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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To question nursery bill?

93 replies

kmwmh5 · 03/12/2021 19:21

Hi all
Just after opinions on whether I am being unreasonable... Our nursery contacted us a few months ago and said that they would like to close on Christmas Eve to give staff the day off after a difficult year. Me and my partner replied immediately to say we were happy with this and arranged to take the time off work to accommodate. It recently came to ljght that despite the closure we were still being expected to pay full price for both of our children for Christmas Eve. Whilst I completely understand that staff have worked very hard this year, and support them having Christmas Eve off, am I unreasonable to be surprised that we are still being charged full price for both children? This isn't a small sum of money and when I queried with them, the response was that we were the only people who have questioned it and that staff have worked without complaint all year.
I'm very grateful to the nursery staff and have nothing but praise for them, but my partner works in an industry that has been impacted by the pandemic and we aren't in a financial position to pay for childcare we aren't receiving as well as taking time off work. I feel we have been put in a tricky situation and that the implication is that we are being ungrateful for questioning the bill. Appreciate your thoughts!

OP posts:
Eatingsoupwithafork · 03/12/2021 20:24

Yes we also pay for the Christmas break, bank holidays and any holidays we take in full too… I didn’t realise that wasn’t the norm!

roses2 · 03/12/2021 20:32

Those of you who pay for closed periods. Are you sure you are paying 52 weeks per year of fees? My sons nursery worked out the number of days per year they were open and divided by 12 so we paid a set monthly fee so same fee in December as eg March.

SpiderinaWingMirror · 03/12/2021 20:47

At dds nursery, they closed Xmas week but the fees were charged for 51 weeks per year.

LethargicActress · 03/12/2021 20:50

You have every right to complain about this, especially as you have two children there. Even though they are out of order, it’s going to be best to approach it nicely, and maybe agree to compromise on paying for one child only that day.

sjxoxo · 03/12/2021 20:51

YANBU. I’m sure they’ve worked the rest of the year with no complaints and that they’ve been paid as is inline with the law?! They are choosing to close, you shouldn’t be paying. Ask other parents as I can’t believe you would be ‘the only ones’ as they’ve said.. I suspect they’ve said that to everyone!! X

CustardGoodJamGoodMeatGood · 03/12/2021 20:51

I thought paying for days the nursery closed was the norm ha, I don't agree with it but our nursery fees are solit across 52 weeks. One of DD's nursery days is a Monday so we have all the bank holidays too and are still payable as well as the week they're closed for Christmas.

GiltEdges · 03/12/2021 20:52

@LunarEclipseWinterSolstice

I work in a nursery. We are closing the Christmas week this year as a "treat", which we don't normally do. The parents are still paying in full, but we are not getting paid bar Christmas day, boxing day and new years day 😒
That's shocking! Shock
Kbyodjs · 03/12/2021 21:04

I would have assumed that you didn’t need to pay; my DCs nursery is closed from 23rd until 4th jan with no fees payable

WimpoleHat · 03/12/2021 21:08

that staff have worked without complaint all year

For which, presumably, they’ve been paid (and allocated holiday time in line with their contracts)? You’re not unreasonable at all. If the nursery wants to give its staff the day off? Fine. But they pay for it.

WhenSepEnds · 03/12/2021 21:09

@UnderBlanket

Our nursery shuts for 2 weeks over Christmas. Full fees still payable Angry
Can they do that?! You're not receiving a service?
honeylulu · 03/12/2021 21:12

If that's in the contract then they can do it. My youngest's nursery had in the contract that they were closed a week between Christmas and New year and the monthly fees were for 51 weeks but spread over 12 monthly payments if that made sense.

My eldest's nursery were right CFs I thought. The contract said they were open every week save for Bank Holidays which were payable regardless. But then you'd get a newsletter announcing Christmas eve and new years eve closing 1pm SHARP. I refused to pay for half days when the agreed service wasn't available and deducted it from the payment. They tried to argue with me but didn't have a leg to stand on legally (I'm a solicitor).

