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?

@@girlmom21 We always kept the opening hours despite less children, while maintaining the staff/child ratios. So, I still think it is a bit odd.

How is that different?
The OP has to pay for hours that the nursery is not providing, same here.
We had to pay for days nursery was not available to us, same thing but on larger scale

YANBU but I’m not at all surprised. Nurseries seem to be the only business that can force you to pay irrespective of whether or not they provide a service. Those of us that paid during covid despite the settings being closed know this too well!!

Then they don't close early, and provide the service that they are charging for.

I completely agree and we have to pay for days our nursery is closed too. My son used to go in on a Monday but soon changed that as we have to pay for bank holidays even though they cannot go in. Such a rip off

I 100% agree, YANBU but I'd check the T&C that you have signed.

For those saying that the nurseries have staff to pay, building rent etc to pay. So do we as parents who work and have bills to pay, and now need to find and pay for alternative childcare for the closures. Whether it be inset day, or closing for Christmas etc.

I have to pay a childminder to look after my DS during the nursery inset day, so effectively I have now paid twice for childcare on one day. It's in the T&Cs so I will suck it up, but YANBU.

How long ago was this? There are major shortages of nursery practitioners

Think i must be lucky with my nursery. They charge us for bank holidays but not for the other days over xmas that they are closed.

We are charged on and pro rata basis.

5 days a week * 52 week / 12months = monthly fee.

They are closed all Bank holidays and in between Xmas and new year - I pay for them all!!

I'm very upset too with the fact that I have to pay for the daily fee despite the nursery was closed due to an unforseen reason (water leak in the area that led to water shortage in the premise)

T&Cs says:
"In any event beyond our reasonable control (e.g. fire, flood, e.coli outbreak) occurs, we may close the nursery without liability to you, as we have business interruption insurance, so therefore no fees will be charged"

then next paragraph says:
"If it is, in our reasonable opinion necessary or in the interests of the child to do so, we may close the nursery even though our business interruption insurance will not cover us for the closure. In these circunstances we will charge for the time the nursery is closed, for example, we may close for severe weather conditions, outbreak of flu, swine flu, covid or other illnesses."

Sounds to me that both paragraphs are kind of contradictory between each others as they both are any event of their reasonable control.

I feel like they might have insurance for such business interruption yet they still charge customers!

I had to make arrangements to take care of my child at my own expense + pay for the closed business.
That's awful and unfair!

Yeah, it’s really annoying. However my guess is that, in this instance, the nursery probably aren’t covered by insurance so can’t give you a rebate without losing their own money.

‘Business interruption’ in insurance doesn’t necessarily mean ‘anything beyond nursery control’; the insurance probably only kicks in for certain pre-defined events as otherwise it would be too subjective. I wonder if it only covers things that physically prevent someone occupying the building itself, rather than health&safety concerns?

If so, my guess is that a water leak would only be covered if it was actually flooding the nursery, rather than just causing a water shortage.

Their policy to you seems to say that, if they get insurance for the closure, they will pass this along and so not charge you. Otherwise, I’m afraid you still need to pay the fees.

I do understand the nursery’s standpoint on this: they have probably decided that they sometimes need to make safety-based decisions for the good of the whole nursery without being limited only to things covered by insurance. Young kids really need running water for frequent toilet trips, hygiene, cleaning, hydration etc and, on balance, it wouldn’t be safe to keep the nursery open, especially with the warm weather.

However, I have a lot of sympathy for you as the upshot is that you have ended up paying for something that clearly isn’t your fault either. It’s added both expense and stress to your week! I’m sure it’s been exhausting.

I do hope it’s a one-off and that the leak is fixed very soon.