Who is BU, me or the nursery?

[changedit1234]

Dd not been at this nursery long, I booked a holiday a while ago for this week and put on the nursery app that dd would have a holiday this week, but this holiday has since been cancelled at short notice, I called the nursery as soon as I found out which was the day before her usual day in to explain and ask if it was ok to cancel the holiday and bring dd in tomorrow as the holiday had been cancelled. I was advised that I would have to call in the morning to check if there had been any cancelled sessions or reported sickness as they may be at full capacity.
I questioned this and said but dd would usually be there anyway on these days and I've paid her fees already, they said yes but as you'd booked them out as holiday we have let her space go to someone else for that week.
I called on day 1, they said were at full capacity so she couldn't go in, same again on day 2.
Is this usual or are my nursery being awkward with me? Asking as I genuinely don't know....

Sounds normal to me.

Yeah unfortunately normal - if you've booked them out you've booked them out! Very frustrating as I'm sure you've paid the fees "for the nurseries sustainability" but of course they've now doubled their money. Its another example of "struggling" nurseries being an absolute scam!

I did think this.. I've paid anyway for this week so if they've accepted someone else in dd place then that parent has paid aswell

If this is normal then I certainly wouldn't be informing them of any holidays ahead in future! They can know the day before instead

They may have other kids off so have let staff take time off. I don’t think the nursery is being unreasonable

That's awful - I would really love a breakdown of where all this money goes

They might have let someone take annual leave so can’t operate safe ratios or somebody else have extra sessions. The latter is obviously not fair on you as you’re paying for a nursery spot regardless of whether or not your holiday was going ahead.

If they gave staff time off because there were enough children out that week, then I would be understanding. They can’t recall staff on a whim. That should be clear though from the beginning.

if they booked another child into the seat, I would expect a refund.

Normal unfortunately because they might have agreed to extra sessions for someone else or a staff absence and it would push them over ratio. But lesson learned and next time they get told the morning of!

Yes the reason was that they'd given her space to someone else..
so they've had double fees haven't they which is the annoying part..

As other pp have said I probably won't give notice in future just say the day before dd is ill this week. Lesson learned

It is standard practice in many businesses. When I worked for the airlines scheduled flights were always overbooked by 10% and mostly we got away with it. Unless you’d bought a fully refundable ticket the airline was paid twice.
I’ve missed my cancellation time at the gym before and lost my fee whilst they have taken another paid client.
I understand your frustration though and it would be worth asking them for at least a 50% refund because they were able to fill the place.

Do not give them notice of holidays in the future. This is really poor of them and presumably counter productive because as soon as you know they do this you would never tell them again.

Ask for your money back for those days

Yes, this is normal. I think it is unlikely thst they have given a space to another child for one week but what is more possible is that they have reduced their staff for thst week.

I just would not inform then about holidays until the day! It’s cheeky of them but normal

It's a rubbish policy, but you can see why they do it (for money and also to offer some flexibility with booking).

I'd just not tell them from now on. I'd also ask for a refund on fees.

While I understand having to pay while on holiday to essentially hold the space it’s so cheeky that they are now making double on the sessions. Will perhaps avoid informing my DD’s nursery in advance if we go on holiday now!

I would ask for a refund given that they took money for her place. That's the only fair approach.

This does not happen at our nursery. Your spot is your spot, it goes empty if families are on holiday, it isn't replaced.

It’s a tricky one. I know my DD’s nursery is pretty up against it with staff holidays, sickness and ratios. I can imagine they might have to do similar. I guess if there’s any chance of holiday being cancelled then you need to book it off late.

if it was me I would be asking for a refund of my child's fees for those days. I am a childcare provider and when my parents go on holiday they still have to pay however I cannot place another child in that space as it belongs to them. The only time I do not accept them is if we have planned an outing and I cannot take the child. Regardless of whether you notified them that you were planning going on holiday and now can no longer go they need to offer you the space as you have been billed for it. You have paid for a service that they cannot provide. During Covid we were told if we could not provide the service then we cannot charge the parent.

I’d want a refund for those days if they wouldn’t let her go in and you’ve paid for it.

I have requested dd extra days in nursery for the week that my mum (who usually has her on the days she's not in nursery) is on holiday in September. Would it be cheeky of me to say that for the days you couldn't accommodate dd to come in on this week when I'd paid but you took someone else in for her space during her holiday I booked - would you be able to refund me off the extra days I've requested in September instead??

Sounds normal, why would they lie to you? Maybe staff are on holiday too and they haven't got cover because your DD was supposed to be off, so they wouldn't have the right ratios if your DD went in.

I used to work in a nursery. We used to charge for bank holidays but allowed children to have a day in lieu if there were spaces. They wouldn’t be paying again (as they already paid a day they didn’t use) but it could put the nursery over ratio.