Childminder terminating contract

[hoolahoolay]

Surely I'm not being unreasonable. So my son is due to start with a childminder next week when I go back to work after maternity leave. We have settling in sessions this week

So she sent the invoice for January out early December and she said to let her know if there were any errors, the due date on the invoice was 1st January. For one reason or another we haven't paid it and instead of reminding us she has messaged this morning to say she's terminated contract as invoice is 5 days late.
Surely she could have sent a payment reminder.

WTF can I do now?

Do you not think that the CM has bills to pay as well . YABVU , I don’t blame her , why take on clients that need reminding to pay when she can likely find some that pay on time without prompting.

If she isn't it will be on our own social media pages anyway.

“Christmas is bloody expensive” Yes I imagine it is for a childminder too, your lack of budgeting is not the childminder’s problem.

I love the way op admits Christmas got in the way of her paying ....cue birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, special family events....the cm has swerved a good one there.

The onus is on you to remember, not on her to remind you.

*So she sent the invoice for January out early December and she said to let her know if there were any errors, the due date on the invoice was 1st January
Communication would help!
*
Yes, it absolutely would have been better if you'd communicated with her and said that you didn't want to pay until mid January and checked that was ok.

Although most people consider a due date on an invoice to be the communication of when the invoice was due.

People have messed her around with payment before I expect. So now she guards against it by cancelling people who don’t pay.

For future reference, the childminder probably charges on a month to month basis on the first of the month as she has expenses scheduled for the first of the month.

You just didn’t take her or her business seriously, that’s all.

Oh wow.

You didn't realise an invoice with a due date of the 1st January needed to be paid by the 1st January?

It was her fault for not reminding you?

You're quite bold for someone who is about to be without childcare when you return to work.

A grovelling apology might have been more helpful.

So you knew perfectly well what terms you'd signed up to and when payment was due. You didn't forget. You just didn't think that the CM actually meant them or that paying her as you'd agreed to do was a "priority".

I hope she doesn't take you back, for her sake.

I should have paid it but the Christmas period is expensive and we've had lots on and it just hasn't been priority.

And this is why I would not take you on as a paying client. If she does, more fool her tbh.

Paying your childcare, when you can't go back to work without it, wasn't a priority?

I wonder if OP actually needs to work – in which case childcare would be a priority over one thing or another – or if it’s a pin-money hobby job MLM situation, because she doesn’t seem to give a shit about winning over her lost childminder so she’s actually able to work.

How could your childcare not be a priority? Christmas presents you can go without, but if you lose your childcare it's a massive pain.

I pay the bills ASAP every month so I don’t lie awake worrying about the bills I need to pay every month.
I hate that - lying there, thinking “I should’ve paid those today.”

Presuming the childminder is trying to earn a living from her work, not taking on someone who doesn't see paying her as a priority is VERY sensible!

Yes I should have paid it but the Christmas period is expensive and we've had lots on and it just hasn't been priority.

I’m afraid that is IS a priority for a self employed person that their invoices are paid on time. How dare you assume that you can pay her whenever you feel like it? Late payments to sole traders could easily mean their family doesn’t eat that day, or they’re late paying their mortgage. It’s outrageous behaviour not to pay on time, she’s not a massive company with lines of credit. I wouldn’t keep you on as a client with the attitude you show here. And she probably doesn’t need to, childminders in my area are like gold dust.

This! The childminder DID communicate via the invoice which stated the payment due date 🙄

Imagine thinking that you only need to pay your bills if other people prompt you to, when they've already discussed the service to be provided and also invoiced you for it. What a bizarre (and frankly entitled!) headspace to live in.

So you only pay bills if you haven't had an expensive month and you've received reminders? Plus it's the childminder's fault? I think she sussed you out early and has dodged a bullet by dumping someone who was obviously going to be difficult to get payment out of.

I imagine the Christmas period was expensive for your childminder, too, and you didn't pay her her salary, essentially!

FFS

How on earth can that not be a priority?! Imagine you expected your maternity pay on time and your DH expected his salary on time!

Your update makes you sound even worse. I'm wondering if her intended call back is to give you a piece of her mind.

So she phoned and said she's already filled the space. I know we were in the wrong but I really wish she'd warned me this would happen. I'm so stuck. I'm due back at work next Wednesday and I've already delayed it due to lack of childcare.
It was £187 and now we are screwed.

She did warn you. It’s in the contract.

It's clearly her way of weeding out late/non payers. Why should she have to chase up payment and send reminders if there are others who will pay promptly? Her services are in demand so she can afford to pick and choose the best customers.

Lesson learnt!

I'm sorry you feel so screwed right now, but I do think you were unbelievably blasé about paying her.
I hope you find something soon, and that this is a lesson learned... childcare costs are a PRIORITY.