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Original poster

'retainer' for services during lockdown

86 replies

ughseniorschool · 30/04/2020 14:04

Looking for reasonable thoughts ... we regularly use a pet daycare service to help during the week while husband and I both work full time and have 2 busy children. The service is great - I love knowing dog is having a good day while we cant be with him. The people that work for the service are super friendly and dog seems to really like them. We pay a set amount each month - we agreed to send dog x days per week and we pay even when dog cant go because of sickness, holiday, etc. (I appreciate anyone that will say this is an indulgence - and it is. we are not wealthy but having a happy dog is very important to us so we manage the expense each month.) last month the service sent an email stating they would no longer be providing the service until further notice --- but they would be charging a 25% retainer fee to cover their costs. I am really conflicted about the fee being charged. I understand they have costs to cover - but am also not feeling great about paying indefinitely for a service that we might not use for months and we have our own expenses to manage. I love the service and want them to succeed of course ... just hard to swallow an invoice for essentially nothing.

OP posts:
vanillandhoney · 30/04/2020 17:14

As for dog walkers, why can't they continue to work? Genuine question.

They can, under very limited circumstances. You cannot do group walks, you have to disinfect all surfaces. You can only collect dogs if social distancing can be maintained. If you take a dog in your car, the entire vehicle must be disinfected. You have to provide your own leads and you can't let dogs off leads and must touch them as little as possible.

Gloves should be worn at all times and you can't do things like use your phone while out with the dogs.

For me, it's a case of "Can vs. should". I can work, but it's not safe for me to do so, so I am choosing to remain closed, and I have the complete and total support of all my clients in doing so.

MarieG10 · 30/04/2020 17:15

@puffinandkoala As for dog walkers, why can't they continue to work? Genuine question.

Because they knew some clients would have to stop paying them, so they have furloughed at 80% and trying it on charging retainers.

I think they might get their fingers burnt as I don't think it is legal if claiming furlough payments as essentially they are still conducting their business by charging...probably better off than before!

vanillandhoney · 30/04/2020 17:17

Because they knew some clients would have to stop paying them, so they have furloughed at 80% and trying it on charging retainers.

Most dog-walkers are self-employed and not entitled to anything yet. Nice try, though.

minettechatouette · 30/04/2020 17:23

I wouldn’t be happy about this. Is the business run by a company or a sole trader? What do you think their fixed costs are? Surely employees should be furloughed. Do they rent premises?

MarieG10 · 30/04/2020 17:25

@vanillandhoney

What are you on about that self employed get nothing? Suggest you check you facts about the Self-employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS)

vanillandhoney · 30/04/2020 17:28

What are you on about that self employed get nothing? Suggest you check you facts about the Self-employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS)

Yes, and they're not due to get anything until June. Many (including myself) have received nothing but minimal UC payment since March and won't receive anything else for another eight weeks.

The support available for self-employed workers is pitiful.

boylovesmeerkats · 30/04/2020 17:30

We still pay for a lawn care even if I'm not sure if it's worth it anymore and they haven't touched it since September. I like the people that do it and don't like to think of them out of a job. We're getting paid full wages and saving money on travel and fun so I'm happy to keep paying. If you're struggling financially that's a different conversation to have with them.

SmileyClare · 30/04/2020 17:38

Vanilla I agree, I'm a self employed cleaner with zero income now and I'm still waiting for my first UC claim, despite claiming in March Sad Who knows when we will see the self employed grant. They've said June at the earliest.

Financially I'm in a desperate state, bills are stacking up and my rent is in arrears.

I keep seeing posters on here paying their cleaners. Did you do that voluntarily or did they ask? None of my clients are offering payment.

One of my customers is giving me £30 a week but she will deduct that off my wages when I return. It's a godsend but more of a loan.

SmileyClare · 30/04/2020 17:46

In answer to your question OP, I think it depends on whether your finances have taken a hit. If you're both working from home FT or furloughed then you could afford 25% of the usual bill.

As a rough estimate, say 2 days a week costing you £30 per day would be £240 per month. 25% would be £60 a month retainer.

