sick of parents treating me like a charity!!!

[vicki2010]

boring post really and just wanted to rant and see if many others are i same boat!?
I am a childmminder and get paid (supposed to get paid) on the 30th of each month, some parents childcare vouchers start going in around this date and some parents dont process them until 30th,31st,1st or whenever they can be bothered....one parent does a straightforward bank transfer which STILL hasn't been done and now its the 6th!!!! im so fed up with being paid late and feeling disrespected like im the last of their priority,and i know they are financially ok due to the nature of their jobs etc,i even sent a text reminder which was acknowledged fine i just cant understand why some (not all thank god) parents don't feel this important,its my lively hood for goodness sake i too have bill's,direct debits council tax,rent etc and and just fed up really! sorry for the rant lol

oh dear

what terms do your contract state?

don't speculate on the state of your parents' finances, although they have well paid jobs they may have outgoings you don't know about ; however persistent late payment of their childcare fees is unacceptable and I understand your frustration

I don't know if this is normal practice for childminders but certainly normal for nursery/after school club. We pay the bill in advance and get a late payment charge if not paid for by the end of the first week of the month in question! e.g. if not paid bill for Feb by Friday 4th feb would get a later payment charge the next month.

If not in your t&c's at the moment then can you add as a new condition - would have to give notice I imagine and say with effect from ddmmyy any late payments will be subject to an additional late payment charge of £xx or x %?

my contract says that fees need to be paid in advance by the 1st of the month otherwise there is a 20% late fee added on

i know i could add late payment i just feel awkward and haven't wanted to without parent feeling embarrassed! shouldn't care really should i? and yes i know i shouldn't speculate but when i say good jobs i mean really GOOD jobs,i totally understand family's have financial concerns you would never ever know about or expect,it just frustrates the hell out of me because if it wasn't for my job and the flexibility i so very often accommodate they couldn't do their jobs!!!

I have a late payment fee in my contracts, but I'm generally too nice to charge it, unless parents are really taking the mickey. Most of my parents are fine. I send out invoices much earlier these days (ie 15th Jan, for payment on 1st Feb - used to be 25th). This is supposed to mean that voucher payments will arrive on time, but they don't. It's the voucher payments I hate and if they didn't save parents so much money, I would refuse to take them.

My contracts specify - no payment, no childcare - so if someone was really taking the mick I would probably have to turn them away until I receive payment.

When you say you expect payments on the 30th, is that in advance for the following month, or in arrears for last month? I always charge in advance, because I have heard too many stories about people just disappearing and not paying.

Write a letter to all your parents, saying that up until now you have not applied the late payment charge but that from next month, you will be forced to do so due to rising bank charges, interest rates etc. Say that you are willing to discuss terms in cases of difficulty. Then enforce it. They have got used to the idea that they can do this, so they don't make paying you a priority. Bet they pay their mortgage on time though!

Don't put up with that!
I agree with the Provincial lady.
Whether they are well off not is not really the point imo, they have a contract with you, they must stick to it.
Do not feel embarrassed about challenging them, it's them who should feel embarrassed.

thats the other thing,i am paid in arrears (again being too nice) and feel cant charge until earnt etc...yes think an all parent letter is the way to go,the way i feel now though is like hsmm says no payment then no childcare,wonder what they would say when they turn up wed and i REFUSE childcare!!! oh i'de love to!

You have to think more like a business or you will definitely get some scammer who leaves without paying. It might be awkward to change T&C now for your existing customers but definitely get payment in advance from new ones, and make it clear that you enforce the late penalty rule.

add late playment thing definetly. Anyway it to cover yourself - you may end up beingc harged more if you pay your bills late due to their money not going in on time.

I have to pay my cm in cash on a Monday morning when I drop off.

I take fees in advance. If you don't pay your child does not come in!!! Simple as!!

I know some cms charge late fees if your fees are late, but i dont charge this as i dont take the kids if there are no fees.

You either need to start telling parents you will not take their children if there fees are not paid or you will add a late fee on to their fees if they do not pay on time as stated in their LEGAL CONTRACT!! I think £10 per day per child is enough to detter (SP) parents, i think £5 per day per child is not enough and parents and parents wont think twice about a fiver.

I would also try and change to contracts to fees in advance. I can understand this may be difficult as they may have to pay twice the first time, i.e for the last month and the coming month. If thats not possible then with all future children and parents i really advise you ask for payment in advance!!

I also ask for payment upfront.

Unfortunately, the downside to this is that, from feedback, several parents have stated this the reason as to why they did not chose me as their childminder.

However, I am sticking to my policy of payment upfront, although I am about to introduce an option to pay upfront on a weekly basis, rather than my current monthly basis.

