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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

267 replies

Justastorminabcup · 15/01/2016 00:20

3 minutes late! I thought I was on time. Sad 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?

OP posts:
PaulAnkaTheDog · 15/01/2016 10:21

Tiggy and Rafals I'm aware of that, hence me saying it seems like an error on the nursery's front. My comment was directed not to the op but a previous poster who seemed to think signing a contract means jack shit and that nurseries have these late fees just for shits and giggles.

NNalreadyinuse · 15/01/2016 10:25

This is not in the OPs contract. They introduced the charge 2 years ago. I would dispute whether they can legally change the terms of your contract, without your agreement. What they ought to have done is asked the OP to sign a new contract 2 years ago, giving her the option to accept or reject their terms and find new child care. Given that they didn't, I would say it's their tough shit.

I wouldn't pay it. The OP hasn't caused any staffing issues - it was three minutes and the only time in 4 years. I think they are theowing the baby out with the bath water if they treat reliable clients like this.

PaulAnkaTheDog · 15/01/2016 10:28

I would assume that the op being informed of the change and not leaving the nursery is an agreement to the changes. She acknowledged them and is fully aware. Frankly I would be very surprised if she didn't sign a new contract tbh...

hibbleddible · 15/01/2016 10:28

Wow, op that is shocking.

I also would query this, and would give notice if they insisted on charging it.

I would have thought that for a 3 minute one off lateness they would let it slide.

LovelyFriend · 15/01/2016 10:30

I'm super cynical about this.

They are thinking the OP's DC are going to school in September, the OP won't want to go to "the hassle" of changing nurseries before then (she's been with us for 4 years!), so let's get as much money out of her that we can, any way we can. Its a giant Fuck YOU from them OP.

If you were 15/20 minutes late OK you have to suck up the fee, but they are pretty much scamming you with this "fine"

HarveySchlumpfenburger · 15/01/2016 10:31

Difficult to say whether the OP has caused staffing issues without knowing their ratios or shift patterns. Most of the nurseries I know that open long hours operate a shift system with staff doing earlies and lates. Not all of the staff will have been in for the whole period the nursery is open for.

TheSecondViola · 15/01/2016 10:32

90 pounds sterling for 3 mins? When its the first time, no-one had to stay late, the place was open for hours afterwards anyway...

I'd laugh in their face. Couldn't give a shit about the contract. No way on earth would I pay such a ridiculous fee.

Marynary · 15/01/2016 10:37

They are thinking the OP's DC are going to school in September, the OP won't want to go to "the hassle" of changing nurseries before then (she's been with us for 4 years!), so let's get as much money out of her that we can, any way we can. Its a giant Fuck YOU from them OP.

I thought that too. I really doesn't say much for the nursery that they would treat a loyal customer like this.

hippowithsuncreen · 15/01/2016 10:41

We had a crazy fee introduced when I worked in nurseries. This was because we had a group of parents who would use us as unpaid childcare while they went to the pub across the road making staff late for their own children. We tried a lower rate and they paid it and came even later!

But in the ops case where it was three minutes and a one off?
I would complain.

2016Hopeful · 15/01/2016 10:42

Doesn't sound like a good way to run a business. Not sure why they would want to cause such bad feeling with someone who is usually on time. Also, three minutes can be due to differences in people's watches and you weren't even aware you were late.

Probably shouldn't start charging till 5 mins late at least. Also, if you are not usually late I think a warning letter should be send the first time so you are aware of what the exact charges are.

When you think about it you could arrive on time and speak to one of the nursery workers for 5 minutes which would probably be more of an inconvenience than actually arriving 3 mins late!

fastdaytears · 15/01/2016 10:44

I would assume that the op being informed of the change and not leaving the nursery is an agreement to the changes absolutely. It's a bit much to say that the nursery can never change their terms.

As tons of people have said though, 3 minutes is close enough that it could be your clocks not being synchronised. I would have thought at 4.33, there would still be parents faffing around looking for stuff wouldn't there? Or do people leave the nursery at 4.30 on the dot?

WeAllHaveWings · 15/01/2016 10:45

If you knew the cost because they previously gave you that in writing I wouldn't challenge the cost.

I would challenge them saying you were late when you don't think you were, especially as no-one told you.

fastdaytears · 15/01/2016 10:46

When you think about it you could arrive on time and speak to one of the nursery workers for 5 minutes which would probably be more of an inconvenience than actually arriving 3 mins late

Yes absolutely this. And I bet there are plenty of people who do this.

TheSecondViola · 15/01/2016 10:48

If the management feel a bit skint they can just put their clocks forwards a few minutes and charge everyone a couple of hundred! kerching....

