To think nursery should owe me a day for Boxing Day when they're closed!

[purplebaubles]

DD attends nursery just two days a week - Thursday and a Friday.

Just been informed that they are closed on the Thursday (Boxing Day) - no problem. So I said, I'd send her Monday and Friday that week instead.

I've been told it's tough and we'll just lose the day but still have to pay for it?!

I work term time only, so don't get paid in the holidays.

AIBU to think that they should owe me a day, given I'm paying for it?

I might add, normally (i.e not Christmas week!) they're dead flexible if I need to change days.

[purplebaubles]

I'm on minimum wage too. This isn't a thread about how much nursery workers get paid, or should get paid.

This is about me paying for something I'm not getting! (and if I was being paid myself for that day, I wouldn't be bothered. But I'm not, so I really am out of pocket)

[toffeesponge]

This is why I never sent my child to nursery on a Monday as I didn't want to pay for something and not get it. I am not made of money! It worked out quite nice actually after a crazy weekend to have my 4 year old at school and just my 2 year old and baby at home for a day.

[Morloth]

What is in your contract?

[MrsMangoBiscuit]

Sorry, but I think the staff wages are a bit irrelevant here. The nursery is a business, their costs, including the wages, will have been taken into consideration when the rates were set. Yes the workers get paid shite, but the OP isn't paying them, she's paying the business for a service, and they are paying their staff. If they're not offering that service on a particular day, then they shouldn't be charging for it. I'd be phoning them up and saying they must have made a mistake as they're charging you for 8 days, but only open 7 of those.

[breatheslowly]

It all depends on what's in the contract. My DD's nursery doesn't charge for days its not open. But it is more expensive per day than some other nurseries that do charge for bank holidays. So they come out to the same cost.

[breatheslowly]

Also bear in mind that on the days that only have 5 or 6 babies they only require 2 members of staff. If your DD is a baby and took attendance from 6 babies to 7 babies they would need an extra member of staff on that day (if they could find someone willing to do the extra day).

[purplebaubles]

Need to find a copy of the contract. I remember it saying it was closed on BH's (obviously) but don't recall it saying we'd still get charged.

I haven't paid the bill yet for December - due next week. Do you think I should just say, no it can't be X amount as that's for 8 days, you're only giving me 7 this month so how much is that?

[purplebaubles]

breathe that is a good point re number of staff needed...

[Shlurpbop]

Yanbu - my dd nursery is exactly the same. I pay for days when they are not open, but I can't change a day or take a days holiday.
Grrrrr.

[HomerPigeon]

But the day Boxing Day falls on changes every year, so eventually this injustice (if you could call it that) will visit all clients.

If the contract says you pay for bank holidays, it's a bit silly to get all uppity about it. If the contract says otherwise, then by all means you should refuse to pay.

[noisytoys]

This is crazy. DD goes to nursery full time but we only pay for sessions that she attends we don't pay for bank holidays. The day rate is quite high though £5.50/hour and they don't discount for sessions it is charged per hour no matter how many hours are used.

[purplebaubles]

I need to dig out the contract obviously first, so I don't make a prat of myself!

I don't know the hourly rate, just know it's £45 a day. Regardless of what time we drop her off and pick her up.

Homer That's a fair point too.

[AnandaTimeIn]

The people working to take care of you DC still have to be paid and pay their bills.

Every month.

So be happy your DC is being taken care of.
instead of bitching

[purplebaubles]

Ananda I'm not getting paid at all Christmas week..I also have bills that need paying. Could do without paying for a day in nursery I'm not getting!

I don't believe this is about the staff getting paid or not. This is about me paying for something I'm not receiving surely? As I said, quite happy to pay the full amount for the month, so long as I get the 8 days I'm paying for!

[phantomnamechanger]

because they have other expenses - like insurance, equipment, utility bills, redecoration costs, Training for first aid etc It all has to be paid for.

[takeitonthegin]

Purple I dont think you are being unreasonable. Our nursery wouldn't charge for days when they decide to be closed; bank holidays etc. You are paying for a service that you are not receiving.

[purplebaubles]

Oh no I know they are badly paid. Agree it's shocking.

[phantomnamechanger]

does your contract actually SAY you pay for X amount of days per month?

what about those who usually go on weds, presume they have to pay for Christmas day??

[TheDoctrineOfWho]

All childcare providers , including childminders, have slightlydifferent terms eg childminders may not charge when they take holiday, or may charge half rate when they take holiday and half rate when you take holiday.

My nursery doesn't charge when closed between
Xmas and new year / my friend 's nursery. Which is more expensive anyway , closes for two
Weeks in August and charges full rate for that. But all the details are in the contract.

If you can't find your contract, nursery will have a copy.

[TheDoctrineOfWho]

If they let you swap a day that week, they would have to not charge a full time child for the bank holidays so that it was equal / you see that, right?0

[MammaTJ]

I love my DCs nursery!! They go to an after school provision run by one. They are fab! We book on a week by week basis and only pay for what we use. The girls who work there are amazing! The DC love it. We do not have these issues, although once they did not have room for them, but that is the risk we take and we have planned back up!

[lilyaldrin]

Obviously depends on that individual nursery's terms and conditions. We don't get charged for bank holidays, Christmas closure or when they are closed for inset days.

[purplebaubles]

doctrine hmm..so I am being unreasonable..yes..I didn't really think of that..Hmmm.

MammaTJ Oh my nursery is otherwise fab! DD loves it, I love it, really happy there. Just a bit about this, as money is so tight at the moment (husband has just lost his job) so we're literally counting every penny.