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Original poster

terrible payment muddle, please advise!

38 replies

whatamuddle · 21/10/2008 10:53

have changed my name, just in case.

Lovely CM, all going really well, though she's had some time off and because we've not adjusted payments, she 'owes' me several days work which she's now working off gradually by doing a few extra hours each week: all fine, happy with that.

My work gives me a contribution towards childcare costs, and because of me being inefficient etc. they have paid 9 months in a block, which comes to about £800. I have just discovered, after ENDLESS pestering, that they sent cheques for a total of £800 straight to CM, without telling me (though I asked them to), without a proper covering note giving my/child's name back in AUGUST. CM has said NOTHING to me about this.

I'm seeing her for the first time this afternoon since this all came to light, and I really don't know what to do. She effectively now owes me 2 months pay, and I don't know how to manage this. I'm very upset about it all, because I feel my work has put me in an impossible position, and that a good relationship will be threatened by this mess.

CMs (or other mums!), what would you want a parent to do in these circumstances? How can we resolve this situation? I can't write this money off, it's only partly grant, and I pay tax on it, AND to add insult to injury they've over-paid me and I have to give some back...

OP posts:
countPINKCHICKula · 21/10/2008 12:01

i think she will be reasonable about it, shes ben paid upfront a huge sum of money and was bound to catch p with her...did the cheque actually say were it was from ie child care tax credits or something??..is so then i have to agree, i would be wondering why she didnt bring it up sooner??

Original poster
whatamuddle · 21/10/2008 11:47

anyone else?

and assuming she IS reasonable about it, and I trust that she will be, what should I suggest?

OP posts:
Original poster
whatamuddle · 21/10/2008 11:21

oops, yes, I have to say I agree with you and I worry about that as well.

However, in her defence: the cheque did not have my name, or DC's name on it, and I don't think CM knows where I work. That said, she doesn't look after many children at all, so I think she MUST have guessed the money came from us, surely?! It arrived during her holidays, which were then followed by ours, and a week's sickness, so I didn't see her for a month following when it was sent - might be another bit of explanation?

OP posts:
oops · 21/10/2008 11:15

Message withdrawn

Original poster
whatamuddle · 21/10/2008 11:15

i know i know, and thank you for being supportive pinkchick, it's really helpful to have you say that.
i do feel really bad about this though. it feels like all that terrible overpaying tax credits and then clawing it back, which I think is so wrong.
her DH has a good job, so i don't think it'll be a disaster, but still...
And I REALLY don't want what has been an excellent relationship to go sour over this: DC loves her, and I would like him to go on going to her.

OP posts:
countPINKCHICKula · 21/10/2008 11:10

you arent docking her money tho chick, it is an awful mic up, but it was your money shes(may) have already spent and no one in their right mind would expect you to pay AGAIN as hard as it may be for her!

countPINKCHICKula · 21/10/2008 11:09

I can imagine it WILL be hard for her if she HAS spent that money and you have both only NOW just found out that these idiots sent her this lovely cheque with NO cover letter to say who it was from, BUT ATEOTD, it WAS your child care payment and you cant afford to pay her twice!..to be totally honest I wouldnt (really) have spent an amount like that without looking into it first for fear of things just like this!..so she MAY still have it/some..good luck

Original poster
whatamuddle · 21/10/2008 11:04

(oh, can't be certain that she cashed it, it could I suppose have been done fraudulently, but Finance says it has been cashed...)

OP posts:
Original poster
whatamuddle · 21/10/2008 11:03

countpinkchick - thank you too. Cheque has been cashed, and I would guess spent - who wouldn't spend a windfall like that? Really hard just to put it away. That's what I'm concerned about, that she won't HAVE the money, and that 'docking' her pay, even just to half rate for the next AGES is going to make things tight. And nasty. And Christmas is coming...

OP posts:
KatyMac · 21/10/2008 11:03

Did she cash it? or was it just sent?

Original poster
whatamuddle · 21/10/2008 11:01

Thanks Flossish. I guess you're right, and I do have to say that. The thing is, it's a hell of a lot of money, and if I say oh, sorry, you now owe me £800 and I won't pay you till that's paid off, then I won't be paying her anything till CHRISTMAS. Which is ridiculous. And seems unfair to me.
Though why she didn't even ask me about this weird cheque that turned up, I don't know...

OP posts:
countPINKCHICKula · 21/10/2008 10:59

id ring cm and ask for 5 mins when you drop off today, i would take with me letter, or even write down yourself if you havent got one, what you've been told now and whats happend!
If there was no letter with this chq she may have A-sent it back or B- obv not known it was your CC payments and spent it..either way it WAS your CC payments and you both need to discuss how you will sort it out via refund or whatever, speak to her, dont TELL her what she will be doing, she may well have spent the money now and wont actually HAVE it to pay you back!..i would def get all this confirmed by the people who send chq though!

Flossish · 21/10/2008 10:56

i think you just need to say that work have only just told you a cheque was sent - take it from there?

I'm not totally sure I'm understanding it all tbh!

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