We also used to get leant on not to send our child in between Christmas and New year "because the staff really need a holiday". My answer was tough, if you're charging for that week and it's in the contract that you're open I will use the service I've paid for if I need to. I did offer one year that if they waived the fees for that week I'd agree not to send my child in. Strangely they weren't interested in that!

sofakingcool · 03/12/2021 21:23

@LunarEclipseWinterSolstice

I work in a nursery. We are closing the Christmas week this year as a "treat", which we don't normally do. The parents are still paying in full, but we are not getting paid bar Christmas day, boxing day and new years day 😒
Aren't those days at the weekend anyway @LunarEclipseWinterSolstice ? Do you normally work weekends?
traka · 03/12/2021 21:24

My daughter goes to Busy Bees twice a week. One of the days is a Monday and when it's a bank holiday we still have to pay even though the nursery isn't open

It has never sat right with me. We're paying for the service but not receiving it. IMO there should be no charge on any day when the nursery isn't open

TheSnowyOwl · 03/12/2021 21:30

We have to pay for 51 weeks of the year, including the bank holidays. Based on PP it sounds like we are lucky to not have to pay for the week between Christmas and New Year. We do have to pay for all bank holidays if the child usually attends on that day though.

Mrsdoubtfireswig · 03/12/2021 21:33

Ours closes on bank holidays and half day Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. We still pay for these days but it is called out in the contract up front before they start and also on the website so you’re well aware before signing up.

We only need 4 days a week so didn’t choose the Monday off (to save effectively wasting 8 bank hols) but I don’t begrudge the half days for Christmas and new year.

What does annoy me though is the nursery’s own exclusion policies for things that nhs say they don’t need to be off for and that you still have to pay for (5 days for HFM). We weren’t told about any of those up front…

EarringsandLipstick · 03/12/2021 21:34

I'm in Ireland. Creche I used closed from Christmas Eve until first working day after New Year's Day & we paid. (Some of these days were public holidays of course, others weren't)

Was standard for anywhere I knew.

However, as this is a change in previously agreed arrangements, I do not feel they should / can charge.

TheLette · 03/12/2021 21:34

What do the terms and conditions say? Our nursery closed for the Christmas period and we have to pay for those days. Annoying but it's in the terms and conditions and very clearly stated too.

If you never agreed this upfront then no they can't just decide to not provide a service but still demand payment.

HaaaaaveyoumetTed · 03/12/2021 21:44

Ours is open 49.7 weeks but we pay an equal amount each month. We pay for closure days.

It's a great nursery, I don't begrudge it.

Ours is closed 24th- first Monday in January (as long not bank hol). As are all nurseries near us. Makes working over Christmas and New year a pain.

MindyStClaire · 03/12/2021 22:02

@roses2

Those of you who pay for closed periods. Are you sure you are paying 52 weeks per year of fees? My sons nursery worked out the number of days per year they were open and divided by 12 so we paid a set monthly fee so same fee in December as eg March.
This is the way ours work too.

They decided a few months ago to close for a couple of extra days this Christmas, I think they've already been refunded to us.

I'd be very very unhappy if we were paying and the staff weren't being paid.

LunarEclipseWinterSolstice · 03/12/2021 22:17

Yes those days fall at the weekend which we don't work, so we get the next following working days off (Mon and Tues) . The Monday and Tuesday we get paid for(plus Monday 3rd Jan as 1st is a weekend) , but the rest of the time we are closed we don't get paid. Parents pay for the whole time. Hope I've explained that in a way that's not totally confusing 🙈

LunarEclipseWinterSolstice · 03/12/2021 22:19

Sorry that was for @sofakingcool Smile

sofakingcool · 03/12/2021 22:28

@LunarEclipseWinterSolstice

Yes those days fall at the weekend which we don't work, so we get the next following working days off (Mon and Tues) . The Monday and Tuesday we get paid for(plus Monday 3rd Jan as 1st is a weekend) , but the rest of the time we are closed we don't get paid. Parents pay for the whole time. Hope I've explained that in a way that's not totally confusing 🙈
Oh I get you! I totally misread your original post (got Covid - brain fog joy!)
LunarEclipseWinterSolstice · 03/12/2021 22:31

That's OK don't worry- I'm on day 4 of covid, I know the struggle!

wouldthatbeworse · 03/12/2021 22:36

Ours is shut for about 10 days. Fees still payable. All made very clear in advance. I bloody hope they’re paying the staff!

CreamFirstThenJamOnTop · 03/12/2021 22:36

They really should have made it clear when they initially raised the plan. May well be that others haven’t noticed it on the invoice and that’s why they’ve not questioned it.

Our nursery don’t charge for any days they’re closed. They are open all through the holidays except for bank holidays.
We do have to pay for days off sick or on holidays but I think that’s fair.