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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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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:

roses2 · 04/12/2021 12:18

@Ilovegreentomatoes

Seriously even if you could send your child in xmas eve would you want to? Most ppl are of xmas eve and would want to spend it with their children?

Most people who send their kids to nursery are working. So if the OP is working of course they would send them in Christmas Eve.

honeylulu · 04/12/2021 12:36

@roses2

Yup. My office and my husband's office are open Christmas eve as usual. If course we'd like to book it as holiday but it's often just not possible.

Original poster

kmwmh5 · 04/12/2021 12:53

@Ilovegreentomatoes

Seriously even if you could send your child in xmas eve would you want to? Most ppl are of xmas eve and would want to spend it with their children?

Wow - well this completely misses my point. I've explained that I have already booked the time off. My query was about the bill, not whether or not I should send them. Of course I want to spend Christmas Eve with my children... everyone does. Not everyone has the choice though.... bit harsh to assume anyone who has to work is opting not to spend the time with their children...

OP posts:

CastleCrasher · 04/12/2021 12:59

Ours you have to pay for their closures at Christmas, Easter and summer. That's normal here but if it's not where you are than they are being V unreasonable!

Original poster

kmwmh5 · 04/12/2021 13:08

@CastleCrasher

Ours you have to pay for their closures at Christmas, Easter and summer. That's normal here but if it's not where you are than they are being V unreasonable!

Not normal for our nursery, so sounds like I have it better than others! We have paid the bill, but just not happy with how it's been dealt with. Very appreciate of the staff though - they do a great job!

OP posts:

shuetust · 04/12/2021 13:35

@qualitygirl

This thread makes me so happy that I only ever paid for childcare that I actually used!! If my dc were sick I didn't pay...if I collected them early I didn't pay...if I canceled last minute I didn't pay!

You were lucky to have this option, most don't. It's a very strange thing to boast about but I'm glad you're so happy 🙄 🤨

OnceuponaRainbow18 · 04/12/2021 13:38

We wouldn’t have to pay, shocked others do and pay for bank holidays?!!! That’s outrageous, especially if staff aren’t being paid

icedcoffees · 04/12/2021 13:38

@Ilovegreentomatoes

Seriously even if you could send your child in xmas eve would you want to? Most ppl are of xmas eve and would want to spend it with their children?

I don't think most people ARE off Christmas Eve, are they?

It's not a holiday - it's a normal working day for most people.

TheSnowyOwl · 04/12/2021 20:09

@Ilovegreentomatoes

Seriously even if you could send your child in xmas eve would you want to? Most ppl are of xmas eve and would want to spend it with their children?

Neither DH nor I have Christmas Eve off as standard. Of my close friends, none of them do either.

PrtScn · 04/12/2021 22:17

@Ilovegreentomatoes

Seriously even if you could send your child in xmas eve would you want to? Most ppl are of xmas eve and would want to spend it with their children?

I work Christmas Eve so I have to take the day off (and still pay the nursery!!). So yes I would send mine to nursery still if they were open. Likewise the previous nursery (closed down because of the pandemic), were open the three days between Christmas and NY so even though my work was closed I still sent him to nursery for some peace and quiet! This nursery though is closed so I will have to look after my own little darling for 2 weeks straight. I feel hard done by and going back to work will be a rest lol.

BarkminsterBlue · 04/12/2021 22:31

Beyond cheeky to charge you a full day's fees. At the very least they could deduct the cost of the food, resources etc which won't be used on that day.

You are right to query it. We use a childminder now but when DD was in nursery they had to close for a morning due to a building fault. I asked for a partial refund and the manager gave us it without question but she told me she had been instructed by head office only to give refunds to parents who asked explicitly for them.

BarkminsterBlue · 04/12/2021 22:34

@Ilovegreentomatoes

Seriously even if you could send your child in xmas eve would you want to? Most ppl are of xmas eve and would want to spend it with their children?

'Most' people aren't off on Christmas Eve. It's a working day. If you're lucky you might get an early finish but if you work for a company which closes between Christmas and NY and forces you to take part of your annual leave for this period then you may not have a day spare to book leave on the 24th.

Siennabear · 05/12/2021 08:56

We pay all year round. Nursery shuts for 2 weeks Christmas and new year. We also pay even if our child is sick or we go on holiday. It’s not like they can give that space to another child. Also how are they going to pay staff holidays if we don’t pay all year? It may seem unfair but just the way it is.

Justmebeingme245 · 05/12/2021 09:13

@Siennabear

I worked in a nursery for many years - we weren’t paid for holidays! We were paid minimum wage during term time and that was it!

Original poster

kmwmh5 · 05/12/2021 09:35

@Siennabear

I agree and fully expect to pay to keep my child's place open if they are unwell or we go on holiday. My point was that they have made the decision to close on a day they are expected to be open and area till charging. It's a different situation.

OP posts:

surreygirl1987 · 05/12/2021 09:43

Yes, precisely OP. I think many people are missing the point here. You are not disputing your nursery's normal T&Cs. Many nurseries approach holidays etc differently and it's in the contract, which is agreed and signed, and that's that. But as you have said, you are talking about an entirely different situation. You are basically being asked to donate a day's nursery's fees. For me, this would be more than a day's wages (and I don't earn enough to cover my two sons' nursery fees anyway)! It is entirely unfair to expect parents to just simply donate that - and even worse that this wasn't made clear when they asked parents if they could close on Christmas Eve! And then to try to guilt parents who question the unfairness if this is awful!!

honeylulu · 05/12/2021 11:43

@surreygirl1987

Yes absolutely all of this. Completely different if that's what is in the contract when you sign up as you make a conscious decision to accept (or not). Having it sprung on you that the agreed service will not be provided is a breach of contract and they are legally in the wrong. They certainly can't justify expecting you to pay for it as well. This was the argument I had with my eldest's nursery. Their only rather weak point in response was "well no other parents have complained". "More fool them" I retorted and suggested I bring it to their attention. It was very quickly agreed that no, I didn't have to pay and they would be grateful if I kept it to myself.

Newmumatlast · 05/12/2021 14:05

@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 is shockingly crap

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