to wonder why nursery's charge for bank holidays

[captaincake]

Just wondering really because it comes up a fair bit at the toddler groups etc. I do understand that they still have their costs but around here every nursery you contact tries to get you to sign up for a Monday and Friday. Sometimes they will say if you start on a Monday and Friday then they will change the days after a period of time. This is because everyone flatly refuses those, especially Mondays, because they don't want to have to pay when they're shut all the time. So many times I've heard oh yes we looked around there but i'm not sending him/her because they only had monday/friday. I wonder if they didn't charge when they were shut, or opened, that so many more people would take those days that they would cover the bank holidays anyway. I left work now but when I was I couldn't do a monday because I still had to work bank holidays, so if I did that every bank holiday I would have to unsettle DC with different childcare that I probably wouldn't be able to find anyway, and pay twice when I wouldn't have been getting paid any extra.

[HeadDreamer]

Yes, it's charged based on the nursery being open.

[HeadDreamer]

That's my assumption. Because all they did is having a fee for how many days your child attends. There isn't a breakdown of sessions open and then split the cost over 12 months. I assume there's some calculation of costs, based on expenses etc, and then they come up with a fee. Or that they compare themselves with the other nurseries in the area. Baby spaces are very scarce and you put your name down while pregnant. DD2 was lucky because she's a september born and there are lots of places available. DD1 was a spring born and didn't get in our preferred nursery until september.

[HeadDreamer]

What I mean is the introductory pack has a monthly fee based on the number of days your child attend.

[BathtimeFunkster]

But here we are talking about customers being charged the full day rate for days the nursery is closed.

Not only that, but instead of charging pro-rata for part timers and splitting the costs of bank holidays between all the customers, people who use the service on Mondays, regardless of how many days their children are present each week, are being charged for 4 extra days per year above what they receive.

That is a rip off.

[HeadDreamer]

There's no need for them to be giving out bank holiday discounts. The nursery is in a well to do area and most of the parents will be paid monthly anyway. In fact there are many nannies picking up from the nursery. You an easily spot them as they'll be parked in the car park during pick up time. Instead of rushing in, picking up child and leave asap.

[BathtimeFunkster]

What I mean is the introductory pack has a monthly fee based on the number of days your child attends

But do you know whether you are being charged for the week the nursery is closed?

I would want to know.

[BathtimeFunkster]

It is not a "discount" if you don't charge people for a service you have not provided.

[HeadDreamer]

people who use the service on Mondays, regardless of how many days their children are present each week, are being charged for 4 extra days per year above what they receive

I was fully aware of that . That's why during my year of maternity leave for DD2, I didn't use Mondays for DD1. I know I'll get a raw deal if I opt for a Monday for her normal days.

[HeadDreamer]

BathtimeFunkster There's no discount for days closed because you don't get a lower price if you use a Monday. It's based solely on number of days you picked. For example, a child using mon to weds is paying the same as one who uses wed to fri.

[BathtimeFunkster]

That is a rip off, and based on greed and sharp practices.

I would not want my children cared for by an organisation prepared to do that.

[HeadDreamer]

I would because I've used another nursery for DD1 before she got her place at this one. It's ofsted outstanding and I can see the big difference. It's highly recommended by every parent I know too. In the other nursery, DD1 was getting a lot of nappy rashes. It all stopped when she switched nursery. DD2 never got one from this one either. DD1 always used to come home a bit smelly and very filthy too.

[BaskingTrout]

DD is only in nursery on Mondays and Fridays. but if a Monday is a BH then they let me swap to a different day. obviously it means I still have to sort out childcare for that day, as I work all BH's, but at least I feel like I'm still getting my money's worth from nursery.

[champagneplanet]

Ours doesn't charge for bank holidays, or the two week Christmas break and we get a maximum of two weeks at 50% of the rate for holidays, etc.

I've never heard of one that does charge for BHs until now.

[Notagainmun]

I am a childminder (day off before I get flamed for posting) and I don't charge for BHs. I would like to expand my business a little and employ an assistant but I would have to pay holiday pay etc and to do that I would have to increase my fees which would mean I am no longer competitive in my area and I would loose clients to cheaper providers.

