Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.
Childcare
retainer fee
babiesrcool · 15/01/2006 16:44
I know this sounds daft and I should just ask but I never have been someone that can ask for money. When my dd started her childminder I paid a retainer fee. She is leaving in a few weeks and I don't know if this was to keep the place or a deposit that I am likely to get back. Any advice?
uwila · 15/01/2006 17:03
I think if I paid a retainer fee I would interpret that as a fee that reserves my place at the childminder. And I wouldn't expect to get it back. However, if I gave a deposit, I would expect that to be returned.
You caan always ask her to clarify. But if she seems quite clear that she expected to keep the money, then I think I would leave it at that.
HellyBelly · 15/01/2006 17:32
Hello
I'm a childminder and although I've never charged a retainer before, I looked into this with other minders recently as I had a lady who may have wanted to keep a space open for about 4 months. She would have had to pay a retainer to keep the space open but it would have been a fee, not a deposit.
HTH
katymac · 15/01/2006 19:02
HB is right
A retainer is a fee to hold a place until you want to use it (child wants to start 1st March - but I have a space now - so retainer is paid to hold that place)
A deposit would be for a place that didn't yet exist (ie to start after Easter I would take a deposit and if I didn't have a place I'd return it to the parent)
To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.