Deposit paid but where do I go from here

[Kittycat]

I have a new parent wanting to start care after the summer holidays, she contacted me back in March for childcare signed a contract and left a deposit as I have a space in August coming up.
I contacted her on Monday to organise settling in visits and she has completely seen but ignored my message, I did it via facebook,
Now I understand people are busy and working etc, but I'm busy and working too & still make time to answer people.
I am just wondering where I go from here if I contact her again & still get no response
I am within my right to cancel the contract.

[chris goodyear]

i would try and contact again but just once more because people do forget. On the other hand some people are just rude and think we are there at their beck and call. If no reply again I would take it that she doesn't want the place so forget about her and advertise it again and she will lose her deposit. There may be a genuine reason but in my long experience not very likely.

[moggy]

I would phone. Facebook is rather informal and unprofessional way of communicating in some people's view. You are starting a new working relationship with this family- one you need to work on and start as you mean to go on. A friendly phone call, a 'how are you all' and 'how you are looking forward to seeing them again' is a positive way to get started. Maybe they do not check facebook often and have forgotten to reply, maybe they are on holiday at the moment etc. August can still feel like a long way off so maybe this family are just not ready to be planning so far ahead, particularly if they are leaving their LO for the first time and are feeling reluctant/stressed about going back to work and leaving LO. Maybe they are planning a holiday in July and don't know the dates yet so are waiting to get that finalised before replying about settling sessions... could be a thousand genuine reasons. Phone, email.

[Simona]

I have a new parent wanting to start care after the summer holidays, she contacted me back in March for childcare signed a contract and left a deposit as I have a space in August coming up.
I contacted her on Monday to organise settling in visits and she has completely seen but ignored my message, I did it via facebook,
Now I understand people are busy and working etc, but I'm busy and working too & still make time to answer people.
I am just wondering where I go from here if I contact her again & still get no response
I am within my right to cancel the contract.

The deposit must be recorded in your contract and both parties signing this as 'paid and received'.
It depends on what the deposit is covering and what terms and conditions you have in place.

I would send an email/letter confirming you have the deposit but you need confirmation of settling in in order to keep the place open.

[Mouse]

I wouldn't use facebook as a means of communication.

As Moggy says, phone or email. Just because they haven't replied to your facebook message you can't assume they don't want the place and certainly can't keep the deposit and re-advertise the space! They have paid you a deposit to secure the space, unless you specified that they had to reply to your every facebook message, you don't have grounds to cancel the contract and keep the deposit.

You have made a commitment to keep the space open for them until after the summer holidays, so you either have to wait until then to cancel the contract (if there is no reply from them), or cancel now and return the deposit. I would try phoning before deciding anything.

[Simona]

Was the deposit a 'deposit' or a retainer until the care starts in summer?
The 2 are totally different for CMs.

[Kittycat]

Was the deposit a 'deposit' or a retainer until the care starts in summer?
The 2 are totally different for CMs.

It was a deposit to hold the space until August
I've sent a email & still no reply
Just can't understand these parents that make out they need care and it's a huge emergency & then ignore you