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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Rip off Nursery Fees or perfectly reasonable?

68 replies

MommaE · 08/05/2012 21:06

Just started my own business so need a nursery for DS3. Rang round a few and they all seem to charge the same so chose the one nearest my other DCs school.

They sent me an information pack including fee sheet (£55 per day not even nappies included Shock but they reduce it by £1.30 when he's 2 so that'll be a saving Hmm. No mention of any additional costs at all in the pack.

Go for the tour this morning, very pleased with it. Then just as we are about to leave the manager tells us that we will need to pay a £50 administration fee and a £100 deposit which will be returned when DS leaves (er, in 3 years) providing we give them the full months notice. Oh and a month's fees in advance of £715 (no negotiation) and that's for only 3 days a week. So we will have to find £865 upfront. We will get some tax credit help but that will probably take weeks to come through and being self employed, god knows how long it will be until I actually make any money. Even if I worked for an employer, I would have to wait a month for wages anyway.

How on hell's earth can anyone afford to go back to work/work for themselves when just the startup costs are prohibitive? AIBU in thinking they are taking the piss or am I just used to being poor and this is not really all that much money?

OP posts:
Original poster
MommaE · 08/05/2012 21:07

How on hell's earth can anyone with DCs afford to go back to work/work for themselves

OP posts:
littlelife · 08/05/2012 21:10

It is a rip off, speaking as someone who has worked at nurseries for many years, the money doesn't go in to resources or food, certainly not the staff, it's usually a pyramid business with one rich person at the top and many unqualified cheap worker ants at the bottom.
I think a nanny would be better value and a better environment for your child.

babybarrister · 08/05/2012 21:10

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Flisspaps · 08/05/2012 21:13

Sounds about right to me.

I'm a CM and don't charge a daily rate, and nurseries generally cost more. I charge that for a full-timer, but would want paying in advance - that's pretty standard tbh,

Original poster
MommaE · 08/05/2012 21:13

littlelife I am starting to think that too.

babybarrister we are a long way outside of London and the M25! Average wage in this town is around £18-20K from trawling through job adverts for many months.

OP posts:
OutragedAtThePriceOfFreddos · 08/05/2012 21:13

I've worked in a nursery too, and it sounds normal to me, but I live in an expensive area. Nurseries are not cheap to run. And you are paying for people to look after your children. It's not something you should be looking to scrimp on IMO.

scummymummy · 08/05/2012 21:14

Where do you live? Prices sound pretty normal for London, I'm sad to say.

gobbledegook1 · 08/05/2012 21:14

I'm not sure about under 2's or start up fee's as my son is 3 and only takes his government funded 15 hours but the daily (7.45am - 6pm) rate listed on the prospectus is £37 a day other nurseries in the area charge up to £41 a day so forgetting all the other costs yes I would say £55 a day is on the steep side.

scummymummy · 08/05/2012 21:14

x post... Maybe ask some of your local friends with kids?

bookbird · 08/05/2012 21:15

I think the £50 admin fee PLUS £100 deposit is a bit much. I paid a £50 admin fee for my DS and my nursery then waived that when I enrolled DD.

One month's fees in advance is pretty standard (crippling when you're just going back to work though).

Original poster
MommaE · 08/05/2012 21:15

I suppose I am more shocked that they expect you to hand over £150 in addition to fees. £50 admin charge? Is'nt that what the management are there for, to do the admin?

OP posts:
Dillie · 08/05/2012 21:16

Nursery fees were a real bug bear with me. Fortunately my dd is now at school so not as expensive as it was! Even then it is still £20 a day for a 7 year old at kids club for short day!! Summer holidays are a real pain as we have to split our holidays and hardly have any time together as a family.

Does seem high, but it ranges by region. I think my dd fees were around £600 a month for 4 short days. That is in the Midlands. Do you live in the south? My sister nearly fainted when she tried to put her ds in nursery. I think that was around £800 for 5 half days a week!! In the end she decided to be a sahm.

Mrbojangles1 · 08/05/2012 21:16

If I were you I would get a childminder they are about half the price of a nusery and the children get more of a home type experince

Original poster
MommaE · 08/05/2012 21:16

£50 admin fee is non-refundable.

OP posts:
Original poster
MommaE · 08/05/2012 21:18

I think it's also quite sneaky that it is not on the prospectus (the £150). She literally said it as we were going out the door.

OP posts:
Hippymum89 · 08/05/2012 21:18

Crikey, that is outrageous!!! Shock
I'm very fortunate to have my mum live next door, she has had dd 30hrs a week for years and I only give her 50 quid to cover bits and bobs. Smile

I'm going to go and buy her a huge bunch of Thanks tomorrow.

OP I feel for you Sad

cookielove · 08/05/2012 21:18

At my nursery we charge between £45 - £60 a day.

We provide
-snacks
-lunch
-tea
-nappies
-wipes
-sudocream
-drinks (parents provide formula/breastmilk)

and of course childcare, activities, love and attention.

We only charge £75 pound deposit when joining the waiting list, this was brought in recently due to people saying yes to places and then turning them down last minute (grrr)

Dillie · 08/05/2012 21:19

Oo I had to pay a deposit that I did get back 4 years later plus admin and 2 weeks in advance. Shame it didnt earn interest lol!

cookielove · 08/05/2012 21:19

Sorry forgot to say we are in Herts.

I think the up front fee is outrageous!!

RandomMess · 08/05/2012 21:20

I leave in London commuter belt, daily rate is more than £55 per day more like £65!

Original poster
MommaE · 08/05/2012 21:21

Hippymum89 Please do the Thanks for her.

I only wish that we had parents here to help out a bit, even to babysit never mind childmind! OR even to actually remember their birthdays Sad. DH's parents are abroad though and a different culture so they are forgiven, it's mine who are the arses.

OP posts:
stressheaderic · 08/05/2012 21:24

DD's nursery provides all milk (inc. formula), nappies, wipes, cream and 3 decent meals plus snacks.
It is £33 a day and Outstanding across the board. We live oop north though where everything costs tuppence ha'penny.

Kveta · 08/05/2012 21:24

the nursery my DS goes to has a deposit, but they don't actually charge it (because the waiting list is so long, I don't think they have any worry about filling places!). they don't provide nappies, but do everything else, and DS has a hot meal at lunch time, walks every day in the huge parkland surrounding the nursery, and snacks morning and afternoon.

but I would also say find a childminder. We use both, and if I had to choose one, I would go for the CM every time. Just neither had enough space for DS when I went back to work.

our CM is wonderful, and much cheaper than the nursery!

CaptainKirk · 08/05/2012 21:25

Ours is £39 a day and includes nappies and all snacks and meals, etc. We also had to pay up front but there was no deposit. We're in Yorkshire BTW.

slowlyburningcalories · 08/05/2012 21:25

We pay £50 a day 8.30-5.30, includes food, wipes but we provide milk, nappies, suncream.

No deposit, no payment in advance, no 'admin' fee. It is a university nursery so perhaps that's why. Now looking at a childminder that costs £40 a day 8-6