Nursery charging for days they are closed

[FrazzyAndFrumpled]

DS’ nursery have put their fees up from January, to £58 per day. At the same time, they are introducing a new way to pay, by averaging the cost over the year and diving by 12. However, they have calculated the average amount based on 52 weeks, despite them being closed for 1 week over the Christmas/New Year period. Surely they can’t charge childcare for days they aren’t open?!

I think this is a pretty standard way of doing it, it's what mine does so you pay the same each month....

This has been standard practice in any setting I've worked in.

Bill's need to be paid even when they're closed so it's averaged out over the year to account for this :)

Ours calculates for 51 weeks of the year and divides it by 12 as they are closed the Christmas week.

But if they charge £58 per day, how can they charge me for days they aren’t offering the service? DS goes 2 days a week, so 102 days in 2019, yet we’re being charged for 104 days. It’s wrong.

Ours does this, I think it's the norm (still annoying though!)

I think ours should do the same as gingajewel’s.

Standard. I think they also charge for bank holidays.

Pretty standard.
Rent/mortgage/business rates/council tax/electric/water/gas still need paying regardless of if they are open or not

Oh and bank holidays they are shut but still have to pay.

Then when they are ill and aren't in you still have to pay cos your paying for their place. Which was a right kicker when DD missed nearly a month at 5 days a week when in the baby room cos she was in HDU in hospital for 2 weeks then recovery afterwards

Our old nursery used to charge for days they were closed as well. Really pissed me off. Our new one doesn't - one of the many reasons why it's so much better.

Do you get paid for holidays at work? Nursery staff do too, where should they get that money from?

Why is it the norm? Why do people accept it? People would be up in arms if their cleaner/whatever decided they weren’t going to work for a week but charge the same anyway. Surely it’s illegal to charge for a service they’re not providing?

Ours doesn’t charge for it. We get 2 weeks half price a year too if we are on holidays.

Because it's generally understood that costs still need to be covered.

Staff still need to be paid and the bank doesn't account for holidays.

It’s pretty much the norm. I’d much prefer it all averaged out like that over the year though. Ds only goes to nursery Monday and Friday and I have to pay for all the bank holidays that fall on those days, even though the nursery is closed, I still have to work and don’t get paid any extra for it and I have to pay for alternative childcare (which is usually more expensive as it’s a bank holiday).

I don’t know if many other businesses that charge for time they’re closed ( I’m sure there’s loads though). I don’t pay for swimming lessons or after school clubs when they don’t have them. I guess they just factor in the holidays into their costs which is a lot more palatable.

It's easier for everyone to spread the cost over 12 months so people can set up standing orders for the same amount each month. Whether they base their annual costs on 51 or 52 weeks of opening you will never know as you don't know what their costs are. The difference is pretty marginal anyway.

So should they not give their staff paid holiday? Should they cancel the insurance when they're closed and not pay the mortgage? If they did it your way, the daily rate would just be a bit higher.

Staff are still paid. Premises rent, rates, utilities same. Presumably if you work your leave is paid?

Standard - ours too. Our daughter only goes two days a week - Monday’s and Tuesdays so we do get the raw deal!

Interesting that exacting the same question running on a CM doing the same have very different responses.

‘She’s a cheeky fucker’

‘I’d tell her to do one’

‘All cms take the piss, get used to it’

Very interesting and not at all surprising.

Standard. Mine do it. They are entitled to paid holidays and you need to pay for them. It's what most nurseries do, and if you want to keep your spot then you need to pay.

My nursery is closed Xmas week and bank holidays, so don't charge for 3 weeks out of the year (taking into account a holiday too). 49 weeks spread over 52 weekly/12 monthly payments.

There are always these threads this time of year. It’s the norm, I get paid holiday so I expect nursery staff to as well.

Yes, I know their staff and other costs need to be paid. But I can’t understand why the daily charge doesn’t include the extra cost for the time they’re close, as HeffalumpsDaughter says it’s more palatable that way!

Anyone else who provides contracted services knows they don’t get paid on days they don’t work, so adjust their charges accordingly.

It's the norm, but don't strictly agree. If they quote in days, they should bill in days. But I agree that the overall annualised bill should cover up to 2 weeks of closure (if it's noted in the contract) and Bank Holidays.