GloGirl · 15/01/2016 10:50

I'd work out how much I had paid the nursery over 4 years and think of how many people I had recommended it to.

I'd make the point that it's happened once, £90 could have bought me X additional hours and then with a Paddington Bear stare I'd ask if they really wanted to part on such bad terms after years of working so well together.

And if they insisted I'd be late with my late payment. Consistently, till after my child had left and I'd pay it with a big fucking letter saying how unreasonable it was and pin it to thr door with a cheque 15 minutes before nursery opened.

3 minutes! Tsk.

AnnPerkins · 15/01/2016 10:50

The OP didn't think she was late. Maybe she wasn't. Nobody on this thread knows that she was. Why would you pay a £90 penalty if you didn't believe you had infringed the T&Cs?

Obviously if the nursery insists on payment or refuses to take the kids any more the OP has no choice but to pay or find somewhere else. Unless she takes legal action which is just not worth the hassle and expense.

Which is all a bit shit really.

MackerelOfFact · 15/01/2016 10:50

Even if staff had to stay late, I bet they won't have seen a penny of that £90. It's just profiteering.

Of course being late isn't acceptable and I would expect a fine of some sort, but certainly nothing more than £25ish for that length of time.

How is the time of arrival recorded? Do you have a fob or something that clocks you in and out or is it just a staff member looking at a clock when they see you and writing it down?

Titsalinabumsquash · 15/01/2016 10:53

That's outrageous! We have an optional 30 minute buffer when collecting at our nursery incase there are older siblings to collect from
School etc, it's £4 for the whole 30 mins. Confused

GloGirl · 15/01/2016 10:53

And I would love my.late payment excuses.

I am struggling for thr money right now , I'll pay it soon. I have the money for fees as we've budgeted for that.

A few weeks later if chased, Aunt Y has said she will loan me thr money, I'm waiting for it.... Now she's in hospital and I can't ask her for it.... Shes died I will have to wait for probate. I'm getting her jewellery collection, I need to sell a piece off.

Here is £3 for 3 minutes, consider it part payment for a pound a minute - Paddington Bear Stare. As often as they ask you.

CoraPirbright · 15/01/2016 10:53

3 minutes is such a tiny variable - i bet if you were to check watches between you and say 5 friends, I bet there would be at least a couple of people with the time 2/3 mins late/fast. I would be querying the fact that you were late - unless they have an atomic clock or a member of staff with the speaking clock on speaker phone then I think its ridiculous, especially as you are not a parent who is consistently late (they should def charge those fuckers.....but £90 is still outrageous).

Cirsium · 15/01/2016 11:01

£90 is extortionate but having been the nursery worker/nanny waiting for a parent, who hasn't even called to say they are running late, to arrive I have more sympathy with the nursery. You may have caused staff to be late for other appointments, collecting their own children or getting home to pets that need feeding and letting out. Before I drove bus times meant that leaving work three minutes late (often more like 10 minutes by the time you had actually left the building) actually meant half an hour or more added to my journey home. I often used to go on to babysitting jobs straight from work or to an evening class to complete my training. More recently it would mean my DH not being able to get to work as we shared a car and he works evenings.

cleaty · 15/01/2016 11:03

Just talk to them OP, they may waive it.

And a £1 a minute is far too low for late fees. £10 for being 10 minutes late is far too low, and is cheap for emergency childcare.

buymeabook · 15/01/2016 11:06

No way would I pay. I would dispute being late, and if they stuck to their guns ask for proof (e.g. evidence of the time you arrived, evidence that the clocks are properly syncronised etc).

IANAL but I doubt that they would be able to enforce it if the charge was called a 'penalty', even if it is accepted that the new charges form part of your contract.

fastdaytears · 15/01/2016 11:07

often more like 10 minutes by the time you had actually left the building

The OP was 3 minutes late, not 10. If you are saying that it takes a further 7 minutes to leave the building then every other parent must be turning up at 4.23 for a 4.30 pick up.

Would you also have charged if the OP had turning up at 4.30 and then spent 3 minutes talking to a member of staff?

MerryMarigold · 15/01/2016 11:11

Overstaying in a carpark, doesn't mean staff have to stay and wait with your car. They're are no legal staff/car ratios to consider

I would like to know how 3 minutes affects this. 15 minutes, yes. 30 minutes, 1 hour. But 3 minutes??? Clearly it doesn't really affect it since many nurseries would not do this. No one is saying that cheeky people who take the mick by coming 30 mins late shouldn't have a penalty. People are outraged by the 3 minutes. I think 15 mins is a sensible cut off. And if you were 3 minutes over the 15 min window, that is actually 18 mins late, so no one is going to be supporting you then.