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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to think nursery should refund afternoon closure during heatwave?

82 replies

MakingLasagne · 25/06/2026 20:28

Our nursery is closing at 1pm tomorrow due to the heatwave.

The reasoning given:
As you may be aware we have implemented a number of measures to keep children and staff safe and as cool as possible including fans, AC, lots of water and ice play and encouraging drinking water to stay Hydrated. However, we are concerned this won't be enough during these very high temperatures and children particularly in the afternoon.
We are also very mindful that some staff members will have to collect their own children from schools which have had to close/close early.
We are sorry for this disruption that this will cause but do believe it is in the best interest of the children, and would prefer to give you as much notice as possible.

My child doesn’t attend on Fridays so I have zero skin in this game, but a parent has asked if the afternoon will be refunded.

Nursery response: unfortunately there will be no refund issued for the half day closure as the decision to close was made as a precautionary measure to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all children and staff. While we appreciate the inconvenience this may have caused, safeguarding and safety must remain our highest priority.

They’re not the best tbf at this stuff - we’ve had multiple room closures in the last year or two due to staffing (in fairness these have been refunded). My child is leaving in a month and I won’t be short changed, but do you think they’re BU about the refund?

YABU = they’re right not to refund
YANBU = they should refund

OP posts:
Bringonthepumpkins · 25/06/2026 20:55

Knew this was a BB message as I read your OP, we had the same wording, except the person who sent it on the app left in all the optional sections too!

Advised yesterday they would be closing early afternoon today, by mid morning today had messages to say rooms were over 35 degrees so to collect children immediately. Absolutely nothing posted regarding tomorrow.

I think a refund should be due, and for such a large business their communications should be materially better. Mine leaves soon, so I can't get too frustrated by it, but if it wasn't for the local staff in my DC's room, I would not recommend them!

usererror99 · 25/06/2026 20:57

They should refund - this sort of things absolutely makes my blood boil. I don’t care if they have to pay their staff - lots of parents are having to take unpaid leave this week so nursery staff should be no different

MakingLasagne · 25/06/2026 20:57

Jk987 · 25/06/2026 20:54

Come on, they still have to pay the staff who work very long hours for very low pay. Give them a break.

It’s owned by a giant PE house - and they’ve previously refunded due to staffing issues shortages. I don’t think it’s fair to penalise parents for staff shortages and dress it up as ‘we can’t keep the kids safe’ when they’ve managed it today and yesterday.

OP posts:
MakingLasagne · 25/06/2026 21:00

Bringonthepumpkins · 25/06/2026 20:55

Knew this was a BB message as I read your OP, we had the same wording, except the person who sent it on the app left in all the optional sections too!

Advised yesterday they would be closing early afternoon today, by mid morning today had messages to say rooms were over 35 degrees so to collect children immediately. Absolutely nothing posted regarding tomorrow.

I think a refund should be due, and for such a large business their communications should be materially better. Mine leaves soon, so I can't get too frustrated by it, but if it wasn't for the local staff in my DC's room, I would not recommend them!

Ah interesting! Different setting clearly but there must be a message from HQ. Money grabbing imo. Someone is getting very rich off this while our lovely staff are on min wage and I’m paying £1.2k a month for 4 days…

OP posts:
MakingLasagne · 25/06/2026 21:02

Bringonthepumpkins · 25/06/2026 20:55

Knew this was a BB message as I read your OP, we had the same wording, except the person who sent it on the app left in all the optional sections too!

Advised yesterday they would be closing early afternoon today, by mid morning today had messages to say rooms were over 35 degrees so to collect children immediately. Absolutely nothing posted regarding tomorrow.

I think a refund should be due, and for such a large business their communications should be materially better. Mine leaves soon, so I can't get too frustrated by it, but if it wasn't for the local staff in my DC's room, I would not recommend them!

I also think the grammar errors are quite awful if it’s word for word from HQ, surely if they’re making all this money off us, they could employ a comms person who understands when to use a capital letter 😂

OP posts:
MakingLasagne · 25/06/2026 21:05

ScullyLyf · 25/06/2026 20:42

Independent. We’ve had the email confirming refund in the last hour. I was surprised to be honest!

