not been paid when contracted to, again

[anewyear]

As it says above really, parents have agreed and its written in to their contracts, their childrens fees are to be paid on the 1st of each month.
only 1 set of parents have paid me, (this has gone on bills etc) the other 3 havent
I promised I would take my own children out as Im not working this week, but I had to tell them I had no money, I said I would take them out instead today, but went to the bank this morning, and still no payment, Ive been again this evening still nothing, I feel so bad I ve let my boys down twice.

Ive decided to send them all a txt but not sure what to put,
does any one have any ideas what I can say,
I dont want to be confontational or anything, just remind them.

perhaps you need a fine / admin fee for late payment?

They may take paying you more seriously then

can you get them to pay by direct debit

That is unacceptable. Just send a text that says,
"I have not received your payment this month. Please make the payment asap. There is a £20 (or whatever) charge for every day the payment is late. Thank you for your understanding."

That is really naughty. I have a couple of parents who need to be reminded each month, but always pay straight away. Then there are the dreaded vouchers that arrive at random times in my bank account (one payment came a month after the parent transferred the money and it clearly showed in the voucher account).

I often have a dig about late payments in my newsletter and dump statements in children's trays showing invoice date and payment date for the last few months, to prove the late payments.

I have only twice charge my late payment fees and felt really bad about it, but we should not feel bad. Most of my parents are employees and would raise the roof if their wages didn't go in on time.

i wouldn't text - they can claim that they never received it and you could be sitting there for days.

I would ring them - be polite but firm and express your disappointment that they have not paid you and could it be paid to you today in cash.

Then sit down and compose a letter stating your terms of when you want paying and how. And what will happen when you are NOT paid on time or correctly. ie - late payment fees.

That is utterly disgusting that you have not been paid and its time to get tough.

Thanx for you replies.

I have been down to the bank in the village this morning, nothing has gone in over night
Apart from not being able to take the boys for a day out this week,
The boys and I are supposed to be having our hair cut today, mobile hairdresser and friend, Im gonna have to call her and tell I cant do it today as Ive not been paid
which means letting her down, and she might need my money!!

I am flexible for them when they ask me to work late or themselves late for one reason or another, I have their children in the holidays (they are all term time / after school only contracts) when they cant get over cover to look ater their children.

So yes Im gonna have a letter waiting for them all after half term, saying I unfortunatley lam going to have to start charging a late payment fee.

And yes they would be straight on to their payroll dept if they hadnt been paid.

Over!! other even..

I think you are not being pro active enough.

I would have been on the phone yesterday asking if there was an issue. I can never understand people who see their childcare bill as a low priority.

If you wait until Monday to give them your letter you will have today and the weekend with no money.

A phone call doesn't have to be confrontational.

"hi, its anewyear here, I'm a little concerned, I haven't received any payment from you yet and it's over two days late."

that all your half term plans have been scuppered by these parents.

I too would not wait until Monday, I think you need to ring them today and then give them a letter on Monday. If you would prefer a letter rather than face-to-face do they live close enough that you could pop it through their door?

I also think these parents need to know that their late payments have left you without any money to do anything for you or your children during the holidays

I agree with nbee. They need to wake up and realise that their negligence in payment has left you unable to go out or get your hair cut.

Please tell them how important it is that they pay on time. I also think a phone call. Scratch last post about a text.

Most of my parents are great payers but I had 1 last month who pay on 18th instead of 1st due to a mess up with tax credits. I have in my contracts that I charge £5 per day late but I understood they were struggling so didn't want to add to it. I asked if there would be further problems the following month and they said no, I emailed again on 5th checking there would be no problems, they said no. I emailed next invoice on 22nd and heard nothing about problems, my newsletter mentioned paying on time, nothing popped up to say there would be problems again. On 31st May I texted the parent who pays asking if they needed my bank details as they weren't going to see me on 1st (TT only) and then I suddenly got an email saying I'd not be getting paid til 15th due to tax credit knock on effect problems. I replied saying fine but that the £90 fees being waived last month were a one off (and it said this on the next invoice!) and that it would cost them £75 in fees this month. I then got a phone call saying that maybe they can get the money sooner and I said great, it will be just £5 x number of days late and not £75 unless they were 15 days late as first said. What makes me laugh is how they can suddenly think of another way round it all when fees are mentioned. This hurt my feelings as I was kind enough to let off the £90 last month even though we're so broke we were worried about loosing our home (dh out of work for year and half - finally got offered a job this week!) and the parents knew about our problems!

Be strong and phone them......NOW! They should get the cash to you asap, just explain the situation re your boys and the hairdresser, it's just not fair and plain rude!! Good luck!

