Nursery Fees increase

[Champers4Pampers]

Just looking for opinion on whether any one else think this excessive or not.

Just received a letter from our stating that our fees are going to increase commencing Jan 2017.

They reasoning behind this is down to the increase to the minimum working wage, having to provide a work place pension and inflation.

Our fees are going to increase by £8 a day from £45 to £53. As my daughter is in 3 days a week this is going to cost me around an extra £100 a month.

Anyone else think that this is quite a jump or am I being unreasonable?

[BackforGood]

Well, obviously % wise it's a big jump. Equally, from the pov of your budget, it's quite an increase, however, like they say they have taken a big hi on their expenses, and if they don't cover it, then they will close. They are, after all, a business.

[insancerre]

You could always look for a cheaper nursery

[HSMMaCM]

It's a big jump, but you just have to decide if it's worth it or not.

[MYA2016]

That's a lot I would not be happy at all with that. My nursery have told me in January our fees will increase around £2 per day so 5%.

Yours is a 20% increase. I would query that for sure.

[Lules]

Mine's going up from £83 to £96 a day. It means it's actually costing me money to work. But he would be really unsettled if I moved him and we're thinking of moving in the new year anyway so just have to put up with it. It is annoying though

[Carmen1983]

That seems an awful lot. Ours is going up in January but only 2.5% so £1 more a day.

[Champers4Pampers]

I understand that at the end of the day they are a business and need to turn a profit. I was just gob smacked at the amount that its gone up by. I expected a rise but not as much as that. My company has a pay freeze in place and finding the extra money will be hard but we'll just have to make some sacrifices. I know there will be a lot of people in similar situations.

My daughter loves it there, she's settled and we are completely happy with the nursery. We will just have to suck it up as we won't be moving her.

[SimplyNigella]

Ours went up £2 a day last January then another £2 for the increased minimum wage in April. I'm expecting them to go up again soon and although it has a huge impact on our budget I can understand why they have to do it and they are still one of the cheaper ones around here.

[DarkNanny]

I would say two things first that you get what you pay for... and if there is an increase in fees check it's actually going to the staff and not slipping into the profit coffers, secondly I would look at value = money so what do your family get for the increases for example does it allow them to retain great staff allowing for continuity in rooms etc or is there a high turn over of staff and money used on agency.. who remember cost double have expectations of your child's nursery to provide the best for your child but also the best for the people looking after your child.

[KP86]

Ours is going up from 48 to 52/53 (can't remember), which is quite a bit IMO. Your jump is massive!

I'm still annoyed at being charged half fees over the Xmas closure for one week.

[Hekna222]

Our nursery has just increased our fees for the 2nd time since my DD started this time last year. The total increase in that time for the unders 2s has been 26.5%. Even with her moving to the new 'cheaper' rate when she turns 2 later this month we'll still be paying 25% more than we were this time last year. And they've given us just 2.5 weeks notice of the latest hike.

I appreciate that they have increased costs etc., we all do, but there have been a number of problems recently. They've had a huge turn over in staff and a very large number of them are agency at the moment. We never know who is coming or going and they don't even tell us when our child's key worker changes or leaves. They also closed for 4 days before Christmas because of a plumbing issue and we had to chase for confirmation of refunds and deductions in the January fees for those days.

Generally speaking my DD is happy there and loves all her friends, and a small number of the staff are amazing, but am seriously thinking that we may have to look elsewhere. Biggest limitation is that it's one of only 2 nurseries in the area that do term time only.