Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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:
Babbitywabbit · 26/08/2017 16:52

And if there's a 48 hour rule about changes/ cancellation in the contract and the OP only gave 24 hours notice, absolutely fair enough, cm charges as usual.

But that still doesn't explain why the cm felt it was ok to sell a space which wasn't vacant

Tanith · 26/08/2017 16:52

Babbitty As I said in my original post, she needs to check her contract. I've already answered her query in some detail there and I think, if you read it, you'll have your answer.

Roomster101 · 26/08/2017 16:54

It's not a ridiculous contract term and you are trying to criticise childminding settings for not being nursery-like enough for you.

It is a ridiculous contract term. I'm not just comparing with nurserys, I'm comparing with all businesses.

grandOlejukeofYork · 26/08/2017 16:55

None of that has anything at all to do with the matter at hand. It's not about the notice, its that the CM sold the childs reserved space to someone else, thereby charging 2 clients for the same 1 space.
In other words: cheating the OP.
Stop wittering on about your notice periods. If you charge two people for one spot, you are a con artist, whether you have written it into your contract or not.

Msqueen33 · 26/08/2017 16:55

If OP was a continuous piss taker I could understand. But the CM just said she couldn't take her as she'd sold her space even though OP was paying for it like she does when her dd is normally not there. On this occasion she needed her space and CM had filled it. No I don't think it's fair. It's about being respectful and not taking the piss. CM shouldn't have charged her. She missed four days so OP could have had her mum two days and CM the other two but CM couldn't as she'd used the space for another kid. So OP could have given some notice but it still didn't change anything.

Skittykitty · 26/08/2017 16:55

OP, the surest way to ruin your working relationship with your CM is to go in all guns blazing, accusing her of cheating/robbing you, refusing to pay the bill, demanding that the space is always kept empty, and telling her that you will no longer provide notice of attendance or non-attendance.

First thing I'd do if a parent did that is to give them their four weeks notice (which is payable whether used or not) because I can't work with someone who is going to storm about issuing ultimatums and making demands in that way.

What you need to do is to book an appointment with your CM for a face to face discussion about this. Ask her to explain what you've been charged for and why and what her policy is regarding retained spaces - bear in mind that policies are separate from contracts and every CM sets his/her own policies, what is in the contract is usually a clause stating that you have read and understood the policies and agree to be bound by them. Explain your side of it, that you paid for the space and expected to be able to use it and that you were put out that this wasn't possible. Try find a mutually agreeable way forward before going to extremes or kicking off.

60percentbanana · 26/08/2017 16:56

A parent isn't obliged to give notice of their leave regardless of the contract, and they would have no motivation to do so if there was no financial incentive in it for them. You can't compel parents to give notice, and if you treat them like crap why should they?

It's good manners for parents to tell you at some point though, if only via a quick text on the morning the child is due so that the rest of the littlies aren't sat waiting.

Babbitywabbit · 26/08/2017 16:57

Tanith I've read the whole thread and I cant see anyone who is defending the cm actually responding to the fact that a place which is booked and paid in full as 'held open space' is not the same thing as a 'vacant' space. And given that technically the cm did not have an available space to sell the other child, she's breaching the contract

MumsOnCrack · 26/08/2017 16:57

Take it to Judge Rinder! Smile

TipTopTipTopClop · 26/08/2017 16:59

^I had 2 of my minded children book a holiday for the same day. Doing so meant that I wasn't working and my mum offered to treat us to a spa weekend which was lovely and wouldn't have been possible if I hadn't had the friday off work due to travel time, picking my mum up etc.
On the Thursday, one of the parents turned around and said that actually she did need me. I said I'd made plans and she said she wasn't prepared to pay since the childcare wasn't available. However, I was really struggling financially and I would never have booked the day off myself as I couldn't afford to not earn that day. My mum and I ended up not going away as I really couldn't afford to lose the £40 at that time.^

You're self-employed, presumably, which means you're not paid for holidays. I would be circumspect about making any expensive plans under these circumstances.