You're in your rights not to pay but do you have another daycare place you could use near by? I suppose weigh up the cost of retaining your current place with the stress of finding a replacement.

Noflora · 30/04/2020 17:57

SmileyClare I offered. I send her about 2/3rds her normal income every month (2 so far).

Noflora · 30/04/2020 17:58

Oh and she's saying she'll make it up and I'm saying she won't

Invisimamma · 30/04/2020 18:05

Is there a link to say its illegal to bill for services not recieved? I can't find anything about this online.

SmileyClare · 30/04/2020 18:07

Noflora that's kind of you.
This is the trouble, I didn't want to have the embarrassment of asking clients for money. I don't really mind paying back a retainer when I return, although it'll be tight. It's more pride than anything else really!

saraclara · 30/04/2020 18:10

I keep seeing posters on here paying their cleaners. Did you do that voluntarily or did they ask? None of my clients are offering payment.

I offered, @SmileyClare. I pay her cash, and I doubt she has the paperwork to claim anything from the govt. I offered her 50% per week (because she probably only comes three weeks in five as she has some health and family issues, so it won't be far off what she'd normally earn), which she tried to refuse as she wouldn't actually be doing the work, but then was really grateful for when I pushed her to accept. I don't know if any of her other clients are paying anything, but each time I do the PayPal transfer she texts me sounding very appreciative.

SmileyClare · 30/04/2020 18:16

I would imagine anyone working cash in hand (no judgement here!) would be up shit creek now really. There's a massive section of the Italian population working for cash, part of the reason their lockdown caused such poverty and unrest.

MindyStClaire · 30/04/2020 18:50

I get that people businesses face ruin but I presume they stopped providing the business so they could go furloughed but that is taking the utter mick

DD's nursery is charging 30% and we're happy to pay it as we're still being paid in full. We would've been happy to pay in full if it meant the staff got paid but they've all been furloughed.

The owner still has to meet her fixed costs though, and we both value her and want the nursery to be viable to continue. It's a while since I was speaking to her, but at the time she was not sure if she would be eligible for any government help and was talking about how cheap it is to feed herself as she lives alone.

As I said, we're being paid in full and obviously nursery is one of our biggest expenses. The thought that we're making a profit out of all of this makes me feel a bit gross.

Comefromaway · 30/04/2020 18:55

It’s not a bill for services that won’t be provided though. It’s a retainer to “retain/guarantee your place” on their books when they re-open.

It’s entirely up to the OP whether they pay it or not. Do they want to guarantee a space for their dog when the service re-opens or not?

Haggisfish · 30/04/2020 20:31

I insisted on paying my cleaner. I suspect I’m in the modify of her clients.

Haggisfish · 30/04/2020 20:31

Minority, not modify.

Mrsdoubtfireswig · 30/04/2020 20:34

I’m still paying my dog walker. She’s been with us for years and goes out of her way to help us so I’ll do anything to help keep her in business. As long as were getting paid she’s getting paid.

Mrsdoubtfireswig · 30/04/2020 20:43

Oh also it was an offer to my dog walker - she didn’t bill us. She also said no at first but we insisted

converseandjeans · 30/04/2020 20:44

We paid dog walker for full for 3 weeks before Easter hols as she was isolating the week before schools closed. We don't usually pay at Easter so didn't pay then. We only pay £5 per walk x 3 so £15/week. Going to pay £10 a week from now on. She said only a couple more people had offered to pay her. She's been walking our dog for 6 years now & I don't want her to struggle while I still get paid (admittedly I am still working whereas she isn't)

saraclara · 30/04/2020 22:05

I think those of us who are not affected financially should do what we can for the people we rely on. My cleaner might well have clients who can't afford to pay her if they've been furloughed or lost their jobs. It's no skin off my nose to help her out at the moment. And let's face it, it's not like I'm incapable of doing my own cleaning.

Kordelia · 30/04/2020 22:41

I haven’t lost income so I’m paying my dog walker. He certainly didn’t ask, but I said to consider it a retainer fee.

Viviennemary · 30/04/2020 22:51

I too am totally amazed people are forking out for services they no longer get. Will they be paying Starbucks for their coffees or the train companies for journeys to work they no longer make. It's mad.