Well done them! We had our kids in an indie before we moved house - I miss it so much. It didn’t have all the bells and whistles of our chain nursery but they were so much more human.

OP posts:
Garfield275 · 25/06/2026 21:09

If it does affect your son tomorrow, I would want to why, if they have the same facilities that were there for the days he was in, why they felt it to be OK to have kids in on what were actually hotter days. Sounds like whoever wrote the message worded it terribly too.

They cannot make a precautionary decision that doesn’t kick into effect until 1pm. Either it is safe for kids to be there in which case they do not need to close, or it is not and if they aren’t providing the adequate facilities, all parents should be entitled to a refund.

I’d ask for a summary of the risk assessment they have presumably carried out

MakingLasagne · 25/06/2026 21:16

Garfield275 · 25/06/2026 21:09

If it does affect your son tomorrow, I would want to why, if they have the same facilities that were there for the days he was in, why they felt it to be OK to have kids in on what were actually hotter days. Sounds like whoever wrote the message worded it terribly too.

They cannot make a precautionary decision that doesn’t kick into effect until 1pm. Either it is safe for kids to be there in which case they do not need to close, or it is not and if they aren’t providing the adequate facilities, all parents should be entitled to a refund.

I’d ask for a summary of the risk assessment they have presumably carried out

Edited

I strongly suspect if I asked for the risk assessment it would stand up - the point is that it would have also stood up Wednesday and Thursday so why close early on Friday.

As I've said, we're not in tomorrow (and DC starts Reception in September) so it's not an issue for us. I just think it's them trying to hide behind the heat to cover a staffing issue... my 4yo has been there Weds and Thurs and while I'm sure it's not been much fun for anyone, no-one has suggested he wasn't safe at 35c, so I'm confused why they think they can't look after kids at 30c. And if it's staffing, they should say so and refund.

OP posts:
PrincessOfPreschool · 25/06/2026 21:21

Our nursery has been shut in the pm from Tuesday. I will not be paid for the afternoons. I have not asked if parents received a refund.

Passingthrough123 · 25/06/2026 21:23

It's not due to be cooler tomorrow though – 35 compared today's 31. In fact, tomorrow is due to be the hottest day of the week.

In fact, the Met has extended the red weather warning to more areas tomorrow precisely because it's due to be hotter.

MartinAston · 25/06/2026 21:23

In general they didn't provide the service parents paid for so they don't have a leg to stand on not to refund I would think.

Honeyhonay · 25/06/2026 21:25

It’s standard to not be refunded for anything where the service is cancelled due to acts of god or extreme weather, least of all nurseries.
You pay when they shut for other reasons, can’t see how this would really be different.

Whinge · 25/06/2026 21:28

Passingthrough123 · 25/06/2026 21:23

It's not due to be cooler tomorrow though – 35 compared today's 31. In fact, tomorrow is due to be the hottest day of the week.

In fact, the Met has extended the red weather warning to more areas tomorrow precisely because it's due to be hotter.

Edited

It might be predicated to be warmer in your area, but OP has said the weather in her area is actually similar to other days this week. So if it's not safe to open tomorrow, they should have also closed earlier the week.

they haven’t closed at all today (Thursday) or yesterday (Wednesday) when temperatures have been equivalent to or lower than Friday PM’s predictions.

OP, it definitely seems like a staffing issue, which is completely understandable due to early school closures. However, the nursery should be honest about it, and offer refunds like they have in the past.

Edit as I misread OPs post. I thought she had said Friday was predicted to be a lower temperature.

jumphopskip999 · 25/06/2026 21:29

It’s Busy Bees. I posted earlier about our nursery closing for three afternoons and no refund being given. Parents are angry as a refurb was carried out earlier this year and we queried why no ac was being installed. Assured it would be fine and Lo and behold, it isn’t! I am finding it soo hard to work in this heat with a toddler. I’d be in the office with ac and they’d be in nursery if they’d installed the ac as requested. If they said to us, we won’t refund you this week but we’ve bought ac for all the rooms for next fine, I wouldn’t have an issue. As it is, lots of parents are now saying they’ll look into alternative nurseries that do have ac.