Tanith · 26/08/2017 16:59

"I am saying that they shouldn't have to give you 48 hours notice. "
In your opinion. My parents are happy with the arrangement.

"If they told you the night before or first thing that morning it would prevent your DH turning up to the school unnecessarily. "
Or indeed if they'd adhered to our policy.

If you had booked tickets for an event a child would love, why didn't you tell the parents in the first place?? Then presumably they wouldn't have cancelled the night before.

Why do you assume they weren't told?? I need their permission to arrange the trip!

You can't complain about food being wasted if parents are paying you for that food.
I don't charge extra for specialist food items as I think that's unfair.

ssd · 26/08/2017 17:01

happy days

another thread the op has barely replied to

Jaxhog · 26/08/2017 17:01

No that's not acceptable. If you're paying for the space,then the space needs to be available for you to use.
This

grandOlejukeofYork · 26/08/2017 17:01

Tanit, never mind about notice. Would you, or would you not, sell a space to someone when another client was already paying full price to keep that space for themselves? Yes or no?

Skittykitty · 26/08/2017 17:01

A retainer can be whatever amount the CM likes and around here it's not uncommon for it to be the full fees amount. A retainer ensures the space is not given away permanently to a new mindee and to ensure the space is available next time it's needed. For example, I once had a mindee who only came in term time. I charged a retainer for the school holidays to reserve their place ready for September. I still took on work in the school holidays but turned down work for September as the space was already bookmarked for that child.

This is why OP needs to speak to her CM as something has gotten lost somewhere along the line and resentment is only going to build the more it's speculated upon. A calm, adult discussion is needed.

Jaxhog · 26/08/2017 17:02

And given that technically the cm did not have an available space to sell the other child, she's breaching the contract
And this

Skittykitty · 26/08/2017 17:03

Without seeing exactly what the contract states it's not possible to say that it's been breached.

Doglikeafox · 26/08/2017 17:04

No it doesn't take 48 hours but I was responding to someone who said that they could just not turn up. Meaning I wouldn't know until they were already late that they weren't coming!

Tanith · 26/08/2017 17:04

Babbity you haven't even seen the contract!

Tanith · 26/08/2017 17:06

Grandoljukeofyork I've already answered that question.

Doglikeafox · 26/08/2017 17:07

Why didn't I tell the parents? Because I see each parent for about 2 minutes in the morning and maybe 5 in the evening and have a whole host of other more important things to tell them, like what we did that day, how their child has been/eaten/slept.

60percentbanana · 26/08/2017 17:09

Some people have said that a retainer should be charged rather than full fee to hold the space if the childminder intends to fill it, but in most contracts a retainer can only be charged for a space which is available to the parent. Even if the cm hard charged a 50% retainer rather than full fee the space should have been available for her use subject to the contractual notice being given and payment being topped up to full fee for the time used.

Roomster101 · 26/08/2017 17:13

In your opinion. My parents are happy with the arrangement.

You don't actually know that they are happy. They're not likely to make a fuss if childcare is in short supply in your area as often seems to be the case and other childminders are saying the same thing. Ultimately many parents will feel they have no choice but to sign the contract and then pretend their child is sick which will mean you won't even get notice the night before.

I assumed that the parents weren't told because you said that the child would have loved the event so it would seem odd for her to turn up under the circumstance.

Janus · 26/08/2017 17:13

It's definitely not on, if you pay for your space you should be entitled to your space. If she's bought something like cinema tickets and taking all children out and therefore can't accommodate your child I would maybe understand and then may expect to be charged (would hope not to be honest) but this can't happen for 4 days can it?

Autofillcontact · 26/08/2017 17:22

This is such a strange thread

OP I am sure that she will back down when you email her because she shouldn't be double charging for one space, as most of us know.

If she doesn't back down, I can only conclude she's supremely thick.

I hope most people realise you can't put any old thing in a contract and expect a court to uphold it? Not that she'll take you to court anyway. Don't know why that's even a consideration- forget about contracts and just do what you know is right

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.

Join Mumsnet Log In

This thread is closed and is no longer accepting replies. Click here to start a new thread.