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Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

Original poster

CM Club - TRYING TO TRACE A PARENT!!!!

45 replies

KSquiff · 23/08/2008 16:05

I'm owed a lot of money by a parent of a mindee but she left 1 wk afer she moved into her new flat and I could never pin her down for long enough to get her new address. I'm actually lucky she was here long enought to sign the contract - she even had other peoplecollect the child to avoid giving me the details!

Any idea's how I can race her? tried uktrace and 192.com but no joy

I have her previous address (rented) DOB and even her NI number, any ideas, anyone.....?

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AvenaLife · 24/08/2008 14:58

Is it worthwhile getting a private investigator? If you know where she works could you follow her? It's very sneaky though. I don't think there's any legal problems doing this as far as I am aware.

Original poster
KSquiff · 24/08/2008 14:57

Sorry terrible English there - I meant recover the money that's owed, hit the wrong key!

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Original poster
KSquiff · 24/08/2008 14:55

AL have already reported her for BF and yes they recover the money from her but they can't just give it to me, I have to go throuh the correct legal chanels to recover whats owed i.e. solicitors - who need her address!

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nappyaddict · 24/08/2008 14:50

When I was going to use a cm for ds she wanted me to pay 2 months in advance. sort of like the opposite of when you start a new job and you work a month in hand. it sounded very complicated to me, cos a lot can change in 2 months and if i ended up increasing/reducing days it would mean i owed her money/she owed me money etc. Perhaps this is standard practice though? I didn't need a cm in the end so never saw any others.

AvenaLife · 24/08/2008 14:40

If she's been claiming working tax credit and getting the childcare element but keeping it can't you have a chat to the Inland Revenue? I'm not sure about this but as this money should have been for childcare can't they take it out of her benefit and give it to you?

Original poster
KSquiff · 24/08/2008 14:36

I know they are right HMO1 and thats exactly what they did for me with my letter to her terminating the contract and my invoice for the moneys owed. But the solicitors appointed to my case by the NCMA sent a pack to me with a letter specificaly stating that I have to provide them with the person who signed te contract's full CURRENT address, which mindee's mother told me she didn't know off by heart, having just moved, and me being the trusting mug that I am believed her, but I olny had mindee for 3 days after that! Hence the need to track her down and get her address or I can pretty much say goodbye to the 1k she owes me. which I have to say at the moment I really need it!!

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HappyMummyOfOne · 24/08/2008 13:57

Her employers are correct in that they cannot give out personal details, however you could ask if they can pass correspondence on for you - that way they are not breaching the DPA act.

However, seeing as to the lengths she has gone to to avoid payment, i'm not sure you'll have much joy.

KatyMac · 24/08/2008 13:36

TBH - most C/Mers have enough trouble getting a month up front, remember most parents are returning to work having used all their maternity pay. Or are moving from another childminder where they had to pay the last bill, so they don't have a spare months childcare money hanging around.

I don't think there is an easy solution

There is a possibility that enough childminder will leave with the introduction of EYFS, that the ones that are left will be able to dictate terms, however I don't necessarily think that is a good thing

AvenaLife · 24/08/2008 13:34

Can they give you a letter from work to prove that they have not been paid? then you don't have to take their word for it.

AvenaLife · 24/08/2008 13:33

How about a deposit, then payment up front?
ds's school does this, if a parent doesn't give notice or just removes their child then they loose the deposit. If they do things correctly then the deposit is deducted from the last terms fees.

KatyMac · 24/08/2008 13:32

Or TCO hasn't paid me yet, TCO hasn't paid me yet,TCO hasn't paid me yet,TCO hasn't paid me yet,TCO hasn't paid me yet

Oh btw.....Bye

They can't do that t me btw - no pay no care at Katymacs (but you will see from other threads I am not the best business woman in the world)

KatyMac · 24/08/2008 13:31

We generally take money up front - but there is nothing to stop a parent getting to the end of the pay period (for me the working day before 1st of the month when the next money is due) & saying thanks - I'm off.....notice period? you must be joking

AvenaLife · 24/08/2008 13:29

Wow! Are there no ways for you to be able to limit this? A big deposit? It seems unfair that you take care of someone's child and they don't pay you. I had no idea this problem was so bad.

KatyMac · 24/08/2008 13:27

I don't imagine it's a risk an insurance company would take at a rate many of us could afford

In 5 years I have lost over £3000

They aren't good odds

AvenaLife · 24/08/2008 13:24

Are you confident that she has the money to pay you? It sounds like she's gone to long legnths to avoid paying you. If she's not got the money then you won't get it anyway IYSWIM.

Is there not an insurance company that provides insurance in case a mindees family does a runner owing the CM money?

Original poster
KSquiff · 24/08/2008 13:20

I've been calling her previous home address land line to try and get her landords name and number but no-one's picking up. I have called her employer but the girl I spoke to said due to DPA she couldn't give her info - will try them again on Monday, the prob is I'm not sure if she still works there, the last contact I had with mother she said "this workin and looking after son was all to much hard work" and she was thinking about just giving it all up and living on benefits!!! don't get me started!!

I have mindee's nanny (who is fathers mum) name, address and phone. but can't see her giving the info.

Called the father on Fri and he point blank refused to tell me her new address (they slpit up a while ago) - claimed he doesn't know it! Don't believe for 1 second that he doesn't know where his son lives.

Also have mothers best friends number and address but again. I can't see her giving me the info I need.

Will try the ER on google.

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LoveMyGirls · 24/08/2008 13:04

gogle elecral role then do a search, pt her name in and t should be on there but yu will have o pay a charge (no idea how much it is) so sorry things havent improved for you!
Have you got any emergency contacts you could ring instead?

AvenaLife · 24/08/2008 13:04

Could you not try an get in touch with her previous landlord and see if he/she knows?
Do you know where she works?

Original poster
KSquiff · 24/08/2008 13:02

How would I find her on that? website or something?

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busymum1 · 24/08/2008 11:41

electoral role is being updated at the moment would that help?

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