CMs - would you charge a late fee for partial late payment?

[ZuleikaD]

One set of parents pays partly with childcare vouchers and partly by direct bank transfer. The transfer (about 60% of the fee) went in on the last day of last month as it was supposed to but the childcare voucher didn't appear until today - three days late. I would assume the parents tell the voucher people when to pay and probably have to allow a certain number of working days, which I guess they didn't do. Would you make a charge for this? My contract says £5 per day for late payment.

In theory yes ... but parental control depends on the voucher company.

I wouldn't charge, as they probably did both the bank payment and the vouchers at the same time expecting it to work out ok. I would let them know though, that the voucher payment was late, and ask them to arrange the payment sooner in future to avoid your late fees which you have waived on this occasion.

Good thought, Runout - it's only the second month they've been doing this so it felt quite harsh.

One of my parents has their salary and vouchers paid in time for the end of the month, but that means the voucher company don't get the money to me for another 3 working days. I'm trying to work out a fair solution - deposit held, or something else ??? But I haven't quite got round to working it out.

Well, they've had a warning now, but to be honest I feel like it's their problem to sort out and if it happens again I'll definitely charge.

I am re introducing automatic late payment fee this month as I have had so many late payments and part late payment.

Its a tricky one. Is this a one off or does it happen regualarly?

You may need to let this one go and see what happens in the future with this.

As long as they have transfered the cash balance into my account, I don't mind if the vouchers are 1 or 2 days late. If the whole payment is late then I would charge

not if a one off

obv they had good intentions to pay on time and prob did both on the same day and the vouchers just took longer - maybe bank hol held it up

I know I try to do mine on 26th of the month so they are there for 1st of next mth as childminder gets some in voucher and some in bank transfer (which always goes in on day done), sometimes I do it a few days before a couple days later as do it when nursery give me their invoice as pay them all in vouchers (makes life easier) - CM knows we pay on time generally and vouchers are very very ocassionally a day late but the cash amount is usually more than the voucher amount anyway which she gets well in advance.

suppose it depends on relationship with family if they are a real pain the in the backside over lots of things then charge them and if they are lovely all pay on time always drop off and collect at the right times, never moan about you having a holiday (I have heard families moan cm is going on hol- why the hell shouldnt she!!) etc etc then let it go