advance. I've got 2 parents who drive me mad with payment one little girl comes every Monday I always make sure bills are ready to hand out 3 weeks into the month then payment is due by the last working day. However this patent feels its fine not to pay me until next time child is in which could b anything up to the 6th of a new month. I have sent letter after letter home and when we did a contract review even checked that payment date was ok. I'm dreading this month bill went home last week as and were on holiday next week child is then away week after I think when I looked in my diary I haven't got her again until the 16th of may if there's no payment before we go away I'll b on the phone I've about had enough. But that's good going I look after my neighbours son 3 days a week and as he was my first mindee to start I stupidly agreed to accept cheque off mum and never wrote anything about late fees in contract however the last couple of months payments are getting later and later by the time I've been paid and the cheque clears they are due to pay again its crazy. From know on I will b a lot harder on people you wouldn't go to the supermarket or hair dressers and not pay would u so I don't know why people feel childcare is any different.

[Optimalstar]

I'd spent months reading through this forum before I got any children so I decided straight away that I'd expect paying in advance. I have 4 families, 1 pays by cheque well in advance( paid up until June for them at the moment), one monthly by bank transfer, on time. The other two, one generally drops weekly amount in on a Sunday but just posts it if I'm not in. The final one generally drops money in as she drops off her child on the Monday morning however there have been times when she can't find her purse, hasn't been to cashpoint etc.