Ofsted - Payment issues.

[Pete T]

I am sorry if this topic in the wrong place but like see if any one else having same issue with payment towards ofsted fees for childminding ? so far taken ofsted 4 weeks to trace payment i made to them for £35.00 by cash i sent them the details the bank give me on the days and still can't find it so hoping was just case human error there end ?

[Simona]

I am sorry if this topic in the wrong place but like see if any one else having same issue with payment towards ofsted fees for childminding ? so far taken ofsted 4 weeks to trace payment i made to them for £35.00 by cash i sent them the details the bank give me on the days and still can't find it so hoping was just case human error there end ?

The only way you can pay 'cash' is if you pay by Bank Giro....hand the money to the bank or post office, fill in form and get receipt.
All other payments are either via BAC, direct debit or online....all will show your money has left your account.

If you have paid you must have a receipt...I would call the Ofetd payment helpline on 0300 123 3152 and tell them so they don't start sending you letters with reminders or threatening deregistration due to unpaid fee....it did happen to me but it was their mistake in the end.

[bunyip]

Sounds like a Giro payment, perhaps made over the counter at the OP's bank branch?

I had a similar problem with a Giro cash payment: not with Ofsted, but with HMRC which I paid at a post office counter. In my case, the money was credited to HMRC but not matched up to me because the numpty at the counter entered the reference number incorrectly (or maybe not at all.) It took about a year to trace but did eventually get sorted out.

If a similar thing is happenign with Ofsted, then I think I'd play safe: pay the £35 again, but keep on at Ofsted's accounts people and the bank to trace and refund the orginal 'lost' payment. What you really don't want with a big bureaucracy like Ofsted is them cancelling your registration because they think you still owe them. I've even be prepared to lose £35 rather than go through the hassle that would cause.

[Simona]

Sounds like a Giro payment, perhaps made over the counter at the OP's bank branch?

I had a similar problem with a Giro cash payment: not with Ofsted, but with HMRC which I paid at a post office counter. In my case, the money was credited to HMRC but not matched up to me because the numpty at the counter entered the reference number incorrectly (or maybe not at all.) It took about a year to trace but did eventually get sorted out.

If a similar thing is happenign with Ofsted, then I think I'd play safe: pay the £35 again, but keep on at Ofsted's accounts people and the bank to trace and refund the orginal 'lost' payment. What you really don't want with a big bureaucracy like Ofsted is them cancelling your registration because they think you still owe them. I've even be prepared to lose £35 rather than go through the hassle that would cause.

Sorry Bunyip but if you make a payment via giro bank that is proof of payment if you have a receipt and means the money is on the way to Ofsted.
The reminder letters are automatically generated and the payment dept will understand that money is somewhere on the way.
All we have to do in these cases is send a copy of the receipt to Ofsted and wait until it is sorted
Why should we pay Ofted twice and let them off the hook or bully us with threatening letters?
Just imagine the headlines 'cm deregistered due to payment lost int he bureaucratic system'
Ofsted do have depts that can be reasonable and understanding.

I didn't get deregistered...the money eventually got to them
Maybe be worth using a different system for payment though...direct debit would be best.

[bunyip]

Sorry Bunyip but if you make a payment via giro bank that is proof of payment if you have a receipt and means the money is on the way to Ofsted.
The reminder letters are automatically generated and the payment dept will understand that money is somewhere on the way.
All we have to do in these cases is send a copy of the receipt to Ofsted and wait until it is sorted
Why should we pay Ofted twice and let them off the hook or bully us with threatening letters?
Just imagine the headlines 'cm deregistered due to payment lost int he bureaucratic system'
Ofsted do have depts that can be reasonable and understanding.

I didn't get deregistered...the money eventually got to them
Maybe be worth using a different system for payment though...direct debit would be best.

No need to apologise: you're right, I'm sure.

I was just saying what I'd do so as to reduce the possibility of Ofsted clucking up further with unpleasant consequences. For £35, I'd personally be happy to reduce my worries then feel safe whilst things were being sorted out. That's pretty much what I did with HMRC over an NI payment of £70+.

