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.

[Quodlibet]

My childminder's sick pay certainly didn't seem to incentivise her to be well! Quite a high demand for good quality childcare where I am though, so CMs write themselves pretty advantageous contracts. And I never thought to check the fine detail when selecting a CM - think it might influence me to ask for a sample contract if I had to choose another one though. I guess I just assumed people won't be ill that much?

[Tanith]

Well, again, it might seem outrageous, but when you realise that most illnesses a childminder will get are caught from the kids, it starts to make more sense.
Some parents will prefer a childminder who doesn't work when they're ill and are prepared to pay him or her to ensure this.

I've said this many times, because it's always coming up:

You cannot make a sweeping statement that this clause or that charge is unfair/outrageous/pisstaking because we all offer different services and contracts and we're looking to attract different types of parents. You need to look at the whole package, decide if it's for you, and choose to accept it or find a better fit.

All the frothing in the world will not change this. It hasn't changed it in all the time I've been working as a childminder because most parents understand and accept this.

If you're not happy, don't sign up.

[BathtimeFunkster]

Well, again, it might seem outrageous, but when you realise that most illnesses a childminder will get are caught from the kids, it starts to make more sense.

Nope, still doesn't make sense to charge for a service you withdraw at short notice.

If you want an employment contract, then get a job as a nanny.

LOL at there being no such thing as unreasonable Ts&Cs

[Tanith]

If you don't want to sign up to a business's terms and conditions, don't use them.

[BathtimeFunkster]

Businesses are constrained in terms of the Ts&Cs they are allowed to offer.

In my case, with gouging CMs with shit conditions, I just make sure everyone in my extensive circle of parents with childcare needs knows to steer clear.

I recommend childcare on at least a monthly basis, as do other parents (and other CMs). Having shitty policies will hurt your "business" and people will talk about what a gouger you are for trying to enforce a poxy contract with unreasonable terms.

But crack on.

If you are just in the market for parents who enjoy having the piss taken out of them, I'm sure you'll do well.

[Tanith]

If you don't like a business's terms and conditions, don't use them.

[HeadDreamer]

It is difficult to get parents to pay a different amount each month. Not everyone is as organised as you marynary. Most prefer to set up a direct debit.

In fact it's so difficult to chase non payments that my cleaner lady has also gone to a pay the same amount every month approach. She won't do any customer anymore that doesn't do a direct debit! We now pay for 51 weeks of cleaning and that is even out over 12 months. Not sure what she does for customers on Mondays.

[Tanith]

Most teachers prefer the 12 equal payments option, too.

[captaincake]

"If you don't want to sign up to a business's terms and conditions" that has nothing to do with my question of would it be better to do it another way? There is no reason the bank holidays can't be taken into account and the cost split equally over the year ans put on a monthly the same bill. Also a DD will do a flexible amount, like my mobile phone bill etc.

[MrsGradyOldLady]

I agree with you op. I'm self employed (as an accountant) and chose to work 4 days per week. When chosing which day not to work I chose Monday precisely because most bank holidays/inset days fall on a Monday.

I don't see why not charging for bank holidays would result in irregular monthly bills. The annual cost could quite easily be calculated at the beginning of the year and divided by 12. This would be quite simple fit anyone with even basic excel skills.

[Eminybob]

My DS goes to nursery only on Mondays and Fridays as those are the days I work. (And Wednesday's but mil covers those)
I do pay the same all year round regardless. Tbh I'd not really thought about it, I just suck it up. Luckily though I don't work bank holidays. I don't know what we'd do if I had to work them. It must be a pain in the arse.

[Marynary]

It is difficult to get parents to pay a different amount each month. Not everyone is as organised as you marynary. Most prefer to set up a direct debit.

I'm really not that organised. It's really easy to pay by bank transfer or cheque (in the olden days).
Anyway, you don't have to pay the same amount every month if you pay by direct debit e.g. my credit cards just take what I owe each month.

[Tanith]

Captaincake it has everything to do with your question.

Some settings charge for bank holidays; some settings don't charge for bank holidays. Some settings are open on bank holidays.

That's 3 different ways of doing it. You choose the policy that suits your family best.

[Marynary]

*In fact it's so difficult to chase non payments that my cleaner lady has also gone to a pay the same amount every month approach. She won't do any customer anymore that doesn't do a direct debit! We now pay for 51 weeks of cleaning and that is even out over 12 months. Not sure what she does for customers on Mondays.8

Well yes, direct debit is certainly to the advantage of the payee. Not so much for the payer.
I somehow doubt your cleaning lady charges for bank holiday mondays if she doesn't work on those days. No other business could get away with it. They would just lose customers as soon as people realised or people wouldn't use her services on a Monday. It isn't so easy to take your business elsewhere if your child is settled into a nursery and I think that some nurseries/childminder take advantage of that.

[Marynary]

In fact it's so difficult to chase non payments that my cleaner lady has also gone to a pay the same amount every month approach. She won't do any customer anymore that doesn't do a direct debit! We now pay for 51 weeks of cleaning and that is even out over 12 months. Not sure what she does for customers on Mondays.

Well yes, direct debit is certainly to the advantage of the payee. Not so much for the payer.
I somehow doubt your cleaning lady charges for bank holiday mondays if she doesn't work on those days. No other business could get away with it. They would just lose customers as soon as people realised or people wouldn't use her services on a Monday. It isn't so easy to take your business elsewhere if your child is settled into a nursery and I think that some nurseries/childminder take advantage of that.

[ProudAS]

I think it's unacceptable for nurseries to charge for days when they are closed. OK so they still have to pay the staff but a price increase for other sessions would be a fairer way of doing this. It wouldn't make any difference to a family with a full time place as the fee increase would be offset by bank holidays not being charged and it would be fairer on part timers - why should a Monday to Wednesday place cost the same as Tuesday to Thursday when most bank holidays are on Mondays!

[Tanith]

Yes; it ensures the payee is paid for his or her work on time and not when the payer feels like it.
Had you another advantage/disadvantage in mind?

Some people take advantage of small businesses by failing to pay on time, or at all. We do what we can to prevent this.

[Marynary]

Yes; it ensures the payee is paid for his or her work on time and not when the payer feels like it.
Had you another advantage/disadvantage in mind?

I didn't say there was anything wrong with the payee wanting direct debit. HeadDreamer however said that most parents i.e. payers would prefer direct debit though. I don't agree. It is easy enough to pay the bill by bank transfer when you receive it. Either way, the amount doesn't have to be the same each month.

[Tanith]

You said:
Well yes, direct debit is certainly to the advantage of the payee. Not so much for the payer.

I asked if you had another advantage/disadvantage in mind other than the one I stated.

[mrsmugoo]

Our nursery charge only for the days they are open - but they build in the costs of the bank holidays into their overall free structure, obviously.

[Marynary]

Tanith No I don't have another advantage in mind. What is the point of your question??

[Xmasbaby11]

I'm not sure it is difficult to get parents to pay different amounts per month. At the nursery we use, we get an invoice every month and it varies considerably. Last month was £1400. This month is £1100. We've been at the nursery for 3.5 years and there's never been a mistake.

[Tanith]

Mary, the point of my question was to find out if I'd misunderstood your comment

[mrsmugoo]

Yes Xmasbaby - out invoices vary too. Some months are 4 weeks, some are 5. I just pay the amount we owe by bank transfer its so simple!

[missymayhemsmum]

Not sure if bank holidays are all the story- most part timers in office jobs seem to prefer monday or friday off to get a long weekend. Lots of parents shopping for childcare work part time. Therefore there may be less demand for nursery places on Mondays and Fridays.