To refuse to pay this nursery charge

[Jeronnemo]

2 children in nursery. Been really happy there. A few niggles but nothing major. This month's bill had a £40 per child charge for an activity that they only do in winter. It usually kicks in in December through to April but this time they've charged it early. The issue is that they've not actually done the activity yet. I spoke to the manager about it and she was very abrasive and came out with some absolute nonsense about why it was on the bill. She lied and expected me to just suck it up. I'm livid but the conversation is over as far as she's concerned and if I push it any further, I risk being asked to leave. Do I just write it off for the sake of peace and my blood pressure?

For what's it worth I thought it was perfectly clear @Jeronnemo . Not sure why people are being so thick. Even if there could have confusion from your OP, your follow ups would have clarified.

Anyhow, you should definitely question the charge if the activity wasn't provided. I'm amazed their charge for it in the first place if it doesn't require additional staff or material...

I’m going to repeat myself here but moving forward what would you like to happen and do you want us to help you achieve that aim. Between us we have a lot of experience and so there are probably some good ideas as to how this can be resolved. Is this something you’d like from the group or are you happy just to receive validation that you’ve been unfairly treated and had your concerns dismissed? Both can be important but often validation alone may not help to move things on. Notice how the thread is looping without promise of resolution.

I’d really like to know what the activity is that requires no additional staff member or materials that happens in winter that justifies a £40 per child.

And I’d like to know what the lie was.

Did the manager claim the activity had actually happened when you can prove it didn’t?

Or was the excuse for the activity not happening the lie?

You say they told the same ‘bullshit’ to the other parents? What did they say exactly?

Yes I’d like all of this too, without being called thick, please.

Keep evidence now and short them £40 on the last bill before your child starts school? Can't revoke the place then!

The nursery have essentially robbed €80 off you! That's lousy. I would try get a few more parents on board and question them further.

Side note... You are a bit of a dick in the way you spoke to people on this thread!

Do send everything in writing and ask why you were charged for Decembers bill for the activity in November? And always do it via email/letter so there is a paper trail and if/when they lie then you can refer back to their letter of xyz etc and ask them to clarity when the activity starts and ends and what months the payments will be taken out - just say you need to know for your accounts etc

I accept the dick comment but I am truly amazed at the lack of comprehension and the repeated questions. It's been eye opening. I've seen it before on here but it's quite something to be on the receiving end of it.

Thank you. It's good of you to offer. I don't think there's a resolution to be had. It's stalemate. I think I just needed to deflate my balloon at the injustice of it all. I am calmer now. The money has gone. It's the best nursery in the area by a mile. Every other option makes life harder. So I just have to suck it up.

OP - PLEASE don't leave until we know what this activity is! It's baffling to try & work out what could possibly be worth £40 yet cost the nursery nothing at all. Or we could guess, in which case it would be helpful to kick us off by clarifying the frequency of the activity (daily, weekly, monthly). TIA.

can you write to the owners rather than manager and ask for a refund

Every other day ish but I'm not saying. Sorry. It's really of no material impact on the situation. It's not in any way interesting either, so I really wouldn't give it another minutes thought!!

Well it was sort of relevant to the earlier discussion because people were wondering if the need to order in materials, equipment or an outside teacher might have led to the need to pay a month in advance for the activity.

But now you’ve clarified that there’s no extra people, materials or equipment needed it becomes baffling that they are charging an extra £40 per child per month when they have no extra outlays for the activity.

In which case it feels more like a winter tax to cover extra heating / lighting costs and they’ve used the ‘activity’ as a way to bill this.

These replies are taking the piss now.

The shortfall has to come from somewhere.

Not from nurseries lying to parents about charges though.

Is it really an 'activity charge' or is it a top up to make up for the funding shortfall?

They can't really charge for an activity that costs nothing, needs no resources or additional staff.

Then what is the issue??

The activity is going to be done in December.

What don’t you understand??

I would take a pragmatic approach. You have paid, and as long as you pay for the same number of times the activity takes place, just accept it. Potentially, you won't know how many months you are charded for (in total) until spring.

Note down when the activity is done.
Note the months you pay £40.

If, e.g. you pay Nov, Dec, Jan and the activity is done Dec, Jan, Feb - let it be. It's frustrating, but at least you have (eventually) got what you paid for.

If, when the activity has finished, you have ended up paying an extra month, raise it again.

OP is saying that she will be charged again in December for the activity.

The charge is monthly through the winter months and started in November this year but the activity did not start even though the payment has started.

The op will pay for Decembers activity on 1st December.
The issue is she paid in November for the activity to happen in November and it didn’t. The manager hasn’t given a clear reason as to why.

She doesn’t understand why she been charged for November AND December when it’s only happening in December.

We don’t know what they said as OP won’t explain as it was lies and word salad

Actually it was unclear. She didn't explain it was a recurring activity that had been paid for and sessions missed. There was a common misconception that it was a one-off activity, paid in advance that was expected to occur next month.

It’s a monthly charge for the activity to take place every month. OP says this on page one.

What don’t YOU understand?

Yes, she did. She says on page 1 that its monthly.