A lot of these Giro's get in a mess and can be hard to chase. Mine was a real pig because it went through an escrow account which was neither mine, nor HMRC's, nor the post office's either: so nobody at that bank was prepared to talk to any of us.

Did anyone mention bullying? Hey ho.

(Still not sure if "Giro's" need the apostrophe. )

[Simona]

No need to apologise: you're right, I'm sure.

I was just saying what I'd do so as to reduce the possibility of Ofsted clucking up further with unpleasant consequences. For £35, I'd personally be happy to reduce my worries then feel safe whilst things were being sorted out. That's pretty much what I did with HMRC over an NI payment of £70+.

A lot of these Giro's get in a mess and can be hard to chase. Mine was a real pig because it went through an escrow account which was neither mine, nor HMRC's, nor the post office's either: so nobody at that bank was prepared to talk to any of us.

Did anyone mention bullying? Hey ho.

(Still not sure if "Giro's" need the apostrophe. )

I understand your reasoning behind paying again just to avoid the consequences..and I am sure there are circumstances where this is needed but not in all cases....trying to get that money refunded would be a nightmare in itself!

Bullying...I meant the threatening letters we would get if payment is not in on time due to getting lost in cyberspace...can't say Ofsted have been on time with their cycle inspections eh? Or not made huge blunders in their system

Did I put an apostrophe on Giro?...my mistake I was flitting in and out of this discussion and diverted by the Corbyn campaign and answering two questions at the same time !
Now I hope he would put a stop to the Ofsted's spin

[Simona]

Just to clarify...before I get lynched.
I am not advocating being late in paying Ofsted...no...considering how much I bang on about CMs being paid on time by parents or LAs....I do believe paying on time.

Genuine mistakes can happen though.
Bunyip...I'll spare you my saga with a HMRC payment when it went all wrong...but they understood and I have lived to tell the tale!

[bunyip]

Just to clarify...before I get lynched.
I am not advocating being late in paying Ofsted...no...considering how much I bang on about CMs being paid on time by parents or LAs....I do believe paying on time.

Genuine mistakes can happen though.
Bunyip...I'll spare you my saga with a HMRC payment when it went all wrong...but they understood and I have lived to tell the tale!

No worries.

Actually, I was just looking over the thread in which a member wanted to know how to make parents pay up before breakfast on the due payment date because it's too stressful having them pay any later in the day. Do you think Ofsted would start fretting over their morning cornflakes if you and I withheld our reg fee until 2 minutes to midnight on the due date?

[Simona]

No worries.

Actually, I was just looking over the thread in which a member wanted to know how to make parents pay up before breakfast on the due payment date because it's too stressful having them pay any later in the day. Do you think Ofsted would start fretting over their morning cornflakes if you and I withheld our reg fee until 2 minutes to midnight on the due date?

Is there such a thread with such conundrum over breakfast payment?...pay up or else!
Fretting over their cornflakes? Who Ofsted?
If you and I were one minute late they would get their knickers in a twist!

[bunyip]

Is there such a thread with such conundrum over breakfast payment?...pay up or else!

Yup, you posted on it..........twice. I stopped posting on it when my one sensible suggestion got slapped down by that thread's OP.

Fretting over their cornflakes? Who Ofsted?
If you and I were one minute late they would get their knickers in a twist!

Tempting................as is the notion of turning up at their office to pay in cash................in 5p coins.

[Simona]

Yup, you posted on it..........twice. I stopped posting on it when my one sensible suggestion got slapped down by that thread's OP.



Tempting................as is the notion of turning up at their office to pay in cash................in 5p coins.

Sorry have genuinely forgotten about this breakfast payment conundrum!
I was thinking of emptying my piggy bank...full of pennies it is!

[bunyip]

Sorry have genuinely forgotten about this breakfast payment conundrum!
I was thinking of emptying my piggy bank...full of pennies it is!

Don't worry 'bout it. The whole thing struck me as something of a 'first world problem' at the time.

Hmmmmmmmm.................pennies. Not been emptying the lo's pocket have we?