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berkschick
12-01-2008, 09:50 AM
:angry:

M parents live 5 doors from me and I had her lined up from when I first started on the course.

Mum said she would pay me in cash every Thursday so in theory in arrears as I have her Tuesday and Thursday but I had agreed to this before I found this site and felt I couldnt go back on my word so in arrears, cash on a Thursday is what is stated on the contract.

Last Thursday, Dad collected claiming to know nothing about the money side of it ( Even though he has signed the contract and my fees policy which clearly states at the bottom "Talking money is never easy so please help me by paying the agreed amount, in the agreed way, on the agreed day.") Dad said Mum was paying me from her wages. So I text Mum who said she would drop it by. Well, 8pm Sat night Mum turned up with the money (50p short though!) and said she will pay me direct into my account from now on as she always forgets to go to the cashpoint. I gave her all my account deails there and then. So I rang my bank this morning and yep you guessed it, no money!!:panic: :angry: So I have text Mum asking when she paid it in as it hasnt reached my account yet. No reply as yet!

I am spitting feathers here! My DH says not to worry about it but I have such little income at the moment and I have earnt that money fair and square!! When I finally get hold of Mum I am thinking of asking for a cheque on the Tuesday or asking her to set up a standing order so it goes automatically. Makes you mad though, I bet her work dont forget to pay her.

:angry: :panic: :angry: :( :mad:

Love

Debbie

nat1664
12-01-2008, 10:00 AM
I would be fuming too, This happened to me when I started my first mindee, the mum only had to pay 16.00 but said she had forgot!!! nice ah!

So I took it upon myself to turn up at her door and explain things in plain English,
Never had a problem again.

Just be firm :)

Nat

x

carolinel
12-01-2008, 10:04 AM
oh what a nightmare. I hope you get it sorted soon. maybe she did pay the money in but it isn't cleared yet?
I doubt it though, unless she does internet banking i would think it more hassle to pay it direct into your account rather than just give you the cash.
Do you have any late payment fee's in your contract? if so, remind her of that.
good luck

Cammie Doodle
12-01-2008, 10:09 AM
Carolyn has had this prob and had to go into her over draft facilities through no fault of her own, it make me soooooooooooo angry:angry: when Parents do this to us .Parents in Question live across the road from her. :angry:
I have 1 parent (quite well off) who just brings cheque when children are next with me !!!!! (as she is a teacher that is sometimes 2 weeks after her bill was given) She would have a fit if her salary was not in her account on the 25th of every month.:mad: Sorry We are not much help, but at least you are not alone.Good Luck June and Carolyn

LittleAcorns
12-01-2008, 11:02 AM
Any news Debbie?? Is she paying by DD, this can sometimes take a few days to set up, 4 working days I think, so by all accounts it should be up and running!! Nip it in the bud now, do you have a late payment charge?

Do my posts sound harsh? Nip it in the bud now sounds like Im telling you what to do lol, you know what I mean though dont you, the problem is we dont hear expression on here, just the written word :D :D

angeldelight
12-01-2008, 11:37 AM
Hope you are ok Debbie and I hope that by now you have heard from this parent

If she only lives a few doors away it is going to be very hard for her to avoid you

Do you have a late fee policy?

Angel xx

Tily Bud
12-01-2008, 11:43 AM
This is awful, I have a very similar problem at the moment also :mad:
I am going to work out the money over the year so the parent can pay by standing order - just hope she sets it up !

Problem is i cant give notice as Mark hasnt found another job yet :(

angeldelight
12-01-2008, 11:45 AM
hope you sort it out soon Cheryl and hope that Mark gets some good luck soon
Hope you are ok

Angel xx

Mollymop
12-01-2008, 11:51 AM
Hi Debbie, Sorry you are getting this hassle already.
Has she got back to you yet? If not, I would go round to her house and ask for it and put a charge for late payment on top. Does she think you have her child for the fun of it? It's a business and you need your payment on time.
If it were me I would warn her to pay on time in future or next time you will be asking for money in advance of looking after her child, due to her inability to pay on time.

Hope it goes ok and it is the last time you get messed about.

XX

LittleMissSparkles
12-01-2008, 01:33 PM
ive had this 2 months running with one parent so this time i put on the late fees as in my policys and it was an extra £30 on top of her bill, i wonder if she will pay on time this month!!!!

do you have alate fees policy? ifit was mei would politely do her a letter exlpaining what was agreed and tell her that youexpectto be paid on time in the future or will add late fees

xxx

deeb66
12-01-2008, 02:21 PM
I am sorry to hear that you are having problems already.

Can't really offer different advice than already given but if I was in your shoes I would speak to the mum and inform her that if it is late again you will have to impose a late payment charge.

You will be surprised how many people suddenly remember when it will cost them extra.

I know you said that you had agreed money in arrears and didn't feel you could change it.....but try having a word with her about this as you might find that she would be willing to pay in advance rather than in arrears.

Let us know how you get on

berkschick
12-01-2008, 02:25 PM
Thanks all for your replies.

Mum works on a saturday so I cant see her today.

I am more upset than anything about this because I have kept my side of the deal so why cant they keep theirs? I just feel undervalued.

I have had another enquiry about 2 girls 3 days a week but one of the days is when I have M so have said I cant do it so not only do they owe me money, they are costing me money too!

Love

Debbie

deeb66
12-01-2008, 02:28 PM
Unfortunately....this does happen quite a lot in our proffession and has happened to me at one time or another over the years.

Have a good chat with the mum and explain your feelings and hopefully she will understand and not take you for granted again

Mollymop
12-01-2008, 02:56 PM
What a shame you can't take on the 2 new girls, Debbie. But chin up, I am sure it will work out ok after you have spoken to mum. XXX

berkschick
12-01-2008, 02:59 PM
Thanks Sandra.

I LOVE having M, she is such a lovely little thing and there is only a few days between her and DD so they are good company for one another.

I do have a late payment policy of £5 a day, again this was signed by both Mum and Dad!

I have priced myself at the lower end of the market so I know I am not being unreasonable in what I charge.

I will give her until tomorrow and then will have to go and knock on the door.

Thanks again everyone

Love

Debbie

angeldelight
12-01-2008, 03:05 PM
Hope you get this sorted out

Angel xx

berkschick
12-01-2008, 07:35 PM
Hi all,

Mum text me saying she had set bank transfer up to leave her account every friday starting yesterday. I think maybe the money is in the syste as it can take 4 working days to change accounts which is a nightmare as by the time I get it it will be 2 weeks in arrears. I have text Mum saying this so will see what her reply is. Hopefully she will change it to leave her account on Tuesday so I have it on a friday.

Love

Debbie

LittleMissSparkles
12-01-2008, 07:40 PM
Hi all,

Mum text me saying she had set bank transfer up to leave her account every friday starting yesterday. I think maybe the money is in the syste as it can take 4 working days to change accounts which is a nightmare as by the time I get it it will be 2 weeks in arrears. I have text Mum saying this so will see what her reply is. Hopefully she will change it to leave her account on Tuesday so I have it on a friday.

Love

Debbie

put your foot down Debbie, 2 weeks is unacceptable, or would be too me anyway, tell her you want her to pay her up fees up to date plus one week cash in advance then each time you receive a bank transfer it will be for that week it clears does that make sense ??? thats what i would do anyway xxxx

hope you et it sorted with her soon xxx

deeb66
12-01-2008, 07:43 PM
I agree with Susan...you have to put your foot down.

If she wants it to leave her bank on a friday then she needs to pay you in advance so that it is there by Tuesday the next week.

You can't let her get away with this otherwise you will be constantly chasing money!

emma04
12-01-2008, 09:17 PM
Hi what a nightmare and something i am dreading happening.

I have got two children starting on the 25th Feb and although i haven't done contracts yet (haven't had my box from NCMA yet) i have told both parents that they will receive an invoice, containing the fees due (4 weeks worth in advance) 7 days before it is due to be paid and that i will require cleared funds before i can care for their children, i also stated that i operate a strict no fee, no care policy. I also pointed out that if paying by cheque they need to allow 4 working days for clearance. Both parents agreed.
(All off this will be put in contracts when i do them....both parents are waiting for me to call them to let them know when they've arrived so that we can meet and complete!)

Whether the above system goes to plan or not, i shall have to wait and see :huh: but at least i have begun with a firm approach, i think that is the key in these situations.... talking money is always hard and i hate confrontation, thats why i have tried to make it absolutely clear right from the start, so as to avoid chasing (although i was a debt chaser a few years back, so it may come in handy.....i did hate that job though!!):(

miffy
12-01-2008, 09:27 PM
Hope you get this sorted soon Debbie.

I think Susan's idea is a good one and would mean you got your payments straight again instead of in arrears.

Good luck

Miffy xxx

berkschick
12-01-2008, 09:39 PM
Thanks again all,

Yeah, it is all in a muddle now!

I am really pleased she is paying me by standing order as it means when they go on hols next month, I wont have to tackle that as they had already moaned about paying me then. But I asked them if they rung up the gas and asked to not pay for the week while they were away, they saw my point in the end!

I am going to see when it actually hits my account and then ask her to change the date accordingly so that I have my money on the Friday.

Advance payments only from now on! J mum pays me a month in advance and it is so nice knowing I can just look forward to having him as the money is already here.

Love

Debbie

sutherland
12-01-2008, 11:20 PM
I am sorry to hear about the trouble you are having, I am awaiting my ssafa checks to get me registered so have no experience yet with this kind of problem but as an ex bank supervisor I can offer this information that I hope helps......

I would maybe ask the parent to give you a cheque on the Tuesday morning when they drop lo off, if you then pay it into your bank on Tuesday, the cheque would not debit the mums account until Friday at the earliest, and most current accounts are also a 3 w/d availability, so would mean you would have cleared funds available Friday also.

If it happens that she does not have enough funds to cover this cheque then she will be the one who gets charged, and most ppl do try to avoid this as they can be quite high!!!

Standing orders can also take 3-5 working days to hit the receiving account if not same banks so you could find that some weeks you'd get ot on a Wednesday, but could be as late a Friday. (though to be honest does usually go through in 3 w/days) and at Easter, the payment would not leave until the following Tuesday due to 2 bank holidays on the Friday and the Monday.

Hope this helps

Michelle

berkschick
12-01-2008, 11:26 PM
Gosh Easter, I hadnt thought of that!

Thanks for pointing that out. I had thought of the cheque thing as the next step if we cant sort out the standing order as then I will have the money for sure.

The joke of all this is guess where Dad works? Yep, in a bank!!!!!

Love

Debbie

miffy
13-01-2008, 07:28 AM
Well that's a real cheek isn't it - messing you about like this when he works in a bank - I'd be livid!

So, Debbie get payment in advance and no more Mrs Nice guy!!!! (or should that be girl?)

Miffy xx

berkschick
14-01-2008, 11:01 AM
I have just rung the bank again and the money will clear tomorrow.

Im not totally happy with this though as paymant should have been with me on Friday at the latest.

I have M tomorrow. Its a pain though because Dad drops off and collects yet its apparently Mums responsibilty to pay me! But I am going to ask Dad to get Mum to change the payment day to Tuesday so that it clears my account on Friday and see what happens after that.

Love

Debbie

sutherland
14-01-2008, 11:04 AM
Good luck with 2moz Debbie, let us know how it goes.

Michelle

LittleMissSparkles
14-01-2008, 11:05 AM
I have just rung the bank again and the money will clear tomorrow.

Im not totally happy with this though as paymant should have been with me on Friday at the latest.

I have M tomorrow. Its a pain though because Dad drops off and collects yet its apparently Mums responsibilty to pay me! But I am going to ask Dad to get Mum to change the payment day to Tuesday so that it clears my account on Friday and see what happens after that.

Love

Debbie


let us know what he says Debbie x

Blaze
14-01-2008, 12:17 PM
This is awful, I have a very similar problem at the moment also :mad:
I am going to work out the money over the year so the parent can pay by standing order - just hope she sets it up !

Problem is i cant give notice as Mark hasnt found another job yet :(

I wouldn't do this as if they don't stay for a full year you will end up out of pocket...& probably will eventually anyway as if they stay fo 18 months it's not a full 2nd year...IFSWIM?!
Tasha:)

angeldelight
14-01-2008, 12:19 PM
Good luck with this Debbie and I hope you do get paid

Angel xx

deeb66
14-01-2008, 05:27 PM
Good luck Debbie....hope things work out

berkschick
15-01-2008, 09:36 AM
Dad was 10 mins dropping M off today so we were all stood in the rain waiting as I had the school run to do. Im sure it was done on purpose so he didnt have to speak to me!

He wont get away with it later though lol

The money has gone in today, 50p short again. Cant be bother to argue for 50p but why make it short by that much? :rolleyes:

Love

Debbie

angeldelight
15-01-2008, 09:39 AM
Glad you got paid at last Debbie but does seem a bit weird how it is 50p down

Good luck with your next payment

Angel xx

Mollymop
15-01-2008, 10:08 AM
Hi Debbie, I am glad yopu have got your cash this morning. I cna't believe some people, I would feel really guilty not paying you on time.
I hope from now on things run smoothly on payday!
Did they agree to you being paid on Tuesday's so you get the money by Friday's?

berkschick
15-01-2008, 07:02 PM
Conviently, when M Dad came to collect her, the phone rang and it was an enquiry.

I was telling the Dad on the phone that I only accept payment in advance due to problems I have had in the past (wink wink, nudge nudge!)

Anyway, when I came off the phone he said, Oh I nearly forgot to tell you, we have changed the standing order day so that the money will clear on a Friday from now on!

Yipeee, hopefully it is sorted now.

Thanks for all your help

Love

Debbie

LittleMissSparkles
15-01-2008, 07:09 PM
Lets hope that is the last of your problems with these parents now Debbie xxx

ajs
15-01-2008, 10:23 PM
i know 50p isn't much but every month that's £2 you are owed
you really should say something