Nursery charging us when they're closed

[ShesThunderstorms]

I just want to know what the general consensus is on this before I say anything, as if I'm being a bit mean I won't bother!

I have two children in nursery, we pay for them to go from 8-6 on the days they go. We've been informed that for two weeks over Christmas, on the days that they're open, they will be closing at 4pm rather than 6. But there won't be any reduction in our fees on those days.

We'll be affected on 4 of the days, which works out to us paying for 16 hours of childcare that we aren't receiving, not to mention one of us will have to use annual leave to finish early enough to pick them up on those days.

I feel like I sound mean as the ladies that work there are great, I don't want to deny them some early finishes around Christmas, goodness knows they deserve that and then some. But AIBU to contact nursery or head office to request that we don't pay for those hours that they're closing early? Or am I being a bit mean?

Check your contract, it should cover when you're liable for fees during closed hours.

YANBU.

16 hours of paid childcare that isn't being used is a lot of money.

The nursery still have to pay their staff when they are closed. And the business rates on the building. And the mortgage, if there is one. And the utility standing charges.

You aren't being unreasonable, but it's probably in your contract. I only used nursery two days a week just to get mine ready for starting school. I quickly changed the Monday when I realised I'd have to pay for every bank holiday it closed!

If my nursery did this they would offer you extra days to make up for it.

They usually ask us in advance if we will be sending them Xmas eve as most don't and it helps plan staffing, and they always say we can use an extra day that week instead ie. Moving the hours to another day.

Frustrating i know, but this is usually standard and should be in your contract

But why are they closing at 4? It's not a bank holiday. They may as well decide to shut at lunchtimes two days a week which change every week and bill everyone the same as they do now, by your logic. Choosing to close because they want a shorter day does not mean parents should pay for it.

Really?! Closing early on non bank holiday days and having to pay for it? That isn't in our contract.

I never understood it either but it was standard when mine were at nursery (now teenagers!)
in fact many nurseries have a full shut down over Christmas from 24th till New Year…so you’re kind of ‘lucky’ that yours is open but with earlier finish time…

It is in my area of the north west or was when my DS was in nursery but they have messed up if they haven't put it in the contract. I would raise it with them as our contract advised that the shortened hours were pro-rated over the year.

I've never understood how on earth nurseries get away with it but this absolutely standard. They charge you for bank holidays, they charge you for days they close for bad weather, they charge you for days they close for short staff, they charge you for days they close because of a power cut or broken heating. I don't know any other industry that gets away with it (except maybe gyms?) but it's very normal for nurseries to close whenever they like with whatever notice they like for whatever reason they like and still charge in full. Back during Covid many nurseries closed but continued charging in full despite furloughing their staff. I remember the Christmas that DS was first in nursery (pre-Covid), his nursery changed the holiday dates and charged us in full but didn't pay the staff either because they were on zero hour contracts. It honestly is absurd but, yeah, very normal.

You're absolutely correct that it's illogical and that it's wrong - but it's very much standard. It's illogical, wrong and normal.

Yanbu. I would check contract thoroughly & if this isn't explicitly stated the. I would be having a serious conversation

@Iamthewombat I have to pay all those costs too when my business is closed (dance school, in commercial premises) but I cannot charge my customers when the session their child attends is cancelled. This is something that really used to annoy me when my kids were small and I would end up paying childcare costs twice- once for the privilege of the nursery being shut, and again to get someone to actually look after my children so that I could go to work and get paid, if I don’t work, I don’t get paid.

It isn’t standard to do that for two weeks this Christmas with the way the days fall anyway. Ours will only be shut for a week this year, I’d have thought most would. I would not accept this without pushing back hard on the early closure. No need for it. An early finish on Friday 23rd might be understandable.

That is pretty shit
The only way you’re in a position to challenge it is once you’ve carefully checked the t&c’s of your contract.

Charging because they ahve decided to close 2 hours early for 2 weeks is definitely not in our contract either, I'd be surprised it was in many nursery contracts.

It's not comparable with closing due to lack of staff or unforeseen circumstances so I'd be pushing back querying why you have to pay for those hours.

It's normal and always has been so.

They still need to pay staff wages and other bills.

Customers need to pay this one way or another. The alternative is to put the hourly or daily rate up.

Suck it up.

Sorry!

That's really all you can do. No point fighting them. They all do it

All 3 of the nurseries I have used have had a weeks closure over Christmas but pro rata the fees so you pay for 51 weeks over the course of the year which is fair enough. Bank holidays they were shut but you still paid which was annoying but seemed to be standard. I do remember one year where my husband got a call at lunchtime on the 23rd of December to go and collect DS a.s.a.p as they were closing early! It wasn't even Christmas Eve it was just a normal working day and the only communication about this had been a hand written sign on the back of the door which none of the parents had seen. DH was furious as he had to take an emergency holiday to come out of work which was an hours drive away and the nursery were shitty with him when he arrived to pick up DS.

Our nursery closes 2 weeks at Christmas and everyone pays - it's very clearly stated in the contract that this is the case - you don't like it then go to another nursery that doesn't do this I guess is the answer. If it's a private nursery they can do what they want really have their own terms and conditions

We pay for bank holidays too.

It's normal and always has been so

I think people are getting confused with the nursery closing for Christmas. It's not normal at all to just decide with only several weeks notice to close 2 hours early for 2 weeks.

I think fine if they choose to close early - but unreasonable to expect all the parents to just suck it up. Why can’t they pay their staff to finish early instead of all the parents who haven’t been consulted. The Fridays are not even Christmas or New Year’s Eve anyway so no reason to close early. If I want to finish early on those days I have to use flexi or my AL, ie my own time

I agree with this
They should foot the bill on this occasion

Same. They close for 2 full weeks and we pay for it.