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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think a nursery requesting a garuantor is a piss take

28 replies

Cocona · 18/01/2022 21:52

A couple of months ago I was going through the sign up forms for my child's nursery and they requested details for a garuantor. I left it blank because the fees are paid in advance and I don't have anyone that I could put as a garuantor. Not because I am financially unstable but because I just don't have anyone like that in my life. I think I naively thought it was probably only required in certain circa rather than across the board.

Now I didn't end up going with that nursery for other reasons but I've recently gotten an email from them asking for details of a garuantor for their records.

Obviously this has little bearing on my life now because my child isn't going to that nursery anyways, I sent them a brief email confirming this again. But regardless, is it not a bit of a piss take to ask for a garuantor for nursery fees? The nursery that my child actually goes to now hasn't requested one. In fact I haven't needed a garuantor for anything else in my life so far.

OP posts:
KiloWhat · 18/01/2022 21:53

Seems odd if fees are paid in advance

purpleme12 · 18/01/2022 21:55

Wow not heard this for a nursery before

FreedomFaith · 18/01/2022 21:55

Sounds odd, but they may have had issues in the past with people and this is what they've had to do.

Original poster
Cocona · 18/01/2022 21:57

I'm glad it seems unusual and it's not just my naivety. It was a standard thing in the contract and clearly actually required for everyone, not just for me because I seemed dodgy or anything Grin. I think my mother would have a coronary if I asked her to be a garuantor for me.

OP posts:
BlackberryandNettle · 18/01/2022 21:57

It seems bizarre. I mean who would be expected to pay the fees if not the parents?

BlueSky8 · 18/01/2022 21:57

Never heard it before but guessing they've had a lot of people not paying

SquigglePigs · 18/01/2022 22:01

That's bizarre! Both my parents and DH could afford to and probably would if asked but why on earth should they - we're in our 30's and haven't been financially reliant in a very very long time. I wouldn't want to ask on principle! None of the nurseries we looked at asked for that and honestly it would be a reason not to opt for that nursery if one did. It doesn't get the relationship between nursery and parent off on the right foot and I'd be concerned what other off the wall requests/requirements would come later!

JurgensCakeBabyJesus · 18/01/2022 22:01

I've never known this before, what's the area like? Maybe they've had lots of issues with non payment and whilst it's easy to say it's payment in advance once a child is there they won't just kick them out if a bill is late, especially if there are convincing reasons/excuses. We save well and don't struggle to pay our bills, but I don't know who I'd put as a guarantor, partly I'd be embarrassed to ask as it implies I can't be trusted to pay, but also most of my/DHs parents are retired so that would be ridiculous as their income is much lower than ours.
We get our invoice around the 10/12 of this month with fees for next month due by the 25th and I always pay on the day, but I have heard nursery staff have to give reminder invoices at pick up to other parents, which always looks a bit awkward and isn't their role either.

jay55 · 18/01/2022 22:03

Are they actually issuing a deed of trust to the guarantor? Or could you put down the Queen?

MoiraNotRuby · 18/01/2022 22:04

Is it a standalone nursery? If it is owned by a private school maybe that's normal for schools and they are applying the same policy for nursery? It does seem crap though and would put me off.

WTF475878237NC · 18/01/2022 22:05

Was the guarantor asked to sign anything? How bizarre.

BuanoKubiamVej · 18/01/2022 22:06

If the contract requires a full term's notice on leaving, but you are only paying each month as it comes (albeit in advance) you could end up owing more than you can possibly pay if you fail to give proper notice. I never heard of a nursery asking for a guarantor before but I have heard of dozens of examples of parents defaulting on contractual debts to nurseries so it doesn't surprise me.

comedycentral · 18/01/2022 22:12

They have no legitimate interest under GDPR to pursue this with you as you have not taken up a place with them. How odd.

Original poster
Cocona · 18/01/2022 22:13

It's a private nursery but not connected to a private school. Just a run of the mill nursery really. Borders between a slightly rough area and a slightly more affluent area but overall the entire area is about average. I think it was just a case of the garuantor signing the page so not much legal framework behind it like a deed of trust.

