Return of deposits

[sarahjane]

I have seen on here that some state in their fees policy that deposits are non returnable if the family leave within the first 6 months of contract and this seems to me quite a good idea.
For those who do this, does this include the settling in period if you have one?

I have a family coming tomorrow who are looking for alot of flexibility regarding days and hours including weekends. I have spoken at length to them on the phone and said that as they will be taking up a full time place a minimum of 35 hours a week will be charged and they seem ok with this and also an enhanced rate for weekend work.

I am going to have to let an after school family go because of this contract (they are on a temporary contract, 4 children for 2 hours 2 days a week) as I pick up from a village school and won't have room in the car for them all. I did talk to the mum when I took them on and explained that if a full time EY child came along then I would have to give notice and she was fine with this at the time (not sure she will be when I have to give notice with immediate effect but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it!)

Anyway, what I don't want to happen is for me to give notice to the 4 children only to find that the new family go within a few weeks and I've lost both sets of income, and feel if I can keep the deposit if they leave within 6 months that would at least be something

[Carol M]

6 mths? that's quite a long time for initial commitment.
I take 4 weeks fees as a deposit when contract is signed and it is used to pay for settling in period of 4 weeks. If parents leave within settling in period ( no notice required) then I keep the 4 weeks fees. A 4 week notice period comes into force after the settling in period.
If parent is happy to sign then 6mths is a great deal for you.
Carol xx

[rickysmiths]

Yes that's me.

Yes it does include the 4 week settling in period. it has always been the case that if they decide to leave in the first 4 weeks they loose their deposit, if I give notice then it is returned.

I did it last year because I got sick of being used as a stop gap before parents got a full time space at the local nursery.

I also state that if they reduce their hours in the first six months they loose that % of their Deposit. If they stay with me then the 4 weeks Deposit is used to pay the four weeks notice period.

[rickysmiths]

6 mths? that's quite a long time for initial commitment.
I take 4 weeks fees as a deposit when contract is signed and it is used to pay for settling in period of 4 weeks. If parents leave within settling in period ( no notice required) then I keep the 4 weeks fees. A 4 week notice period comes into force after the settling in period.
If parent is happy to sign then 6mths is a great deal for you.
Carol xx

Carol I like to feel most parents stay with me for a lot longer than 6 months.

[sarahjane]

Thanks for clarifying that for me. I've never had anyone leave within 6 months before but you never know.
I'm not particularly bothered if I get this contract or not to be honest so if they don't like my terms then they will have to find someone else, I really don't want to do weekends, but I do need the money and I've had this full time place open since September

[Carol M]

Carol I like to feel most parents stay with me for a lot longer than 6 months.

Oh I agree Ricky. My way stops people who want the security of a stopgap, reserving a place doing 1 day then terminating and expecting their deposit back as they have in fact taken up the place! Any parent that sees this loophole and "uses" me they will think twice if I keep 4 weeks money! I have only had one like this, and I lost out by reserving the place and having to give money back when all the time they were waiting for a nursery place.
Carol x

[The Juggler]

my deposit is against the starting and taking up the place. if they don't start, they lose their deposit. if they start its taken off the first months bill.