Well I text'd them

11.04 I got a 'thankyou for reminding me', no apology, nothing from one. a little later another to say it should be in my account later today,
unfortunatly thats unlikley as she is with a branch/bank, who are part of the Santander group (the Abbey I think it is) and it takes 2 days to clear normally, I think its highly unlikley she would have paid the £25 to fast track the payment.

Heard nothing at all from the other parent yet, she is only allowed to make emergency calls at work.. Ill pop down to the bank this evening to see if theres anything in there, then if not I will call her.

Im going to tough up and tell them Monday what Ive told you lot, and see what they have to say for themselves!!!

don't cringe

these monies are due to you, per the contract

late payment without prearrangement is unacceptable

shoulders back and chin up

Well the one I thought wouldnt go thro today has gone through at about3pm...yay
I have some money, too late for taking the boys out and my hairdresser tho...

and the other one, I got a text back saying she thought she paid it at the end of last month!! that shes on holiday at the moment, back tomorrow will sort it out then!!
So off I drove to our nearest town ( 8miles away) this afternoon to get a statement from Barclays (the one in the village is HSBC and doesn give ou mini statement for some absurd reason) which told me, no she hasnt paid..

Watch this space..

now I'm not going to give you the lecture about being assertive and professional because you feel rubbish enough already

[hug]

Hmmm .... instead of doing all those trips to the bank wouldn't it be better to sign up for internet banking? The transactions show up almost immediately so if you get a faster payment you can see it in your bank straight away. I was abit sceptical about inetrnet banking but now I have no idea how I managed without it before.
WRT late payments ... some parents think it's our spending money for treats and such ... I had to toughen up with one parent who was really taking the mickey and finally I gave notice as I was relying on them to pay my bills and ended up with late fees charges for my late bills when they 'forgot' to pay me.

My CM pops the invoice in DS's bag, I pay it as soon as I get home, if I didn't then I would forget, at the end of the day it's your wages, I wouldn't be able to cope if I didn't get paid from my job so I don't expect CM to cope with no wages.......shocking that your parents haven't paid on time, hope they pay up soon :)

I would send them a text saying I can't have kids as am not working for nothing and so need them to bring cash with them or won't look after their kids - pisses me off people who think it is ok to treat childminders like this.

I have a parent who, last week told me 'she can't afford my fees, can I reduce them' I said I am sorry but no, I charge these and make it as reasonable as possible. £28 per day for a 9 year old in holidays full-time and £45 before and after school is not expensive when he eats like a horse and wants to be entertained everyday!

She also has a child in nursery who I could easily mind for alot less than she pays there. I give reductions to siblings and can do so much more than nurseries can as I have use of a fully insured car and use public transport to go to places.

She is the world's worst at paying, I cannot afford to lower my prices as I would make a loss. I have never had a tax credits form to put my registration number on (do registered providers still do this?) for her so am wondering whether to investigate her claim that her tax credit has gone down when I assume she only puts her earnings down being as she is not married.

Mum2Luke, her tax credits are irrelevant to you really (and I haven't filled in a form for years). The only thing you should be worrying about is whether she is paying your bills on time.

god this makes me so angry for you.. weve all been there though, i started off hating confrontation and being owed money.. no bloody more though.. you must first of all see yourself as a business woman who needs paying. for a service she provides... end of..

how dare these parents take your good nature for a ride..

call all late payers.. now..(.textin is for friendly communications only)

stare how much they owe you and then say you have to recive payment in cash before accepting their children for care again.. i dont do cheques any more as too bouncy.. only paid by dd, cash or bank transfer..you have every right to do this as they have broken their contract... be polite but firm..

then you need to be paid in advance from now on and either institute or threaten to institute late payment fees..

please dont let this drag on.. be firm..

mumto luke.. tell her to get another minder if she cannot afford you..the cheek of these people..

looney so pleased to hear about your dh getting a job.. we had been in just same position.. its so horrible..all ok now though

i know how you feel, my invoices go out by the first of each month and it states in my contract that the bill must be paid within 1 week of receiving the invoice, after that I charge 5 per week (which reading what everyone else does is very reasonable of me!) I had late payment by 3 weeks last month by 1 person and charged him, this month the same late by 12 days so i charged adn he ahd the cheek to complain about it. I gave it to him straight!! He soon backed down!

Always make sure that you have a months deposit when someone starts wit you. I actually have one month deposit and paid a month in advance, this ensures if child care vouchers are late, I have money in hand always.

You should not be in the situation where you cannot so things because you have no income form your clients. Be firm, no money, no care until paid up front from now on.