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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To challenge childminder on holiday charges?

53 replies

Newbiecat · 07/09/2017 14:24

I'm feeling a bit miffed. I've just had my third child who is going to be starting with the childminder soon. My other two children have used the childminder for the last two years. In her contract we are entitled to 4 weeks annual leave a year as is she. The way she works it is that we pay half normal pay for her holidays and half normal pay for ours. We have 3weeks holiday of our own choice and 1week is fixed at Christmas.

The main problem is that my husband and I get 6 weeks annual leave per year. For the extra 2 weeks that we have off, even when she isn't minding the children, she charges full term time fees. From 830 to 615pm on one day. With 3 children this means that for our extra 2 weeks holiday we are paying £575 for her not even to have our children!
I understand that childminders and nurseries charge during holiday times but surely the rate should be reasonable and fixed?

OP posts:

strawberrygate · 07/09/2017 14:26

I take it you signed the contract?

strawberrygate · 07/09/2017 14:26

And i take it she's available to have your children on those extra 2 weeks?

Bobbins43 · 07/09/2017 14:27

For that much money, I would send them, holidays be damned.

Barbie222 · 07/09/2017 14:28

You are paying for their place to be saved. Sounds normal. Childcare costs are part of life with 3 kids.

strawberrygate · 07/09/2017 14:28

Oh, and the rate is fixed; it's your normal daily rate

wheredoesallthetimego · 07/09/2017 14:28

tough. that's her contract. she can't take another child in those two weeks can she. are you expecting her mortgage company to let her off paying because you are on AL? Either send them to her and have some free time, or you need to suck it up.

AlpacaLypse · 07/09/2017 14:28

Unless she sells three spaces for the extra two weeks you are away she's going to be out of pocket. Most of us who work in this type of self employed service provision work on 48 weeks a year employed, four weeks off. You can try renegotiating, but I would imagine her business model is built to cover four weeks holidays not six.

Cakeycakecake · 07/09/2017 14:28

I think she's being reasonable sorry. Replace cm with nursery. Just for arguments sake. They won't let you off fees because you happen to have more time in holiday than they're closed for. You're expected and contractually obliged to pay.
If you don't like the ts &cs you'll have to find another child care provider I guess.

DewDropsonKittens · 07/09/2017 14:29

YABU

The majority of childcare provisions have these kinds of rules, it is perfectly reasonable to offer 4 weeks holiday for the year at half fee.

When you signed the contract did you raise the 6 weeks issue?

Nursery provisions often open for 51 weeks of the year and you have to pay regardless of holiday.

defintelyNCForThisOne · 07/09/2017 14:29

Did she have a gun to your head when you signed the contract? That's about the only scenario I can imagine where I'd suggest you weren't being unreasonable.

Bubblysqueak · 07/09/2017 14:29

You should pay. She can't look after any other children during that time and she will lose a big chunk of her income just because you have decides not to use her. The money will retain your place.

Whinesalot · 07/09/2017 14:29

You are paying her to keep the space free. She could have another client who uses her for those two weeks. annoying but you'll have to suck it up.

Mia1415 · 07/09/2017 14:29

To be honest I think its very generous and unusual that you are paying half fees for the other holidays! At my previous childminder I had to pay for her holidays, my holidays, her sickness (it was capped at 5 days) and DS's sickness.

At his current childminder I have to pay full pay for all my holidays. She doesn't charge for hers (although this is unusual from the other childminders I looked at).

Whinesalot · 07/09/2017 14:31

If f she takes her 4 weeks off, don't you have to cover those with some of your 6 weeks?

Travis1 · 07/09/2017 14:31

YABU, I'd send the children in if you weren't actually going anywhere.

WaxyBean · 07/09/2017 14:31

We always paid full pay for our holidays o/a the childminder was free to have them and nothing for her 2 weeks holiday o/a she wasn't available. I thought this was standard. Sounds like you have a better deal than most.

You can but ask - especially o/a of having 3 children there. But I wouldn't make a big deal of it if she said no as she is available to work and holding a place. She still needs to make a living even if you are on holiday.

LittleLionMansMummy · 07/09/2017 14:31

I think she's being unreasonable for charging you for her holidays tbh. Ours charges 50% retainer for our hols (providing we give at least a week's notice) and nothing for hers. The rest sounds normal.

LonnyVonnyWilsonFrickett · 07/09/2017 14:32

You pay your rent when you're on holiday, you pay for your travel season ticket (although admittedly you can tweak the timings sometimes, but still). You pay for the full month's gym membership and you'd pay for any nursery fees too, because you're paying for the place.

I actually think you're very lucky to get any half-price weeks, we certainly didn't in nursery.

FiveGoMadInDorset · 07/09/2017 14:33

You signed a contract

Lifeofpies · 07/09/2017 14:34

YABU. Standard practice and nothing to quibble about.

heebiejeebie · 07/09/2017 14:34

I think the best way to think about this is that she charges x amount per year for your child. Some charge less per hour but charge for time when the child's not there. Some charge more per hour and 'give' you more free holiday time.

There's no point getting bogged down in the weeks you're not around. Is the annual fee reasonable or could you find the same standard for less per year.

Original poster

Newbiecat · 07/09/2017 14:46

I'm glad I posted on AIBU rather than the childcare thread as I really genuinely wanted true opinions as I don't know many people using a childminder so thanks for replies!
No, I haven't signed the new contract for the baby or the renewed contract for the other 2.
I have emailed her to ask if she would consider reducing the number of hours on holidays at least for my daughter. She has her 3 hours a week in term time as she is older and does after school stuff so I need less childcare provision for her yet in holidays she is charging me for 10 hours for her
I wish I could use a nursery but my job requires me to be there until 6pm one day a week and no nurseries are available to collect at 1815/1830.
We had a nanny a couple of years ago but that didn't work out for long as she fell pregnant within 2 weeks of starting with us and we had all the faff of maternity pay etc

OP posts:

Original poster

Newbiecat · 07/09/2017 14:47

She is £4.40/ hr (no sibling discount)

OP posts:

Mummyoflittledragon · 07/09/2017 14:48

If she's in holidag for 4 weeks and she gives you an extra 3 weeks with one being set then isn't that 7 or 8 weeks? All you can do is your annual leave whe she's on holiday if you cant, or send them in.

PollyFlint · 07/09/2017 14:49

YABU - this is standard practice and the terms of her contract. It's not like she can suddenly magic up more children to mind during the extra two weeks' leave you have in addition to the contracted ones, so why her income halve in those two weeks because you happen to have more leave?

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