sick of parents treating me like a charity!!!

I would too HSMM they should not have dogs if they cannot afford to keep them securely locked up in an area with a run with food and water available.

I've told her to put my money in an envelope so she cannot spend it and can give it on Thursday. I have just had a bank charge statement because I put my money in late to cover, am going to have a rant at them as I cannot get there while I work as a dinner lady which is my other job.

Why the hell should we be charged when we get paid late and then cannot get to the bank to pay it in?

They have to pay every day the dog is there, but they also have to pay every day their child is cared for. Personally, I would prioritise the child!

My bank processes debits before credits, so 2 weeks ago I had an unpaid direct debit - which put me over my o/d limit by £3 - and I was charged for it, even though nanoseconds later £125 went in from a parent!!!!

I make it clear now that I will charge if payments are late and insist on weekly standing orders from them all! Have done childcare vouchers in the past and hated the uncertainty of when will the money go in. I soooo hate it when they think we 'can wait' for our payment when something crops up

• if their employers withheld their wages, would they put up with it??? Nope - they would be shit hot on the phone to payroll!!!!

But, we don't do this for the money, it's because we love children isn't it..............????

It wasn't the vet, it was RSPCA, the dog was taken there and they would have had to pay everyday it was there, I don't give a stuff to be honest, Tax credits are supposed to be paid to childminders not bloody vets/rspca.

I have told her that if she does not pay me this week's money on Monday, don't bother bringing them again. I will not be letting her off my money though, she still has to pay that but the fact that she lies to me pisses me off.

Her lad had his birthday on tuesday, his dad bought him this £159.00 PSP Go console and yet he can't afford to pay for his own dog and she's giving him my money to pay them to release the dog!!!!!!

She could have told the vet she couldn't pay, because she had to pay the CM!

Good for you.

I've done it, she has pushed me too bloody far, tonight it was the bloody dog - they had to pay RSPCA or something.

I have told her it will be £10 per day everyday she doesn't pay me so from tomorrow £90 +£10. I stated that it is not a hobby, its a business I am trying to run, why should I ask for my wages? I am doing 2 jobs now, cming and catering assistant in a school kitchen for which I don't get paid until 15th March.

It is causing me no end of stress and if it happens again, no childminding at all! I am going to get shot of her and her ungrateful kids. She 'll have to sort herself another cm but I know she won't be able to find one.

YOu are being far too nice. This is your business and a very important one at that. Please take the advice on this thread and toughen up. Value yourself and your work.

I have had the same problem with a parent, she paid me LAST WEEK'S money on tuesday after me having to chase her, I have now warned her that if I have the same trouble I am terminating her contract. She pays a friend who isn't registered to mind the kids after 6pm if she and Dad are working late. I work till 6.30 latest as I want my family time.

She is taking the pi**, Tax Credits are supposed to be paid to childminders, nurseries and other registered childcare, she nearly pulled out of me minding last week after me telling her I will not mind on Monday until I am paid, then it was Tuesday. I said I would report her to Tax credits, am I allowed to do that? I assume its fraud if she doesn't use her child tax credits to pay me?

Outrageous - please don't put up with this. Do as advised above and send a letter out stating you will not be able to have any children who are not up to date with payment AND add a late payment fee.

Please don't let them take the piss like this. Your job is vitally important and you deserve to be treated with respect. It beggars belief that they would have so little regard for the person who is looking after the well being of the most precious thing to them.

Oh I got a 5% discount if I paid three month at the begining of each term within the first week.

I always paid at the end of the previous term so I always got the 5% discount

My local after school club has this with some of the parents.

We all had a letter explaining that late payments would need to inccur a late charge as their own bank was doing the same and it was only fair to cover the costs.

The costs where set out and if we wanted to pay by standing order on the 28th of each month that would be fine

Agree with BranchingOut. You can't just not pay or be as late as you want with your other bills.

I think that you should send them a letter saying that you can no longer accommodate this situation.

Work out some dates by which payment must be made eg.

A transfer has to be made by 27th
Vouchers have to be put in by - date.

Also set up a system of late fees as suggested above.

Where possible get a standing order set up, maybe offer a very small discount?

Sorry, they may be lovely people and you may love their children but they are taking the piss.

I'm seriously in whenever I read this stuff. My cm charges in advance and pay monthly. It's due 1st of each month but I make sure it's in at the latest by the 30th - 29th if possible (I'm paid on the 28th, just depends on if it's on a weekend...etc)... but it's a direct transfer each month. And childcare vouchers were saved up the first month so I always have a month's worth stocked up in my account in case one month comes in late, it won't affect my cm and she'll still get that portion of the monthly pay - on the 26th.

I find it hard to believe that parents, who are working hard to earn money, would dare to pay their cm even a second later than the contract specifies. Parents would be outraged if their paycheque was issued to them late! I know I would be! How is paying your cm any different?

I put out a newsletter every half term, in it I remind parents that payment MUST be made by the 1st, late payment will be charged till the 3rd, when care will be withdrawn until payment is paid.

I get paid in advance, and request that parent hold a months vouchers in hand.

I issue invoices on the 20th and parent action the vouchers then, so I always get that part of payment, by about the 25/6th, they then pay remainder by bank transfer by the 1st.

I have only had to charge late payment very occasionally, and only refused care once in 10 years. (the parent went straight to the bank and got the payment.)

It is good business to stick to your terms and conditions, and IMO Parents respect you more if you do.

Like Maidbloke said, there are often adjustments to be made the following month, because I charge in advance.

I have 2 families, who worked with me to calculate an average amount and they pay by monthly standing order. I just have to give them a statement to show how much under/over they are and this amount is carried forward, on the basis that if the contract ends the balance is payable either way. These ones are NEVER late :)

Speak to your parents when they drop off and remind them they have unpaid bills, they might have genuinely forgotten (we did a couple of times when we were customers of a CM). Remember that when it sits on the kitchen table, your bill is just another one in the pile to be sorted out......and no one enjoys doing that sort of thing.

My CM wife charges in advance. The down side is that often there is a change of hours during the month (extra minding hours), so the next month's bill has to reflect that.

I also ask for payment upfront.

Unfortunately, the downside to this is that, from feedback, several parents have stated this the reason as to why they did not chose me as their childminder.

However, I am sticking to my policy of payment upfront, although I am about to introduce an option to pay upfront on a weekly basis, rather than my current monthly basis.

I take fees in advance. If you don't pay your child does not come in!!! Simple as!!

I know some cms charge late fees if your fees are late, but i dont charge this as i dont take the kids if there are no fees.

You either need to start telling parents you will not take their children if there fees are not paid or you will add a late fee on to their fees if they do not pay on time as stated in their LEGAL CONTRACT!! I think £10 per day per child is enough to detter (SP) parents, i think £5 per day per child is not enough and parents and parents wont think twice about a fiver.

I would also try and change to contracts to fees in advance. I can understand this may be difficult as they may have to pay twice the first time, i.e for the last month and the coming month. If thats not possible then with all future children and parents i really advise you ask for payment in advance!!

I have to pay my cm in cash on a Monday morning when I drop off.

add late playment thing definetly. Anyway it to cover yourself - you may end up beingc harged more if you pay your bills late due to their money not going in on time.

You have to think more like a business or you will definitely get some scammer who leaves without paying. It might be awkward to change T&C now for your existing customers but definitely get payment in advance from new ones, and make it clear that you enforce the late penalty rule.