I Cannot fault the staff, I think they are amazing and work so hard but the HQ really let them down.

jumphopskip999 · 25/06/2026 21:30

Also, someone linked me to the Competition Watchdog that said this practice is illegal. You can’t pay in advance for a childcare service that you don’t receive and not get refunded.

MakingLasagne · 25/06/2026 21:30

Surely that depends where you are? It’s been 36 two days in a row here. Tomorrow it’s predicted to be 31.

I’m not disputing that the kids need to be safe - and as mentioned mine won’t be in tomorrow anyway - but if they were safe yesterday and today what changes? Except for the fact that they’ll be short staffed (which historically they refund for) and it’s Friday. Believe it or not, lots of people do a lot of work on Fridays.

OP posts:
MakingLasagne · 25/06/2026 21:31

Sorry that was to @Passingthrough123

OP posts:
lunar1 · 25/06/2026 21:37

Given they have stated that it’s so staff can leave early to collect their own dc, no parent should be paying for that, they are taking the piss.

Passingthrough123 · 25/06/2026 21:39

MakingLasagne · 25/06/2026 21:31

Sorry that was to @Passingthrough123

I thought everywhere was going to be hotter tomorrow! It has actually been a lot hotter than predicted in most places, so maybe some of the staff have kicked off about not being able to be there for their own children for the past two days in temps of 36 if the local schools have closed? Also, you don't know for sure that a refund isn't going to be offered, because you're not personally affected.

jumphopskip999 · 25/06/2026 21:41

Passingthrough123 · 25/06/2026 21:39

I thought everywhere was going to be hotter tomorrow! It has actually been a lot hotter than predicted in most places, so maybe some of the staff have kicked off about not being able to be there for their own children for the past two days in temps of 36 if the local schools have closed? Also, you don't know for sure that a refund isn't going to be offered, because you're not personally affected.

They have announced no refunds will be given.

Passingthrough123 · 25/06/2026 21:44

jumphopskip999 · 25/06/2026 21:41

They have announced no refunds will be given.

Missed that! I imagine they'll reconsider if enough parents complain.

MakingLasagne · 25/06/2026 21:45

jumphopskip999 · 25/06/2026 21:29

It’s Busy Bees. I posted earlier about our nursery closing for three afternoons and no refund being given. Parents are angry as a refurb was carried out earlier this year and we queried why no ac was being installed. Assured it would be fine and Lo and behold, it isn’t! I am finding it soo hard to work in this heat with a toddler. I’d be in the office with ac and they’d be in nursery if they’d installed the ac as requested. If they said to us, we won’t refund you this week but we’ve bought ac for all the rooms for next fine, I wouldn’t have an issue. As it is, lots of parents are now saying they’ll look into alternative nurseries that do have ac.

I Cannot fault the staff, I think they are amazing and work so hard but the HQ really let them down.

Yeah this - it was put on the app, I don’t have any other visibility as a non-Friday parent.

OP posts:
jumphopskip999 · 25/06/2026 21:46

Passingthrough123 · 25/06/2026 21:44

Missed that! I imagine they'll reconsider if enough parents complain.

I hope so because we’re only in June! Are they going to shut for 2 days a week, each week over the summer?! How will anyone be able to work. They need to resolve the issue and reassure parents that children and staff will be safe.

Modernfamily2011 · 25/06/2026 21:47

@MakingLasagne - They absolutely should refund parents but BB are known for not doing it! My 2 both went to BB and one year, the heating broke down in the middle of winter and it was freezing
They refused to refund parents then as well (we were paying over £100 a day!)

MakingLasagne · 25/06/2026 21:47

Argh sorry wrong quote again!

I do think Busy Bees is a racket. I wouldn’t have chosen them tbf, I’d pick an independent nursery every time. We’re about to pay our final bill but management has been atrocious.

OP posts: