Parent arriving late (20min every day) do I charge?

[kymberly]

Help,

I've just started childminding (3 weeks ago) and our contracted hours are 9 to 5 and I charge £3.50 per hour. However, she has collected her child at 5.20pm most nights (with the exception of 1 Friday were she came at 4.20pm).

I know it's only 20mins but it really adds up (about 1hr 40 per week). I don't want her to think I'm being petty but should I charge per 15 mins and just charge her for when she's late.

Really don't want to lose her but I think she's taking the ###s already.

Or is this how childminding works?????

Kym xxx

[kindredspirits]

I'd give her the benefit of the doubt and ask her if she needs to change contracted hours to 5.30 collection. If she says no then say I'm sorry but I will have to charge you an extra £5 when you are late in future because its unsocial hours/your insurance needs you to be charging to keep you covered - up to you! ;)

[Pipsqueak]

I'd give her the benefit of the doubt and ask her if she needs to change contracted hours to 5.30 collection. If she says no then say I'm sorry but I will have to charge you an extra £5 when you are late in future because its unsocial hours/your insurance needs you to be charging to keep you covered - up to you! ;)

agreed - very succinctly put!:thumbsup:

[breezy]

I agree too, give her a chance to change contracted hours, if not implement a late collection charge! Start now or they'll continue to take the mick.

[Blaze]

Great advice already given:thumbsup:

[onceinabluemoon]

Yep, I agree too. I never used to charge for late pick ups but as soon as I started they stopped being late. I charge double for out of contract hours with no agreement too (ie being late!)

[funfunfun]

I agreee .............ask first if she would like to change contracted hours to perhaps 5.30 insted of 5

And stipulate if she doesnt want to do this ...........as she is later than agreed contract you will have to charge on further occasions xxx

[shelly2012]

Me too 1 of my parent does this and I've not done anything about it either it's not everyday I'm sure she nips in for a sunbed before she collects the wee one :mad:

[Lynnelynne]

I agree, can't believe some of the parents late of respect for our time. Discuss changing hours and introduce a late collection fee.

Hope this sorts it.

[kymberly]

Thanks for all the replies guys.

Think I'll have to bite the bullet and say to her (yikes). Just before I do, what's the thoughts on adding up her 20 mins (so over 3 days that would be an hour) and just adding it to her bill. I charge her £3.50 per hour which is £28 per day (9-5 or 5.20 more like) and feel wick asking her for more money. Is £29.75 not a bit much for a childminder??

Thanks in advance xx

[miffy]

I wouldn't add up the minutes each day I would charge a full hour extra each day she's late but not before I'd given her the chance to sort it out.

If she's just gone back to work maybe she underestimated her travelling time which is why she's always late.

You need to talk to her and see why she's always late and what's the best way to sort it out.

If she continues to be late after that then start applying late fees

How much you add on for late fees depends on what you have put in the contract about this.

Miffy xx

[Newbie1!]

Im glad you posted this love and have read the comments with interest. I am still pre-reg but advertised (for when I was reg) and was approached by a parent who wanted me, have started having the lo's for free (helps me get experience at least :-( ) however, even tho mum isnt paying! I noticed that she comes about 15 mins earlier than arranged and usually 5 to 10 mins later. I know what you mean about sounding petty cos this would worry me when I am actually charging but over the week it soon mounts up. I definitely need to get the confidence to speak to parents about these things, think this is one thing I will be lacking in when Im actually minding. Best of luck and do kep up posted how you get on. xx

[SaijaM]

Hi!

Perhaps have a 'Late collection' policy? I have this and parents have signed to agree to it.. basically I charge a full hour if collected 20mins late or more...

Hope you get it sorted! :
xx Saija

[kymberly]

Great advice, why do I feel so nervous??

I'm going to be giving her the invoice for the months fees on Thursday and when I do I'll have the contract at hand and say 'I haven't charged you for the late fees this month, I was wondering if you want to change the contract to 5.30 instead as next month I would have to charge each time you're late'.

Oh I hate this side of the job!!

[mama2three]

Good Luck!
Make it sound as if youre doing her a favour - you would hate for her to be charged extra hours every month as they are at a higher rate ..would she like you to amend the contract to 5.30?

[Mazz]

i recently had a parent who was supposed to drop off at 9.15 and was turning up at 9am every day, when i asked him if he'd like to change drop off time to 9.15, he said no and if i didn't want to let him in, dont answer the door!! bit hard when he can see me in the house through the glass door, to ignore him there, however since i said about changing the time, he's been turning up at 9.30!!! you cant win can you!! this is just about as frustrating as being early as sometimes you have places you need to be!!:mad:

[donnawalsh123]

have had same problem in past. when i statrted minding i was reluctant to have a late collection policy of charghing for a full hour, as no doubt theyll just use the full hour if they are charged the same for being say 15 mins late or 50 mins late if you know what i mean.

my policy reads

I reserve the right to make an additional charge for late collection.
If you are regularly late to pick up your child/children a late fee will be charged each time you are late, at a rate of £5 per 15 minute increments. i.e. A 5 pm contracted pick-up. But you actually picked up your child at 5.20pm. This would incur a £10 late collection fee.

the odd late collection you dont mind but even 5-10 mins every night takes its toll.

[kymberly]

Just to let you know, parent came tonight (late as usual) and I asked if she wanted to change the contract so I wouldn't have to charge her a late fee. She said her last childminder just charged her the same every day, no matter what time she picked up....:eek: :eek:

So I said well I won't charge you for this month but in future I would so would you prefer me to change the contract? She said 'ummm ok'.

She wasn't too pleased but at least I stood my ground :D

Why is this so difficult???:( :(

[miffy]

Just to let you know, parent came tonight (late as usual) and I asked if she wanted to change the contract so I wouldn't have to charge her a late fee. She said her last childminder just charged her the same every day, no matter what time she picked up....:eek: :eek:

So I said well I won't charge you for this month but in future I would so would you prefer me to change the contract? She said 'ummm ok'.

She wasn't too pleased but at least I stood my ground :D

Why is this so difficult???:( :(

It's not been helped by the previous childminder letting her pick up when she liked (assuming that's true, of course).

Well done for standing your ground and making it clear that you wouldn't be doing the same!

Miffy xx

[izzy23]

have had same problem in past. when i statrted minding i was reluctant to have a late collection policy of charghing for a full hour, as no doubt theyll just use the full hour if they are charged the same for being say 15 mins late or 50 mins late if you know what i mean.

my policy reads

I reserve the right to make an additional charge for late collection.
If you are regularly late to pick up your child/children a late fee will be charged each time you are late, at a rate of £5 per 15 minute increments. i.e. A 5 pm contracted pick-up. But you actually picked up your child at 5.20pm. This would incur a £10 late collection fee.

the odd late collection you dont mind but even 5-10 mins every night takes its toll.

This is a very good idea and one that I implement. I only work til 6pm every day as I have a young family of my own, so any pick up after 6pm even if its 6.04 is charged at £5 per fifteen minute period, as Donna says, if you just charge anothe extra hour fee then parents will no doubt utilise that extra hour to the full, have had this in the past. Although if I have a child who is due for collection at 5pm and parent turns up at ten past I just charge the normal extra hour fee as its still within my working day as stated in my setting opening hours.

[mrs lilly]

Thanks for all the replies guys.

Think I'll have to bite the bullet and say to her (yikes). Just before I do, what's the thoughts on adding up her 20 mins (so over 3 days that would be an hour) and just adding it to her bill. I charge her £3.50 per hour which is £28 per day (9-5 or 5.20 more like) and feel wick asking her for more money. Is £29.75 not a bit much for a childminder??

Thanks in advance xx


err no not where i live!! to give you some perspective my parents pay £5.50 and hour and a 8.5 hour day costs £ 46.75. I charge £5 per 15 mins that they are late picking up too!

[charlie potato]

I'd give her the benefit of the doubt and ask her if she needs to change contracted hours to 5.30 collection. If she says no then say I'm sorry but I will have to charge you an extra £5 when you are late in future because its unsocial hours/your insurance needs you to be charging to keep you covered - up to you! ;)


Thats what i think too. xx

[glitzygal]

I'd give her the benefit of the doubt and ask her if she needs to change contracted hours to 5.30 collection. If she says no then say I'm sorry but I will have to charge you an extra £5 when you are late in future because its unsocial hours/your insurance needs you to be charging to keep you covered - up to you! ;)

AGREED, and she will be able to think about it, and change the contract to 5.30

good luck,
your running a business not doing anyone favours.x:thumbsup:

[MaryMary]

I was so naive when I first started! :o
I used to just charge the parents for the hours I actually had the kids. If I didn't have them I charged half. One parent worked flexi time - and sometimes I would pick up the 2 girls from school (9 & 10 at the time). They would come in, eat me out of house and home, then get picked up at 4. I would charge for an hour. :idea: I actually stopped & thought about it one day :blush: I was getting paid more on the days I didn't have them than some days that I did!! I stopped that, and charged the contracted hours every day :)
Also (I am so stupid - sorry - was!) another parent would pick up anytime between 4 and 6.30! I work 'til 6 :mad: I would never know when they were going (3 siblings - again like locusts!!) I would only charge 'til they were picked up (I was never really told when they were actually supposed to be picked up, but it was more often than not about 5.30) I then started charging 'til 5.30 every day, unless they were picked up later, when I would charge more (an extra half hour to 6, then double time in 15 min increments) That adds up quite a bit for 3 kids! It wasn't a problem after that!
I have learnt my lesson now :blush: but this sort of thing is really hard when you first start out

[Katiecate]

I had a parent who was going back to work to a new job after maternity leave & she said would have to drop child off at 7.30am. Told her I didnt start till 8am & would charge her an extra £5 a day due to the unsociable hours, also then emailed her a copy (updated of course) showing my fees if she came before 8am & collected after 6pm. All ok tho as she took a different job & child comes after 8 & collected at 5.:clapping:

[Eskysbabe]

I have the same thing every week with one mum! Every week she is due to pick up at 4pm and I'm lucky if she turns up by half past. I wouldn't mind if she said "sorry" but she doesn't! She doesn't pay me so it doesn't bother her but every week I know shes gonna be late :angry:

[kymberly]

Eskysbabe, why doesn't she pay you? Half an hour is loads - she's taking the mickey. You should definately start charging.

[Ripeberry]

I've got a parent who 'slides' She will either come 10-15 mins late in the morning and then collect 10-15 mins late in the evening. Does not happen too much.
But if she 'slides' too far, then i'll start charging late fees :mad:

[Ripeberry]

I have the same thing every week with one mum! Every week she is due to pick up at 4pm and I'm lucky if she turns up by half past. I wouldn't mind if she said "sorry" but she doesn't! She doesn't pay me so it doesn't bother her but every week I know shes gonna be late :angry:


If I was you I'd just start adding the extra time onto the bill and if she moans, just show her the start and finish times in your register, then she may pull up her socks ;)

[Eskysbabe]

Eskysbabe, why doesn't she pay you? Half an hour is loads - she's taking the mickey. You should definately start charging.

Social/family Services pay me

[Bushpig]

Well I would charge her DIRECTLY for the late fees... tell her social doesn't cover when she picks up late, anything over and above she has to pay for. You need to get payment for ALL your hours worked.

[Eskysbabe]

Well I would charge her DIRECTLY for the late fees... tell her social doesn't cover when she picks up late, anything over and above she has to pay for. You need to get payment for ALL your hours worked.

Sounds like a plan :)

[The Juggler]

I have the same thing every week with one mum! Every week she is due to pick up at 4pm and I'm lucky if she turns up by half past. I wouldn't mind if she said "sorry" but she doesn't! She doesn't pay me so it doesn't bother her but every week I know shes gonna be late :angry:

time to start charging late fees then hon, or offer to change her contract hours;)