Speak to your parents when they drop off and remind them they have unpaid bills, they might have genuinely forgotten (we did a couple of times when we were customers of a CM). Remember that when it sits on the kitchen table, your bill is just another one in the pile to be sorted out......and no one enjoys doing that sort of thing.

My CM wife charges in advance. The down side is that often there is a change of hours during the month (extra minding hours), so the next month's bill has to reflect that.

Like Maidbloke said, there are often adjustments to be made the following month, because I charge in advance.

I have 2 families, who worked with me to calculate an average amount and they pay by monthly standing order. I just have to give them a statement to show how much under/over they are and this amount is carried forward, on the basis that if the contract ends the balance is payable either way. These ones are NEVER late :)

I put out a newsletter every half term, in it I remind parents that payment MUST be made by the 1st, late payment will be charged till the 3rd, when care will be withdrawn until payment is paid.

I get paid in advance, and request that parent hold a months vouchers in hand.

I issue invoices on the 20th and parent action the vouchers then, so I always get that part of payment, by about the 25/6th, they then pay remainder by bank transfer by the 1st.

I have only had to charge late payment very occasionally, and only refused care once in 10 years. (the parent went straight to the bank and got the payment.)

It is good business to stick to your terms and conditions, and IMO Parents respect you more if you do.

I'm seriously in whenever I read this stuff. My cm charges in advance and pay monthly. It's due 1st of each month but I make sure it's in at the latest by the 30th - 29th if possible (I'm paid on the 28th, just depends on if it's on a weekend...etc)... but it's a direct transfer each month. And childcare vouchers were saved up the first month so I always have a month's worth stocked up in my account in case one month comes in late, it won't affect my cm and she'll still get that portion of the monthly pay - on the 26th.

I find it hard to believe that parents, who are working hard to earn money, would dare to pay their cm even a second later than the contract specifies. Parents would be outraged if their paycheque was issued to them late! I know I would be! How is paying your cm any different?

ahh its nice to hear from a parents point of view startexpat! some but not all are like that and they make me feel really respected and equal yet others just make me feel like a glorified babysitter or odd job man! would you believe the parent i was moaning about STILL hadn't paid me so i sent her a very abrupt text asking why the paymeny hadnt gone through and that from now on will she set up a direct debit for amount then top up if needed,she responded by saying she HAD made payment....twenty minutes later she text saying.....'ooh,it hadnt gone through' i mean are they so loaded she doesnt even notice she hasnt paid me or is she sooo skint she was buying time? either way i doubt she would like to be paid late and i know were self employed but its slightly different from a builder chasing his plumber etc iyswim

definate review of contracts and definately new parents will pay in advance for sure!!!

I think that you should send them a letter saying that you can no longer accommodate this situation.

Work out some dates by which payment must be made eg.

A transfer has to be made by 27th
Vouchers have to be put in by - date.

Also set up a system of late fees as suggested above.

Where possible get a standing order set up, maybe offer a very small discount?

Sorry, they may be lovely people and you may love their children but they are taking the piss.

Agree with BranchingOut. You can't just not pay or be as late as you want with your other bills.

My local after school club has this with some of the parents.

We all had a letter explaining that late payments would need to inccur a late charge as their own bank was doing the same and it was only fair to cover the costs.

The costs where set out and if we wanted to pay by standing order on the 28th of each month that would be fine

Oh I got a 5% discount if I paid three month at the begining of each term within the first week.

I always paid at the end of the previous term so I always got the 5% discount

Outrageous - please don't put up with this. Do as advised above and send a letter out stating you will not be able to have any children who are not up to date with payment AND add a late payment fee.

Please don't let them take the piss like this. Your job is vitally important and you deserve to be treated with respect. It beggars belief that they would have so little regard for the person who is looking after the well being of the most precious thing to them.

I have had the same problem with a parent, she paid me LAST WEEK'S money on tuesday after me having to chase her, I have now warned her that if I have the same trouble I am terminating her contract. She pays a friend who isn't registered to mind the kids after 6pm if she and Dad are working late. I work till 6.30 latest as I want my family time.

She is taking the pi**, Tax Credits are supposed to be paid to childminders, nurseries and other registered childcare, she nearly pulled out of me minding last week after me telling her I will not mind on Monday until I am paid, then it was Tuesday. I said I would report her to Tax credits, am I allowed to do that? I assume its fraud if she doesn't use her child tax credits to pay me?

Mum to Luke....i can't ever imagine threatening a parent that ide report them!! I text the parent yesterday a to the point message but spent whole day worrying i had been too harsh!!! Think i need to toughen up dont i,and yes she should be paying you on time if the tax credits pay her!