Fees upfront?

**helenlc** · 03-05-2009, 08:14 PM

How do you deal with parents who say they cannot afford to pay a months fees upfront?

I have had trouble with the mum I currently have who pays me weekly and only for that week. She has never been in a position to pay enough to get in front.

I have a lady coming Tuesday who wants 1 day a week care for her 2 children. I dont want to find myself in the same position as I have been and would therefore like to have my money in advance.

But how do I insist on this? It is in my Fees Policies to be paid 4 weekly and 4weeks in advance. What can I say when she says But I cant afford to do that? Can I suggest that she pays extra when she gets paid to cover what she owes and then to get in front?

I really want this one as its 2 kids so nice money for one day's work and its also to start this week coming.

Thanks

**fionamal** · 03-05-2009, 08:19 PM

I have various payments during the month .

I have 2 parents that pay me every Monday for that week and I have 1 that pays me every Friday for that week and 1 that pays me at the end of the month.

I tend to try and help where possible to suit their payment of wages.

If its only 1 day per week then I would get the parent to pay you on the morning for that morning if they cant pay you a month at a time.

As long as I get paid i dont care how they do it

**uf353432** · 03-05-2009, 08:25 PM

I would put it out there first very matter of factly and don't let how other people have been put you off. IF she then turns around and says she cannot afford that, then you could then negotiate something with her if you really want the contract. But she may have no problems in paying a month in advance and may simply say yes thats fine. There are many who have used childcare before and understand in advance is quite the norm - so she may be one of those people.

**wendywu** · 03-05-2009, 08:30 PM

I cannot see a problem if someone pays weekly in advance. Some of my parents do this. As long as it is in advance and not arrears.

**helenlc** · 03-05-2009, 08:41 PM

I have no objections to weekly payment but may suggest that she gives it to me on the morning that she drops them off.

Thanks for your opinions.

**wendywu** · 03-05-2009, 08:55 PM

Yes thats what mine do.

**Mouse** · 03-05-2009, 09:01 PM

Originally Posted by fionamal

If its only 1 day per week then I would get the parent to pay you on the morning for that morning

I wouldn't do that as if they don't turn up one day, you won't get paid. I would at least want to be paid on one Tuesday for the following Tuesday.

I would just tell the parent straight that you want paying a month in advance and see what they say. If parents can't afford the whole lot up front I let them pay weekly in advance until payday, then switch to a full month in advance from then on. That's assuming they get paid monthly.

If they get paid weekly, I charge a week & a quarter in advance (they pay at the end of the week for the following week - I don't allow payment on the first day of the week). It takes a few months to get there, but after 4 weeks they're a week in advance & after 4 months they're a month in advance. I'd then switch back to the normal weekly in advance fee as I'm holding a month inadvance.

I hope that makes sense. It sounds so complicated when I try to write it down!

**helenlc** · 03-05-2009, 09:20 PM

Originally Posted by Mouse

I wouldn't do that as if they don't turn up one day, you won't get paid. I would at least want to be paid on one Tuesday for the following Tuesday.

I would just tell the parent straight that you want paying a month in advance and see what they say. If parents can't afford the whole lot up front I let them pay weekly in advance until payday, then switch to a full month in advance from then on. That's assuming they get paid monthly.

If they get paid weekly, I charge a week & a quarter in advance (they pay at the end of the week for the following week - I don't allow payment on the first day of the week). It takes a few months to get there, but after 4 weeks they're a week in advance & after 4 months they're a month in advance. I'd then switch back to the normal weekly in advance fee as I'm holding a month inadvance.

I hope that makes sense. It sounds so complicated when I try to write it down!

This is what I want to do in the end. With the mindee I have at the moment I get paid on the Tuesday for that week's work. When she owed me money the other week, I was working for nothing and didnt even have anything "in hand" as it were to keep me going.

I will ask for a month but if she cannot do this, I will ask her to pay me 2 weeks this week and then once a week (if she gets paid weekly) but I will always be a week in advance. If she gets paid monthly, then I will allow her to pay weekly until she is paid then expect the next months in advance.

Its so hard to know what to do. But as someone else said, if she has looked into using childcare, then she probably knows she has to pay some in advance.

**Demonjill** · 03-05-2009, 10:23 PM

So many things you pay for in advance...

You go to McDonalds, you pay then eat burger
You go to cinema, you pay then watch film
You go to pub, you pay then get p****d LOL

sorry but you get the idea

... so why should your business be any different???

