to want to be paid for childminding!!

[Mum2Luke]

mother has not been paid (or so she says) by Tax credits, rang them this morning to have some snotty git tell me its nothing to do with me yet I am the one who is out of pocket because I have not been paid!!

It is time childcare providers were paid directly by tax credits, she could be telling me anything but I cannot prove that. She owes me £78 for last week too.

Its not fair this, am doing a job and getting nothing for it, how do they expect us to entertain and feed the kids full-time in the holidays without any money?

Has anyone else had this problem?

I hope she's not a mnetter

lorcana I don't see why my family's food should be used for the childminding!! I get a bit from my husband for family shopping. I have not minded since before Christmas as I was thinking of giving up having had no people asking due to high competition in the area.

I am not dissorganised, I shopped on Saturday with what I could afford for the week.

You say poor woman - ha! you do not know her, wish now I had never agreed to mind for her. Her son has in the past few weeks not turned up for school (and probably the little girl too). She had to beg me to take them on, I should have known what she was like and the company she keeps. She's not with the father, he has them at weekends so she can go out but can't go to him about her not paying really.

Her son's birthday is every bit my business when she is taking my money to pay for his present, pleading poverty one min and going to Leeds the next for 'one massive p-up' according to her facebook.

It does sound as if this mum is taking advantage of op's friendship though She needs to know that you are dealing on a business footing and expect your bills to be given same priority as other weekly living expenses and payment is not discretionary. Hopefully that is now clear. Also if she defaults again that you can readvertise the vacancy.

For fuck's sake, give the OP a break.

OP, YANBU to want to be paid for childminding. Good for you for saying to the mum that you cannot mind her kids without payment.

Good luck. I hope you get this sorted. Ignore the fucking visciousness on this board. Some of the chirps have been beyond belief.

Woah, OP, I get that you are angry and i don't doubt your skill as a CM just because of this but you are coming off as extremely hostile right now...

Also, so you know. Tax credits can take ages. I have experienced a couple of month wait before :(

Lorcana what a vile comment.
Blimey it's like a farking bear pit on here today

I don't pay my childminder up front, I pay at the end of every month but she does have a late payment charge in place I think she gives 3 day to pay then starts to charge (not 100% sure how much never been late paying) once drove to 3 different cash machines to get the money out ended up have to go in a shop do two different transactions to get cash back

"She's not with the father, he has them at weekends so she can go out"

Er, what has this to do with anything?!

I was feeling a bit sorry for you. After reading that I no longer do.

YABU

Stupid phone posted before I finished !! Was going to add that you should think about setting up a late payment charge at least if it's late you get some extra

Good luck OP. I understand what you feel. You bent the rules a bit on the basis of a "friendship" with a parent of a boy in your DS's class and you were taken advantage of. That hurts. I am sure that you are a good CM, nothing suggests that you aren't. I also undertstand about market forces. Where I am we paid up front for CM but not where my DB lives. No-one will agree to it if everyone else will do it in arrears. I am self-employed and not everyone pays - and it is not always my fault, you have to trust people in business too - and it doesn't always pay off - it's a known risk.

I also understand why you phoned Tax Creds - she asked you to and you agreed as a favour. On reflection probably a bit stupid and looks like another fob-off but hardly the crime of the century.

Get the money she owes, then get her to pay in advance for the next weeks CM, (don't listen to a sob story, she'll get it if she has to). Then give her reasonable notice and find new clients or a job.

Some of the posts on here have been helpful and maybe it's been a useful learning experience but many have been really vicious. I wouldn't worry,; people who make those sort of nasty comments are clearly having problems themselves. You vented some anger, got some helpful advice and a bit of perspective.

What about the extra money that she has to contribute? I think I'd be more inclined to give leaway if she's paid that. If not I'd be peeved off too

YANBU
I owned a different kind of small business, and there is a small amount of bad debt. If she 'couldn't' pay you would be disappointed but you think she 'wont' pay so you are rightfully angry. Once you give credit you run this risk.

You may collect some money from her but not all she owes. Can you afford to let it go because it will be a whole pile of stress?
Ignore all the 'unprofessional' comments. Lots of people who do an excellent job are not good at business. Look at all the excellent chefs that have failed restaurants behind them. Making mistakes in business is nothing to be ashamed of. Small businesses are the life blood of any economy and you should be proud. I have a job now and it is easy peasy compared to running my own.

Haha poster who said its like a bear pit on here today. Bloody hell its only day 1 of half term.

Some very nasty and completely ridiculous comments - actually laughable - ignore them OP. Hope that you get your money

op ignore them nasty lot.. nowt betta to do.
Hope you get your money love.

Thanks kikid, I hope I do too, otherwise its another day at home with the kids, have told her I cannot afford to take them out until I get some money and have also told her whilst I know her I am also trying to run a business and so she must try to sort her finances out, children MUST come before beer and enjoyment.

Having said that the kids are being very good, playing games together and have had no fighting. hoping to go out tomorrow if am paid.

You are not looking after her dc are you?

I would refuse to provide any further childcare until she has paid in full and then charge her in advance from now on. If she doesn't like it, she can look elsewhere! Sounds like she is walking all over you and you need to get tough!

You can't be very professional if you thought it was appropriate to ring HMRC up and try and get confidential information about someone else's Tax Credits!

Sure, you are owed money. Yes, you've been told this is because Tax Credits haven't come through. But that doesn't entitle you to act like some sort of amateur private detective.

To avoid this sort of problem in future, sort your contracts out and get money upfront.

I have told you all this already, IT WAS A MISTAKE - I was asked BY THE MOTHER to phone them.

She knows she is not getting any childcare next Monday unless its paid in full tomorrow.

Is it only her children and your son this week? If you have other mindees i'd be very cross as a parent that the service was being affected as the business runs so close to the wind that things dont happen if something affects payment.

I hope you are paid tomorrow.

at the end of the day, you are a business and you have the right to be paid, on time, for the service you provide.

The tax credits - not your problem and it was unfair of her to ask you to contact them. in future you will know to say sorry, no, that is not something for me to follow up.

Her social life - not relevant. If she goes out - that's up to her. The only thing you concern yourself with is payment for your services. If that isn't forthcoming - no services. Any choices she may have made are not your problem.

A business is not a mate. A business is not someone doing someone a favour. A business is just exchange of goods/service for payment and you have every right to expect exactly that.