The financial logistics of running a nursery are a nightmare. It is sad to read that some customers don't value the staff that work bloody hard to look after their children and don't feel they deserve paid BHs because the income has to come from somewhere.

I agree with the poster who said read the contract. If you don't like the T&Cs don't sign it and go else where - simple.

[Tfoot75]

As has been said, only 4 Monday's out of 52 are bank holidays and one friday. I can't imagine the fact that the nursery only has places on these days is anything to do with paying for bank holidays! Presumably if it's open during school holidays the vast majority of its users are employed and arrange childcare around their working hours.

The rationale is probably that they think most of their users have one parent who does not work bank holidays, and both who are paid for bank holidays (sounds like a reasonable assumption for the average salaried employee) so paying for bank holidays but not using the nursery is quite reasonable? The staff are paid so every nursery will need to cover this in their fees somehow!

[captaincake]

Try reading what i've actually written not i don't use a nursery, value the care and of course they ahould have their paid time off. The question is fuck all to do with that the question is would it be better for them and the parents to split the fixed cost of salaries the same as all the other fixed costs amongst all the users rather than a minority of them

[Marynary]

I'm always amazed at what people consider to be acceptable when it comes to nurseries and childminders. They are businesses and therefore should only be charging when they are providing a service just like any other business. The fact that they have to pay their staff for bank holidays and annual leave is not relevant. They should factor that in when working out the daily rate.

It is the non-transparency and sneakiness of the extra charges which I think is unacceptable . The nursery dd went to was owned by accountants and many of the parents were solicitors (due to the area it was in). Unsurprisingly they didn't charge for bank holidays or any other days they were closed. Everything was totally fair and transparent.

As for the suggestion that the parents should read the contract... do they actually spell out clearly in the contract that they will close on bank holidays etc but will charge parents as if they are open? I bet they generally don't.

[BathtimeFunkster]

Exactly, Mary

[annoyedofnorwich]

Surely those that say they don't charge for bank holidays etc. just charge slightly more the rest of the time. Isn't it easier to have the same bill every month instead off one that chops and changes? Take the overall bill for the year, split into 12, you get a monthly bill. No faffing around about odd days here and there. Especially if paying by direct debit.

[captaincake]

There's no reason it wouldn't be a yearly bill split into 12 paid monthly? Not sure what you're getting at there.

[annoyedofnorwich]

Thought you were saying you just want to pay for days you're there- which would surely be different each month?

[Quodlibet]

My CM charges for BHs, paid holiday and paid sick pay. We use her Monday and Tuesday and so get fewer days for our 52-week-a-year payment than the parents who use her weds-thurs. We are both self-employed so don't get paid BH, holiday or sick pay. For us the equation doesn't add up anymore (in the last year we've paid for 8 paid days holiday, 5 days sick, 3 bank holidays = 16 x £60 = £960 paying for childcare we couldn't use!) and we are moving to a nursery where we at least won't be paying holiday and sick pay and don't have Mondays.

I am all for employee rights, but frankly when so many of us are trying to eke out childcare costs with little employment stability ourselves it does sting.

[Marynary]

Surely those that say they don't charge for bank holidays etc. just charge slightly more the rest of the time.

Not necessarily. Even if they did charge more, at least the charges would be more transparent and fair. If any other business charged it's customers when they were closed for business people would vote with their feet.

Isn't it easier to have the same bill every month instead off one that chops and changes? Take the overall bill for the year, split into 12, you get a monthly bill. No faffing around about odd days here and there. Especially if paying by direct debit.

I can't see what is difficult about paying a different amount each month. The nurseries my children went to presented the bill and I did a bank transfer. Hardly taxing. Even if it was more difficult I would prefer that to paying for extra.

[Marynary]

My CM charges for BHs, paid holiday and paid sick pay.

She charges when she is sick? That is outrageous. I'm all for employee rights too but childminders are not employees. It seems that some don't quite understand that..

[BathtimeFunkster]

Talk about perverse incentives - charging people when you don't provide a service at no notice and create considerable inconvenience for them.