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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Nursery Charging when they are closed

34 replies

InWithTheITCrowd · 16/12/2010 11:03

Can I just ask what folks think of this? It isn't an IABU in real terms, as I haven't done anything! I just think it's a bit odd.

DS (16 months) has started nursery this week as I am back to work. He is only going for 1 dday a weeks, which is a Friday, but it will be a full day from 7:30am until 4:30pm.

He starts tomorrow (17th Dec) and nursery have told me that my 1st month's fee starts from the 3rd Dec, which was the 1st Friday of this calendar month. Fair enough, if that's how they charge - on a calendar month basis, rather than from the start date. I have no issue with that.
When I took him yesterday for his induction, I had to pay 2 months fees in advance (1 day a week is £35, 1 month is £151 so £302) and then was told that nursery are only open from 9am until 12noon next Friday as it's Christmas Eve, so I will have to find alternative childcare, as I am unable to take him during those times. Then I was also told that the following Friday (30th Dec) nursery are closed as they are decorating.
I asked if there would be a reduction in fees, and they said no.
So, basically, I have paid £151 for ONE DAY at nursery during December.

Now, I understand that they are a business, and that we have to pay if we can't go ourselves, or if our days happen to fall on a bank holiday, etc - but if they are closed for 2 dates that I have paid for, is it right that I be charged for them (and for the previous 2 Fridays in December that I have paid for, but didn't attend as they were prior to his start date!?)

I am new to this nursery business, so are they right, or should I perhaps challenge it?

Thanks

OP posts:

FindingAManger · 16/12/2010 11:05

I have no idea but it certainly seems wrong to me. You've just highlighted one of the many reasons I decided to use a childminder instead of a nursery.

AllarmBelly · 16/12/2010 11:08

The one my DD was at, they charged per session. You paid monthly in advance but they knew how many sessions they would be open. So December was a cheaper month because they closed between Christmas and New Year. What your nursery is doing does seem wrong to me.

starfishmummy · 16/12/2010 11:09

This seems very odd. Find another nursery!!

SeaTrek · 16/12/2010 11:11

YANBU

That is, quite simply, outrageous. They cannot charge you when they have chosen to close. They have every right to insist that you still pay when your child is off ill or on holiday, of course.

My son's nursery definitely didn't charge when they were closed.

BikeKitten · 16/12/2010 11:12

My daughter's nursery is closed over christmas but they factor that into the daily fees so I'm not too fussed about that. Unfortunately they were closed recently due to the snow and they still charged me as it was in the T&Cs, I do think thats a bit unfair.

£151 for one day does seem high!! The fact that they are closed for decorating seems to me that they are taking the piss too.

ItsJustMyOpinion · 16/12/2010 11:12

You should challenge them. You should only pay for the sessions he attends, even if it is in advance. You should not have to pay for any period the nursery is closed.

Original poster

InWithTheITCrowd · 16/12/2010 11:13

Ah good

I thought I was being naive, and that this is normal! It wasn't actually the nursery manager, to be fair to them, as she was off sick, but the girl I spoke to was absolutely adament that this is their policy.

I think I shall challenge it tomorrow when I drop him off!

OP posts:

maighdlin · 16/12/2010 11:34

DD's nursery doesn't charge when they are closed but you still have to pay if child not in sick etc.

ShiningWit · 16/12/2010 11:37

My nursery is open 51 weeks of the year, ds goes 3 days a week. I pay monthly for a 3 day week regardless of whether ds goes or for the nursery being shut (just the xmas-new year week they close). I think that's fine, because they don't operate a per-session charge. But I knew that when I signed up. If you didn't know that they close early or would periodically close for decorating then no, you shouldn't have to pay.

as for paying from the beginning of the month, that's outrageous. Your child started on the 17th so the montly fee is pro-rata'd at less than half the month's fees.

Had you known they would do all this closing, you would probably not have started your child until January as that's a bit rubbish from your ds's pov - he goes one day, isn't really getting a chance to settle, then it's 3 weeks until he's back there. you may as well not bother for this week.

I would have words and suggest a new start date in the new year if you can.

DontLetTinselDragOnTheFloor · 16/12/2010 11:44

The nursery I used charged when they were shut... This was taken into account in the monthly fees though so you paid the same each month. Tis is reasonable as they pay the staff etc regardless and the alternative would be paying higher fees the rest of the time in order not to pay for the Christmas period when they were shut.

If they would normally be open on NYE and have chosen to shut for decorating, I would not expect to be charged. Actually, I would expect them to do the work during normal closed times.

I think charging you from the start of the month rather than your DSs start date is odd, especially if the start date was agreed in advance and no mention was made of the charge.

Um... So it's partly unreasonable (NYE and start date) and partly not (Christmas eve).

Think it's unfortunate that you've started close to Christmas!

frgr · 16/12/2010 12:28

Unless you were made aware prior to starting paying that you'd be charged for days when they're shut (for decorating?! ) then I would point out what you've written in your OP. That's a very unfair situation since you've just started, and I shouldn't think you're unreasonable to think they should have informed you earlier if they work like that.

IME, I'd expect to be charged if we weren't going to use the place (after all, they couldn't take on other childcare duties if we've already secured the place) or couldn't get in due to bad weather/illness BUT if it's them that's closing (staff sickness, rennovation, holidays, doesn't matter) then that's a session we don't pay for.

I'd point out all the above, and then ask if there's anything else that needs to be clarified - or look elsewhere. You could find out that they routinely close for 3 days at Easter, or take Valentine's Day off, or whatever - a bit far fetched but to just spring this sort of thing on you has shown that there is either: 1) a massive lack of communication with you, no neccesarily due to malicious intent or 2) they're deliberately comfortable with ripping you off here.

Towatessa · 16/12/2010 14:12

Both the nurseries I have used have not charged when they were closed. I would definately challenge this.

Loie159 · 16/12/2010 14:20

hmmmmm it is weird isnt it? We use a childminder and when it snowed she was obvioulsy still open so if you didnt take your child then you would be charged. However when they are shutting early on Xmas eve becuase that is their choice then they only charge you for the time you have had if that makes sense. What does the contract say? If the contract says that all bank holidays are due then i think you will have to pay..... it does seem unfair tho.

EricNorthpolesChristmas · 16/12/2010 14:39

Bullcrap! My nursery charges per day, and you pay from the day your child starts, not the week before they start! They close on bank holidays and the xmas week and do not charge. This is outrageous. I would find another nursery TBH.

dribbleface · 16/12/2010 14:45

Most local nurseries around here charge for bank holiday and Xmas closing but these are factored in the fee review.

Charging you from beginning of month when you didn't start till later is not on. Does it state anywhere that this is the case.

yummincepie · 16/12/2010 14:46

I have to pay nursery fee of £37, my dd did not attend, w were house bound with heavy snow couldn't even get the car out of drive.
Hubby had 3 days off work like most people in our area.

have been told I have to still pay because nursery opened (a few staff walked in).

Have not paid it, am waiting for them to chase me for it. Really am thinking of taking her out now.

dribbleface · 16/12/2010 14:49

yummincepie - to be honest if they opened but you did not attend then why shouldn't you pay?

LadyBiscuit · 16/12/2010 14:55

I think that's pretty normal and entirely reasonable yum - why should they waive the fee if you decide not to take your child in for whatever reason?

But OP, more than anything I would be furious if my nursery backdated fees like that, quite apart from the Xmas closures. Can't you start him in January??

pumperspumpkin · 16/12/2010 15:09

At our (over-subscribed) nursery, they offer you a place from when it is available. If you then choose to start using that place from a date in the future, you pay from the date it was available to you not the day you start. If you don't want the place from when it is available, you can refuse it and they will fill it from the next person on the list and you remain on the list. I don't think that's unreasonable as why should they lose money on a place they can fill easily just because you have asked them to hold it open.

Same nursery also factors in one week closed between Christmas and New Year into its pricing so you pay the same amount every month.

So - if that is the situation you are in I think it is fair enough that you are paying from 3 December if the place was there, but you didn't want to use it until later in the month. If however you had no option of using it earlier in the month, then that is completely outrageous and I agree it's not fair not to pro-rate. Whether it's legal or not and you have a leg to stand on will of course depend on the terms and conditions, which presumably you read when you signed up?

Original poster

InWithTheITCrowd · 16/12/2010 15:40

Thanks all
Definitely no mention in the T&Cs of charging other than bank holidays, which I accept. But Christmas Eve is not a bank holiday, so I don't see why I should pay that? They ARE open, but only for 3 hours, so I would have to organise for someone else to take him, pick him up and have him for the rest of the day anyway.
Am quite annoyed, after thinking about it, about them closing on 30th Dec to decorate. This really isn't my problem, is it!?

Have double-checked re: the calendar month thing, and it all works out the "other end" - so when/if I take him out of nursery, the fees are adjusted accordingly, so am fine with them charging for the calendar month of Dec.

It's next week and the week after I'm annoyed about - I'm at work on both those dates, as is DH, so we will have to try and arrange alternative childcare - which is the sodding reason that we started him now in the first place.

Yes, definitely will challenge them tomorrow morning, and hope that the manager is in.

if it doesn't improve, then i will look for other suitable nurseries, but this (apart from this adminny/financial thing) is a really good nursery, is really close to my work, I like the staff and we've spent ages doing the induction thing, it would be a serious faff to do it all again especially now I'm back at work.

Will have a word, and hope that it all sorts itself out for a good start in the New Year

OP posts:

KirstyJC · 16/12/2010 15:46

They are being out of order! Our nursery doesn't charge for bank holidays or indeed any time when they are shut. They only charge you for times when they are open and available to take your child.

If we book a holiday then they charge half price (up to 4 weeks a year) and if he can't attend a booked session or we can't get there then we will still have to pay full price, which is fair enough.

But the charge when they are not open? Completely unreasonable.

SantasENormaSnob · 16/12/2010 16:25

They are taking the piss

yummincepie · 16/12/2010 16:27

Literally 2 staff turned in who only live 5/ 1o mins from the building, and 3 children who were also local and parents worked at hosiptal they also walked to work.

But the people who literally live miles from the nursery with snow up to their knees no can do. How much money did they make when most of their staff were also snowed in their homes. And like my husband who had to take 3 days off work using is holiday allowance I bet their staff won't get paid either.

My main point is nurseries aren't about caring for children helping families, they are a money making machine

SweetKate · 16/12/2010 18:00

DD's nursery close for 1 week over Christmas and don't charge. However they take the 51 weeks cost and annualise it so everyone still pays for 52 weeks, just a little bit less each week IYSWIM. It might just be that by starting in December it seems a bit high.

They used to do a thing whereby they gave us money back in December to compensate for the closed week but wised up to that and just changed the weekly payments.

SweetKate · 16/12/2010 18:03

Also, DD was due to start on 1 September but I had forgotten to factor in her induction days which they spread over 2 weeks and we were away last 2 weeks in August. Even though it was last minute, they changed her start date to mid-September and charged me from her first "official" day.

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