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Original poster

Nursery issue: non refundable deposit of £1000.

120 replies

kgb777 · 13/10/2012 21:11

Is this a normal practice for a private nursery to retain full £1000 deposit?
In november 2011 we looked for a nursery for our 2 y.o daughter and found an afternoon place available from September 2012 in Noting Hill, London.
They have asked for £1000 deposit to secure the place and to sign terms and cons. We have sent the cheque during the same month. Unfortunately in June 2012 we had to move and our new home is far away from the nursery in Noting-Hill. On 1st July we notified the nursery that we wont require the place any longer and that our daughter is not going to start with them from September 2012.
I understand that there are some admin fees to be covered but i hoped that we will be able to recover at least some money from the original £1000 deposit.
Turns out this is not the case and ' no longer kind and friendly' nursery manager advised me that i have signed terms and cons, where i have agreed for full £1000 to remain with the nursery....
Please can someone tell me if you had a similar experience as £1000 is a lot of money for our family.
thank you

OP posts:
ImaginateMum · 13/10/2012 21:12

Yes I have and yes they kept it.

kilmuir · 13/10/2012 21:13

Bloody hell. My children have all been to nursery, never paid a deposit like that

MelodyPondering · 13/10/2012 21:13

Bloody Hell?! I have never come across anything like this. I'm a bit Shock

YouSmegHead · 13/10/2012 21:14
Shock
SlightlySuperiorPeasant · 13/10/2012 21:14

£1000?! Shock You signed the contract but I would be getting legal advice.

DS's private nursery asks for a £50 deposit to go on the waiting list. If they offer you a place and you don't take it they keep the £50. If you pull out before a place is offered you get the £50 back.

Toombs · 13/10/2012 21:15

If you agreed to the terms when you signed then I don't understand the complaint. They told you exactly what would happen if you cancelled. If you didn't agree why did you sign?

SavoyCabbage · 13/10/2012 21:16

Faints...

That is madness! It must be one hell of a nursery.

aleene · 13/10/2012 21:16

That is a huge amount! but they must have told you at the time it was non-refundable?

scarlettsmummy2 · 13/10/2012 21:17

I would look into wether this is an unfair contract term! My daughters private school only charged £75.00!

DowagersHump · 13/10/2012 21:17

I guess you didn't read the T&Cs properly. I'm afraid it's par for the course in places like Notting Hill - it's a way of keeping the riff raff out (and I'm being entirely serious)

MissPricklePants · 13/10/2012 21:17

£50 deposit here which is then deducted off the last months bill so I will get that taken off the bill next August! I am seriously shocked that a £1000 deposit!

stella1w · 13/10/2012 21:17

I was asked for a 500 quid deposit on same basis and decided against signing up. I think it is legaal but unfair if they are able to fill the place and suffer no loss

monkeysbignuts · 13/10/2012 21:18

£1000!!! I paid £30 for my dd & it come off her fees once she started.

NickNacks · 13/10/2012 21:19

I charge 4 weeks upfront which is the first months fees and non refundable if you pull out. I can't hold a spot, turn away work and then have someone just not go through with the contract.

That is the whole point of a non-refundable contract or do you not understand that bit that you were agreeing to? It's business not just her being a not very nice manager.

DowagersHump · 13/10/2012 21:19

Having said that, I think it's bloody daylight robbery but if it was very clear that your deposit was non-refundable, then I don't think you've got a leg to stand on sadly :(

DowagersHump · 13/10/2012 21:24

NickNacks - I think that seems fair but I also think that if you fill the space subsequently at the time that the original child was supposed to start (so no loss of income), it would be fair to return 50% of the deposit to the parents

Lueji · 13/10/2012 21:25

I lost a one month's deposit once.
Never occurred to me to ask fir it back, as I knew it was non-refundable and I took the risk knowingly.

If they were clear about it, then they are fully within their rights, because now they'll have to find someone else.

NickNacks · 13/10/2012 21:25

Hmm maybe but I've not managed to do that so far (only one person has pulled out) so not considered that situation.

Lueji · 13/10/2012 21:26

This was not even a waiting list.
It was a guaranteed place.

givemeaclue · 13/10/2012 21:27

£50 at ours, I thought that was steep!

kgb777 · 13/10/2012 21:30

This reply has been deleted

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Lonecatwithkitten · 13/10/2012 21:30

Nursery 9 years ago one months fees then about £700 now I would imagine would be a £1000 taken off last months bill when you had given notice.
Private school £250 though contract is for either a terms notice or a terms fees in lieu of notice.

Nagoo · 13/10/2012 21:32

Fuck a duck! Shock

AnnaLiza · 13/10/2012 21:33

I have in the past paid 4 weeks in advance refundable once child finishes nursery or in lieu of last month's fees if adequate notice is given. However the contract also stated that a full refund would be given if 1 months notice was given of intention not to take the place.
It sounds very harsh but I would sort of expect it from somewhere in notting hill. I would seek legal adobe though.

SuzysZoo · 13/10/2012 21:33

You need to read very carefully what you signed. Perhaps it says that you get the deposit back once you give notice. How much notice do you have to give? One month? How much is one month's fees? Eg. Pay for a month (but don't go), give notice on day one and get back deposit............if it's too late to do that then I would ask them to give you a full description of why it is £1000 and then have a chat with Trading Standards - that seems sooooooooo high.