Late collection fees.

[3ddisfun]

Dd1 and Dd2 attend the local secondary school and Dd3 is in afternoon nursery in a local primary. It is an unusual situation where the principal of the secondary is an executive head of the primary too.
On Tuesday it was the secondary parents evening. I booked slots to end some 35 minutes before Dd3 after-school club pick up time.
She probably attends on average once a month so is not a regular attendee but we always arrive some 10 minutes before pick up.
So Dd3 was in after-school club to enable me to concentrate on the older girls parents evening as dh was working away.
So despite having the first appointments possible we were delayed and ended up being 3 minutes late for pick up.
We have been charged £5.00 for this.
Aibu to have hoped that given my explanation and apology that this fee should have been waived.
I could understand if this was a common problem but it is the only time I have been late.
So AIBU to be disappointed and should I just pay the invoice or complain.

In answer to your question re their own children they do not have any young children so they definitely won't be pick up own DC.
Although I accept that their tine is still valuable and I apologized. The £1.00 late payment fee min. £5.00 is unlikely to go in their pockets.

So they rang at approx 6.01.

If you normally pick up at least ten minutes early then by 6.01 you were significantly late for you. It's good safeguarding to check you're actually on your way and not unconscious or on a plane to Majorca or something.

too why call bull? Why do you think only ops childcare charges a late fee?

Charging a late fee is not unusual

No problem with them ringing.

I work in childcare and several people have taken the Mickey when we have let them off for being a few minutes late. They get later and later then get offended when we charged. So no we have a no tolerance approach. It is a long hard day in this field and resentment builds when we are unable to leave work on time.

I understand it works both ways and that is fair enough. I certainly have no plans to be late again. Actually next time I will make parents evening later and not spend money on after school club.

Invoice paid online.