Greedy nursery - unethical behaviour

[parkrunsandpinot]

I registered my DS for a local nursery 4 months before I wanted him to start. They asked for a deposit of £75 but seemed positive that he should get a space and that would be knocked off the first months' bill.

Fast forward 8 months - still no space and he is at another nursery. I kept him on the waitlist because I wanted to see if he would settle in to the other nursery he's at.

They email every now and then saying still no space, just had one saying no space until January 2023.

What I find strange is that they sent some communication out around how they prioritise nursery spaces. The nursery is part of an independent school. Long and short of it they said that if we were willing to pay £150 to register our child for the independent school waiting list it would increase our chances of a space (but still not guarantee).

I think it's really unethical and I don't think when they showed us around they had any intention of giving my son a space, if the wait list is so long it'll take over a year to get him in why did they take my £75 and act as if he would get a space in 4 months time?

I'm staying on the waitlist out of amusement really to see how long it takes but I am tempted to ask for my money back.

AIBU? Is this normal practice?

4 months is not a long waiting list for a popular nursery. My daughters nursery has a 1.5year waiting list and as such I signed my baby up before she was born. So I think you should have signed up earlier.

However once they've taken a deposit it should be first come first served. They shouldn't be prioritising for children signed up for the school. I would be asking for my deposit back asap.

4 months is not a long waiting list for a popular nursery.
this. When I registered DS, I was warned we were 100th on the list. Eventually DS got a place early 1.5 years later and I registered DC2 when I was pregnant. She got a place when she was 9months and had the benefit of sibling priority.

I signed up for nursery when I was 13 weeks pregnant, and still only got the start date I wanted when my child to be was 13 months! I was so glad I was tipped off.
Just an ordinary nursery, not linked to a school - but the only one in the village, and a good one.

So the waiting list doesn’t surprise me. I’d have issue with the initial bad estimate, but I don’t with the business decision to prioritise places to future pupils. And to do that, they have to take more than a verbal expression of interests. I think that’s fair. I do think it should be clear to the £75 people that it’s not a first come first served waiting list. And of course, it should be refundable.

I think it’s silly to keep the deposit there if you’re happy with the current nursery - seems a bit pathetic to be wanting to prove some waiting time point to yourself. Let it go!

Agree on the waiting list thing, in lots of areas spaces really are at a premium and you need to get in quick, I signed both mine up when I was around 20weeks pregnant.
The school connection thing, although it leaves a bad taste it makes sense, but they should be up front about it.

It does depend where you live but yes the waiting list for nurseries can be before child is even born. Especially now staff are leaving the profession.

I can’t see how the nursery is being greedy or unethical?
The waiting list for my DD’s nursery was 15 months, I registered as soon as I knew I was pregnant and a space was available when she was 6 months.
if you weren’t made aware that the nursery was a feeder into the school, then you could try using that to get your deposit back but honestly, I’d just let this one go.

We signed DS up to the waiting list at our chosen nursery at 7 weeks old - we still had to wait a few months after he started aged 13 months to get all the days we wanted. As a PP says, the most popular/in demand places have huge waiting lists. It's harder to get a place for a child older than baby age because their lists will assume that kids will remain at nursery until they start school, meaning they have to keep spaces for kids moving between classes/rooms.

Hi all, I know 4 months isn't long (we had signed up to another nursery but found out about this one later on and they seemed positive my son would get a space so paid the deposit)

My issue is with the dishonesty of saying there should be a space when in reality they would have known there isn't.

My friend had just paid a deposit for the same nursery for September this year - I've been told there is no space until January so she has no chance - why aren't they being honest with people?

Also I assumed I wouldn't get my deposit back if I cancelled my space on the wiring list? Do you think I would? As if so I'd obviously cancel it and ask for a refund.

For a really good nursery the average waiting list always seems to be around 18 months.

i don’t think the nursery are being greedy or unethical, I think you have been naïve thinking you’d get a place straight away.

@MagneticRubberDucks I didn't think that. They led me to believe they would have space for us... I said at the time to them if there was no chance of a space I wouldn't even bother viewing

They should have been honest with you about how long the waiting list was. It’s not fair to tell you they will have a space in four months if there’s no chance of that happening! I do understand why they would want to prioritise future school pupils though.

I think she issue I would have is that by prioritising the people that pay a school deposit there is no way they can accurately give a waiting list estimate because essentially anyone that comes after you but commits to school jumps the queue. In theory you could never get a place if everyone that wanted to the nursery also wanted the school.

Did you say “I need a place at the nursery by X date (in four months time)”
and they said “we will have a place for him available by then”

or did they say “we might have a place available by then, we will update you regularly and let you know as soon as one becomes available”