**rickysmiths** · 03-05-2009, 10:42 PM

Sorry I agree with the above. Mine pay a 4 week fees deposit when they sign the contract and the deposit is held until the end of the contract and used against the notice period. They then pay the first Monday of the month either a Months fees if they pay monthly or a weeks fees if they pay weekly and if weekly they pay on the first day in the week they use me.

I have had my finger burned too many times over the years and I am unbending on this now. I have found it is always the ones you bend the rules for that take the most advantage!

**westbrom44** · 04-05-2009, 07:30 AM

I only accept monthly in advance, after having problems.

Take it or leave it I am afraid. If they cant do that then I feel they will be problem payers. I had that before and never again!

Although I do love my job I work to be paid, not for the pleasure of it, the same as the parent.

**mushpea** · 04-05-2009, 08:02 AM

i ask for payment for that week worked the following monday so its like a week in arrears, i find this easier as i can add on overtime or take a days money of if i've been ill etc.
To me i dont see the difference in paying in arrears or up front because if you have a non payer you still wont get paid and you still have to work your notice period for the legal side of things to help you out with a non payer anyway.
I had a non payer last year and even though they were in breach of contrac by not paying if i had refused childcare then i would have been in breach too and would not have been able to get my money through the courts according to ncmas legal team so i still had work another 4 weeks without payment.

**FizzysFriends** · 04-05-2009, 08:17 AM

I get paid monthly at the latest on the first day of care for the month. On mom likes to pay a week early the other pays on the first day of care. But I ask for a month at a time as banks aren't very close and its pain to have to go each week.

**The Juggler** · 04-05-2009, 08:33 AM

If you were feeling really generous, ask her for a week upfront but also a cheque for a months deposit. Then, should you ever be in position where she does leave, or not pay, you will at least be able to cash cheque.

Only danger is cheque might bounce of course but if you have the cheque in hand then maybe better case getting your money with help of NCMA?

**huggableshelly** · 04-05-2009, 08:38 AM

I love my weekly money!

i have 2 parents who pay monthly up front
1 pays monthly in arears not sure how it happened but still it works for us lol
then 6 parents pay weekly on different days... its great as the only days i do not gain money is sat and sun so feels like i'm earning all the time though its only a few pounds here and there as most are afterschool part timers only.
i dont count my monthly fees as my money ... it goes through my books etc but it doesnt come into my hand it goes into the bank so its always been the money to cover the bills not my cash in hand money. though its all counted as my earnings.

**FizzysFriends** · 04-05-2009, 09:51 AM

Originally Posted by The Juggler

If you were feeling really generous, ask her for a week upfront but also a cheque for a months deposit. Then, should you ever be in position where she does leave, or not pay, you will at least be able to cash cheque.

Only danger is cheque might bounce of course but if you have the cheque in hand then maybe better case getting your money with help of NCMA?

A cheque can be cancelled so isn't really any good until its cashed.

**The Juggler** · 04-05-2009, 10:48 AM

Originally Posted by FizzysFriends

A cheque can be cancelled so isn't really any good until its cashed.

I know but I've always taken cheques for deposits before as lots of parents on maternity. I have security but they don't have to pay up front. I must be quite trusting but I've never had a parent cancel the cheque on me yet.

**rickysmiths** · 04-05-2009, 02:33 PM

Originally Posted by mushpea

i ask for payment for that week worked the following monday so its like a week in arrears, i find this easier as i can add on overtime or take a days money of if i've been ill etc.
To me i dont see the difference in paying in arrears or up front because if you have a non payer you still wont get paid and you still have to work your notice period for the legal side of things to help you out with a non payer anyway.
I had a non payer last year and even though they were in breach of contrac by not paying if i had refused childcare then i would have been in breach too and would not have been able to get my money through the courts according to ncmas legal team so i still had work another 4 weeks without payment.

It is for this reason I take 4 weeks fees as a deposit which I keep until the end of the contract. They also pay their weekly/monthly fees in advance.

Doing this means that I should never be too out of pocket. I would never work for a moth knowing I was not going to be paid, what you do in those circumstances is to agree with the parents to mutually end the contractat once. Get them to sign a letter agreeing and then there is no notice period to work unpaid.

**The Juggler** · 04-05-2009, 03:56 PM

That's awful, its my understanding that if they are in breach you can terminate without notice but you run the risk of them suing for lost income (how ironic!).

However, if you are saying you will work if you are paid that hardly seems you are in breach.