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AIBU?

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Original poster

To not pay this childminding bill

546 replies

Ellie6578 · 26/08/2017 11:49

My one year old goes to a childminder 4 days a week whilst I'm working since October last year, I've had no issues so far.

My dd visits her dad for 2 weeks every 6 weeks, so she doesn't go to the childminder during these times (he lives up north and I'm down south) however I understand that I still have to pay for her missed days in order to secure her place (her dad pays for these 2 weeks of missed time) and that's fine as my contract states I have to pay for 4 days a week even if my dd doesn't attend.

She came back this week after only 4 days of being with her dad unlike the normal 14 days. This was because her dad had to go to Germany for a few days for work and my little girl really would not settle with his mum.

I messaged my childminder and said my dd had come home early and would she be able to have her tomorrow as normal. My childminder stated she could not have her for another 4 days as she had taken in another child for childcare which took up my daughters space. Ok I thought, my mum took time off work to look after her.

I got the invoice yesterday and I've been charged for those 4 days even though I was told my daughter couldn't go in because she had filled her space! So if I paid for it, the Childminder's earning double for half the work. Aibu not to pay for those 4 days?!

OP posts:
Roomster101 · 26/08/2017 19:37

Yes, I know Infrequentposter. No idea why Roomster latched onto it the way she did.

I latched onto it because not only did you suggest that OP's CM was fair to double charge (if it was in the contract) but you also suggested that it shouldn't be avoided because parents should give advance notice before going on holiday. You even said it was "disrespectful" to not give advance warning which I think is a bit rich if the advanced warning is being used to give another child a place and double charge .

Tanith · 26/08/2017 19:47

I've already answered all your points, Roomster, and why I have the policies that I do. I'm not doing it again.
You don't agree with me. My parents do. You'll just have to accept that, I'm afraid.

grandOlejukeofYork · 26/08/2017 19:54

Look we have everyone who can see that OP is blatantly in the right, then we have a couple of chippy childminders.
It's not a contentious thread, tbh.

Nena0402 · 26/08/2017 20:05

It's very simple. You pay for a space, the space is yours, whether you use it or not. You shouldn't have to pay for a space if you're not allowed to use it.
If childminder has purposely invoiced OP for those days, she's clearly thought she could earn some extra cash. She's been caught out and now she needs to wipe those days from the OP's invoice. I'm a registered childminder and I use PACEY contracts, I know what I'm talking about here!

Nena0402 · 26/08/2017 20:07

I refute this remark. Im a childminder and fully agree with the OP. A couple of other childminders on this thread also agree with the OP.

grandOlejukeofYork · 26/08/2017 20:10

Then you're on the side with "everyone" aren't you? Because its very simple and obvious to anyone other than those defending dodgy practices for their own reasons.

Roomster101 · 26/08/2017 20:13

You don't agree with me. My parents do. You'll just have to accept that, I'm afraid.

Why do I have to accept that "your" parents agree with your contract terms? It is clear from this thread that you have very different ideas about fairness compared with the majority of people.

SpiritedLondon · 26/08/2017 20:18

I'm sure lots of parents don't encounter this issue because they don't have a set up where their child is elsewhere for 2 weeks as in this case. I think it is disingenuous to say that parents are " happy" with a situation of this type when they probably haven't picked up that this situation could arise. If of course a CM wants to come and give us another example where they have sold a parents place elsewhere and the parent was indeed " happy" with that then I'm sure we'll all be interested.

BoneyBackJefferson · 26/08/2017 20:27

Surely before the OP risks being taken to court over this she should get professional guidance.

Skittykitty · 26/08/2017 20:28

Look we have everyone who can see that OP is blatantly in the right, then we have a couple of chippy childminders.

The attitutide on MN towards childminders is that we're all rip off merchants out to pull a fast one whilst plonking your child in front of the TV for eight hours....

I'm one of the 'chippy' childminders. I've advised the OP to speak calmly to her CM about the matter to reach an agreeable solution.

Notagainmun · 26/08/2017 20:29

I am a childminder and YANBU. If you pay for a space you should be able to use it. I would be a bit irritated with only twenty our hours warning as with one less child I might have made plans for the next day already but I would not have taken on another child and be paid twice for the same space.