I'm sure it will be in place because of the cancellation requirement as a PP has said but it's still quite strange isn't it. I'm glad I switched nurseries in the end, I was meaning to question it before I handed the paperwork over but it was always such a quick handover at the door for the settling in sessions.

OP posts:
Original poster
Cocona · 18/01/2022 22:14

I'm not expecting them to pursue it, I think they just hadn't joined up my child not going anymore and the missing garuantor record if that makes sense. I've just been pondering over it, and being lightly annoyed by it.

OP posts:
VioletPetals · 18/01/2022 22:18

@BuanoKubiamVej

If the contract requires a full term's notice on leaving, but you are only paying each month as it comes (albeit in advance) you could end up owing more than you can possibly pay if you fail to give proper notice. I never heard of a nursery asking for a guarantor before but I have heard of dozens of examples of parents defaulting on contractual debts to nurseries so it doesn't surprise me.
This was my assumption.

When my DS was a toddler he briefly went to a nursery that once you we’re eligible for the government subsidised hours required 6 months notice.
They actually took people to court over it.

MrsWinters · 18/01/2022 22:20

Outrageous that you never enrolled your child and they’re still asking for that information

Original poster
Cocona · 18/01/2022 22:25

@MrsWinters I did enroll him, he had settling in sessions and I handed the paperwork over, planning on clarifying the garuantor situation at the time. They then changed the session times so I had to change nurseries as they just weren't workable anymore. So I can see why I'm on their records and it's just lazy record keeping that has led to this. I'm sure it will be resolved now and if there was any issues I'd easily resolved them.

OP posts:
Original poster
Cocona · 18/01/2022 22:29

Were any issues*

OP posts:
Pinetreesfall · 18/01/2022 22:34

How very bizarre!
My nursery fees are astronomical but the nursery relies on trust and it makes for a whole better atmosphere between staff and parents - they are like an extension of our family almost!
I pay private school fees too and have never been asked for a guarantor there either. Maybe we're all just a bit chilled out down here!

Pinetreesfall · 18/01/2022 22:36

Surely asking you for that data now goes against the whole 'relevant' criteria of GDPR?

WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 18/01/2022 23:01

I'd put your own details again in the guarantor section. Then, if they say it has to be somebody else, ask them on what grounds they believed you untrustworthy to pay - especially considering that payment is made upfront and, if you didn't pay, they could withdraw the service.

As PP said, who would you expect across the board to be more likely to pay for nursery fees than the child's own parents? The only others realistically might be grandparents, but not every child has living GPs, let alone ones who would be in a position and willing to do this.

Anyway, normally, you would be paying nursery fees to enable you to work. If the worst came to the worst and a parent lost their job, they would then be free to look after the child themselves, so it's not like they're going to be forced to keep them on without being paid, whilst you're at home anyway.

Sounds like you dodged a bullet by not going with them.

PurpleCarpets · 18/01/2022 23:11

Guarantees like this are very difficult to enforce. The nursery seeking to rely on it would have had to jump through hoops to make it watertight. It sounds like their ramshackle guarantee system is totally unenforceable and it wouldn't much matter who you wrote down.

BuanoKubiamVej · 19/01/2022 08:02

Did you give them the proper required notice and keep paying fees until the expiry of that notice when you decided to use a different nursery?

It doesn't matter that you only used a small number of settling in sessions before you changed your mind. It's reasonable to still be liable for fees because it takes time for them to get a new child assigned the place, even if they have a waiting list. The nursery still has to pay staff, rent and bills and the businesses are usually operating a knife's edge from breakeven point, they can't afford to not be paid.

Original poster
Cocona · 21/01/2022 10:34

@BuanoKubiamVej I did not need to give notice as they changed the contract terms. As it happened though they did have 4 weeks or so of notice just down to when he was due to start. When I spoke to them at the time about not being able to proceed I discussed if any payment was needed eg. for the settling in sessions and there wasn't.

They're not chasing me for payment. It is just an admin error but it got me thinking about them needing a garuantor again and that it seemed ridiculous.

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