Charged £90 for being 3 minutes late to collect children from nursery

[Justastorminabcup]

3 minutes late! I thought I was on time. nobody said anything when I arrived, they just sent me an invoice in the post.

I can understand that they need a system to prevent parents regularly being late. They have a business to run and staff to pay etc, but £90!?! For three minutes! How can they think this is reasonable???

I've used this nursery for 4 years and have never been late before.

AIBU to be utterly shocked that a childcare establishment who must know that many parents struggle to be able to afford daycare for their children could feel it is acceptable to charge such a fine? Is this normal? Would other care providers do this?

Is this in their terms and conditions? Were the 'late' charges made known? This charge is definitely unreasonable and they would have a problem proving that they were out of pocket to the tune of £90 in court if it ever came to that. Even if the two staff who stayed late were paid a full hour for the extra 3 mins I cannot believe they are paid £45 per hour. I'm a bit out of touch, but isn't the daily rate for a private nanny in the region of £90 or am I way out? Don't pay and tell them you will get advice from your local trading standards office. Offer to pay £10.00 so that if it ever came to it you could prove that you were being reasonable. Whatever happens remain calm and in control. Good luck. Please let us know the outcome.

I would certainly question the amount, especially if it isn't clearly posted somewhere in the facility or specified in your contract (or whatever paperwork you filled out). You'd certainly think something that egregious would have popped out at you or you'd remember if they specifically mentioned late charges when your DC started going there. There was a pretty heavy late charge at my DSs' daycare (nothing like yours though) but it was clearly posted on the 'parent's board' and it was pointed out (and initialed) on the care agreement.

If you really like the facility or absolutely cannot change facilities right away AND if this is your first time being late I'd ask to speak to the director and request to negotiate either a one-time waiver or a reduction of the fee. And I'd also ask to see where their policy is spelled out in writing.

It destroyed your faith in them?! Don't be daft! You signed a contract and didn't check the details. Why are they at fault?!

She's not being daft, Paul. Do you not think £90 over 3 sweaty minutes is extortionate. I think I'd lose faith in them, too. We don't know ops circumstances. Paying that £90 could be the difference between putting food on the table. I think these childcare practioners should look up the word care and it won't say to put the parents into temporary financial hard ship.

Oh, this is ridiculous, it obviously a typo. Going rate is £1/minute

I did hear that certain insurance policies for nurseries charge a hefty fine for covering non working hours. Maybe this will be part of the fee? I still agree that it's absolutely shocking!

and what exactly do you think they will do if you dont pay it?
i will tell you.......
NOTHING
so dont pay it, anyone can send an "invoice" for anything doesnt mean its legally binding. If you are that annoyed dont go back.

For how many children, Justastorminabcup?

It's for two children. I'll check the policy and speak to them on Monday. The nursery is open until 19:30 and this was a 16:30 collection so it wasn't outside of their working hours. Plenty of staff were about with only a few children in.

I'd talk to the management and see if you can negotiate to pay less or in instalments. £90 sounds very expensive for 3 minutes. Maybe it is an automated electronic generated invoice based on a clocking in/out system?

Let's just hope it is a typo and supposed to be £1.50 per minute per child. That seems to fit in more closely with the rates others have stated.

kipperssippers Fri 15-Jan-16 01:00:18

and what exactly do you think they will do if you dont pay it?
i will tell you.......
NOTHING
so dont pay it, anyone can send an "invoice" for anything doesnt mean its legally binding. If you are that annoyed dont go back.

Because finding after school care is just that easy? Pay nothing and you will find that cancel your agreement and leave you high and dry. Just like the phone company cutting you off if you don't pay the bill.

'Losing your faith' in them is a tad melodramatic though. You may not like the way they run their business, but the way they care for your children is a separate thing and did not, presumably, change on the day you arrived three minutes late.

I'm sure it's a typo. Do you pay by the hour or for the whole day? With my son's, we paid for the whole day regardless of when we were going to pick him up. So we'd only be charged late fees if we picked up after the center's official closing time. I do think the late fees need to be punitive (otherwise some parents constantly just take the piss) but not extortionate like that. I'd be rattled too if it's not a mistake.

Disgraceful! A pound a min would be more reasonable like a pp said. Even 20 quid for 5 mins is more reasonable. I would definitely find contract and double check. Even so, it's ridiculously overpriced and I would be having words. I doubt they can justify the charge.

It is very expensive, but if it is in your contract then 'losing faith' in them is ott.

They are not bound to offer reasonable lateness fees that reflect staff costs, or that help out parents. They have chosen to make lateness v expensive to discourage this. If they had 'reasonable' fees some well off parents might not prioritise being on time!

Yes I do think it is excessive, and I wouldn't choose a nursery with this policy if there was any change of my being late, but if it is in the contract I guess your choices are to stay with them or change nursery. I don't think it is 'wrong' of a nursery to have a no-nonsense lateness policy as long as this is explained to parents in advance of signing up.

For that amount, they should have the policy clearly shown. If you've been there a while then it's possible this is a new rule not covered in your contract.

Wow that's got to be a typo surely, that charge is ridiculous!

The nursery I use has a standard £50 late charge. Most of the time if you apologise for being late and it's something unpreventable then they waive it. It does cause them issues though, especially with ratios.

£45 per child for 3 minutes does seem harsh, but presumably it's in your contract? I'd speak to them and appeal to their better nature and hope that for a 'first offence' they'll waive it.

I assume they have a standard late fee of £45 and have applied it twice. It's draconian but probably clearly stated in the terms.

I don't understand how you have lost faith in the setting? Even if the charge is excessive...

Sorry I'm with the nursery. Parents arriving last minute or late won't realise the knock on effect for staff if the fine is minimal. Somewhere you have most probably signed a contract which outlines the consequences. I work in an education establishment and we offer supervised care until a designated time. We take calls in a weekly basis who expect us to extend these hours at the drop of a hat. These requests come usually an hour before pick up time and with zero regard for the fact we as staff might have commitments too. I do hope OP had called first to say they would be arriving to collect at "the very last minute" due to traffic/ work etc? Goodwill goes a long way IME. I missed a dental appointment once due to having to stay behind with a child at work who couldn't be collected. Parent called 10 mins before end of supervised time and said she'd be on the last minute , I called the dentist and explained I'd be a little late, the parent was actually 30 mins late, which indicated shed not even left home when she called to say she'd be 10 mins. I had to call dentist back and explain I was still at work so rearranged my appointment. I was charged £50 as that is their system and is in the contract you sign when you join. Not my fault and in the longer term my employer refunded this to me in time off in lieu. I don't wish to be harsh but nursery workers do have lives and commitments as well.

It is excessive and grabby. It would make me wonder about their ethics.

Think obsidian is probably right re standard late fee.

Our nursery was £15 for every 15 minutes but you couldn't just pay £5 for 5 mins late. I would talk to them as they may be prepared to waive or reduce it if it's a one off that's been generated by the login system or whatever.

And it isn't up to staff to mention it there and then - they may not even know if the nursery manager does the invoicing.