What will I say?

[holly...007]

Hey guys! Newbie alert! Need your help again! Don't know how I would survive without you lot! Will try keep this short...

New mindie started with me on Monday for his settling in period. Everything is going brill... love him... he starts school next week. When mum signed contract 6 weeks ago, she gave me a months fees up front to cover notice period when he leaves me. She has also paid me in advance for this week.

Mum has just phoned and informed me that she doesnt know if he will be here with me next week as school bus route may be changed, meaning he will be n the bus for 40 mins and she might be better off starting work earlier and finishing earlier. I told her we would discuss it at collection. He is getting collected at 5 and I dont know what to say!

Is she entitled to her deposit back???? Im not sure as technically it isn't my choice to cancel contract... Im panicing as I spent it buying new swings and toys! Someone please advise me! Hate talking about money and having to stand up for myself! lol! Thanks for reading x!

[Tinglesnark]

As far as i am aware, they pay the deposit to hold the space and if they do not take the space, they forfeit the deposit.
im not sure about the fees in advance, perhaps you could refund those a gesture of goodwill?

[Pipsqueak]

Is she still wanting to keep child with you but alter the times? If so, nothing really needs to be done about the deposit however you may need to adjust the advance fees.

If she is cancelling - its your notice period or fees in lieu (that you have)
you have already started the contract therefore you do not need to refund the deposit, you may want to refund the advance payment though.....

tinglesnark - just a note - its ONLY non-refundable if you have marked it as that.

[JCrakers]

I always ask for a non refundable deposit but its stated it the paperwork that its non refundable.

Becky

[Tinglesnark]

Is she still wanting to keep child with you but alter the times? If so, nothing really needs to be done about the deposit however you may need to adjust the advance fees.

If she is cancelling - its your notice period or fees in lieu (that you have)
you have already started the contract therefore you do not need to refund the deposit, you may want to refund the advance payment though.....

tinglesnark - just a note - its ONLY non-refundable if you have marked it as that.

Ah and i know i made that mistake on NCMA contracts, i ticked one of the boxes thinking it meant non refundable but when the parent disputed it, NCMA told me to leave those boxes blank if i wanted the deposit to be non refundable. i then had to scrape a months deposit together to give back...it was hell.

another tip...never spend your deposit! pop it in to your savings as soon as you get it

[sarah707]

Holly your thread looks fine here - if you want it moved just let one of the mods know.

Deposits are, as others have said, only non-refundable if you have made that clear to parents and on your paperwork.

Otherwise you must pay them back.

I hope you get it sorted soon x

[holly...007]

Thanks for all your help folks. Still don't know whats happening yet, will know for definate tomorrow evening. I rang NICMA (I'm from N.I) and they told me that it is at my descretion if I want to refund the deposit. I can scrape together half the deposit at end of month if it comes to it.

Another lesson learnt for me... Don't spend any money left as a deposit!

ninite guys xxx!

[angeldelight]

Hope you get it sorted Holly

Keep us posted

Angel xx

[Chatterbox Childcare]

Is this time a settling in period? If so the contract isn't in force until the specified date (if you used NCMA contracts) and therefore all unused monies are forfeit and have to be returned.