Janeismymiddlename · 26/08/2017 20:30

Professional guidance? You really think that a judge in a small claims case would say it's reasonable to pay for a place you were not allowed to use?

grandOlejukeofYork · 26/08/2017 20:31

The attitutide on MN towards childminders is that we're all rip off merchants out to pull a fast one whilst plonking your child in front of the TV for eight hours

No it isn't. But you aren't doing yourself any favours by defending this blatant cheating by a cm!

BoneyBackJefferson · 26/08/2017 20:35

Janeismymiddlename

You really think that a judge in a small claims case would say it's reasonable to pay for a place you were not allowed to use?

I have no more idea than many of those stating that the OP is entirely correct without seeing the details of the contract.

RandomDent · 26/08/2017 20:36

I'm assuming a copy and paste fail.

Skittykitty · 26/08/2017 20:39

Where have a I defended it? Ive advosed the OP that rather than going in all guns blazing she needs to speak calmly to the CM to find out exactly what she's been charged for and why and why the space wasn't available when needed. Also that she needs to clarify the position moving forward otherwise resentment will build, on both sides, and ruin the working relationship.

Refusing to pay, making demands, correcting the invoice and passively aggressively saying "I think you made an error", stating no notice of the days required will be given in future, and so on - all things suggested on this thread - will only serve to piss people off and make the situation worse.

OP should make an appointment with the CM for a one to one discussion about the invoice and should seek clarification of the policy on retained spaces and the fees for them. She should explain that she isn't happy and why. If they can reach an agreement on the issue then that's grand, if they can't then the OP can consider her options such as seeking new childcare, but kicking off and presuming the CM is pullong a fast one helps no one.

iamyourequal · 26/08/2017 20:39

Yanbu OP. You CM is being greedy and unreasonable. If she is able to fill the days you child is away she should come clean with you and refund the money you pay as a retainer for these days. It's common decency. I was a CM myself for a couple of years and would never had acted like that. I also let my clients have x weeks holiday per year where they didn't have to pay because I felt that was a reasonable thing to do.

Skittykitty · 26/08/2017 20:40

And it's impossible to say if the contract has been breached without viewing the contract.

keyboardjellyfish · 26/08/2017 20:44

YANBU. Space unavailable and kid available you shouldn't pay. Space available and kid unavailable you should pay. She's taking the piss.

keyboardjellyfish · 26/08/2017 20:45

(also a childcare provider if that makes any difference)

AntInvasion · 26/08/2017 21:30

In favour of the childminder. OP has a contract and has to pay if her child doesn't attend, which is stanard practice. She had given notice that she wouldn't require the childminder's service for said two weeks. Then with less than 24 hours notice said she wanted childminder to take the child. The reason why the childminder couldn't /wouldn't take the child is irrelevant, whether it's looking after another child or something else. It was too short notice. The number of people that seem to think childminders should be a parents' beck and call...Hmm

This is why I advise anyone not to be a childminder. No I'm not one and never would be, after seeing the crap parents would pull with my mum, who was a childminder.

Babbitywabbit · 26/08/2017 21:37

The reason she couldn't take the child is totally relevant!! She couldn't take the child because she had sold the place to another customer and was over her quota!

Babbitywabbit · 26/08/2017 21:39

Does anyone seriously believe that a place paid for at full price is the same as a vacancy?

Skittykitty · 26/08/2017 21:41

She wasn't over her quota. You can have as many children as you like on your books, ratios refer to number of children being minded at any one time (and even then you can get exemptions from Ofsted under certain cirumstances).

Standard ratio is six children under the age of eight at any one time, no more than three under the age of five and (generally speaking) no more than one under the age of one. You can have as many children over the age of eight as you like, they don't count in the ratios, provided that their care does not impact on the younger ones. So I could have twenty children on my books, so long as I only mind six of them at a time.

Babbitywabbit · 26/08/2017 21:45

The op said that because the other child had a high level of need, she could not mind the Ops dd at the same time. Therefore she had booked the new child during time that the OP had paid for, knowing she couldn't look after both

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