CMCLUB - mindee not working out, i feel guilty for asking for notice.

[LoveMyGirls]

ok so briefly the story is mindee hasnt turned up on days without notice or phonecall to let me know where he is etc, the mum is late paying. she's walked out of her job and now is saying she cant afford to pay what she owes. i sent her a letter explaining things clearly. so today she didnt turn up and i text her to see what was going on she said she cant affoird it and wont bring him anymore, she will pay me what she owes for last week and part of what she owes for this week but that will be all her money gone, nothing left for food or bills. (not my fault i kno) so im wondering if i should persue it and get her to pay me 4 weeks notice or if i should get her to pay me this week and last week or just last week. i feel guilty for asking for money for a service she wont be having as she's already said she wont bring him anymore. but he starts school soon so it would be unfair to swap childminders if she does find a job but part of me thinks she doesnt want to work tbh.

what shall i do?

dp says he thinks the moral thing is to let it go. but we are seriously broke too and im working 7 days a week to try and get us out of debt and im running a business not a charity at the same time i do feel very guilty as i could let it go.

forgot to say i did mention that perhaps she should have paid me on time last week and then we wouldnt have this problem but she said that a bill came and she paid that instead. tho i kno childcare should be the first bill to be paid as kids come first (well they do in my house)

Message withdrawn

Lovemygirls,I would pursue the money- I had a similar thing done across me when I first started to mind.
I would write her a letter stating the terms of the contract stating that you will give her 7 days to pay, if after this you get no joy then write again giving her 7 days to pay stating that you will start legal proceeding ( if you are a member of the NCMA and the amount owing is over £100 they will act for you.)

clearly she wasnt thinking. who walks out a job when they have kids and bills to pay. though i can understand to a certain degree because it was a rubbish job where they were treating her badly tbh but she should have sorted something else out esp as she is the only bread winner. i dont want it to drag on which is why im thinking about writing off the notice period. i dont think i will get the money off her tbh the longer it goes on the less likely she is to pay me. its like taking credit out on something that breaks after a few months but you have to keep paying for 12 months after 4 or 5 mths you would resent still having to pay for something you dont have and as im not taking it directly out of her bank then she is less likely to come round with it week after week iyswim. i think tbh i need to take what im owed for this week and last week and call it a day. at least the headache will be over..............

i called NCMA and she did say that to me (i am a member) she's sending me some info in the post about settling desputes.

LMG's - you know how I feel about this. If you're that broke then I personally would persue it. I've had rubbish jobs where they have treated me awful but I could never afford to walk out. It's her problem she's got herself into this mess and she shouldn't be making you feel guilty.

You say you won't get the money etc but with the NCMA's help you will, it just may take a little time.

I do understand you feel sorry for her and if she hadn't walked out on her job then I'd say maybe forget the rest but she was stupid enough to walk out!!!

So on your behalf!

I would do an invoice for the final amount that is due but say that due to the circumstances, if they pay what they can now and put in writing a realistic offer of a weekly payment; I would waive late fees etc as long as they stick to the payment plan. Put all agreements in writing.

I have let off one parent their notice period because she lost her job suddenly. They've since been back & booked/paid for lots of odd days/weeks. However, there have been many times when every penny counts, so now I keep the deposit until the end of the childminding agreement so I don't have to make that decision again.

Oh boo hoo! Business is business LMGs. Youll be broke next and that will be no help will it? Dont get a reputation for letting people off paying.

Love my girls, surely you had a contract in which it states when fees are to be paid and how much notice needs to be given to terminate the contract on both sides.

The person in question must have read and agreed to this contract and signed it accordingly.

It clearly states on the contracts under point 25. Notice must be given in writing. A minimum of 2 weeks and a maximum of 4 weeks is suggested. If it is necessary to end the agreement straight away then payment in leiu of notice must be made.

You cannot let them break their contract, this is our livelyhood. You are due that money and that contract is binding.

As for her sob story, no mum with half a brain would walk out on her job leaving herself that broke, she can't pay her bills and feed her kids!
She has taken up your time and prevented you from having other mindees by not turning up, therefore causing you loss of earnings. As you say yourself, you are running a business not a charity. If she has children and no job, she will be claiming benefits, she probably got help with childcare costs in the firstplace through Tax Credits, I think she's trying to play the sympathy vote. Don't fall for it.

Let the NCMA help you get the money you are owed, stand your ground and good luck.

shes bringing me some of the money she owes today (at least last weeks will be paid) and part of this week and then is going to bring me £20 on tuesday then we'll be about right and she'll just have to pay me on wed am as usual (except i know she will say she hasnt got it until thursday) yesterday i told her to go down to the social and tell them how broke she is and that she owes me money and i will fill in forms etc if i have to. i dont know if she was getting help with childcare because she never bought me a form from them to fill in ( but thats not my fault i did offer to fill it in if she got one and brought it round)

i suppose i feel guilty because she's not bringing him so im charging for something she's not getting even tho im available to have him she would rather stay in bed and let him sleep longer in the day than get up early to bring him to me (not my fault either tho) i need to toughen up. i will tell her today that i need it in writing and ask her to pay me what she owes. im not going to do installments because it will just drag on and on. (and tbh working 7 dys a week with 2 kids is stressful enough without all this on top i just wanna get it over with im really angry she has made it turn out like this, none of it is my fault yet i feel like the baddie)

ive had enough i am going thru the NCMA as she hasnt turned up as agreed so thats all her chances gone now she can pay me in full what she owes me. (5 weeks in total)

but if she hasnt given me notice then when does it start from? should i text her and ask her to write to me and start it from then or should i be nice and send her notice so it starts now?

TBH, you've been more than nice already! I'd talk to the NCMA and see what they suggest you do, and most importantly, DON'T YOU FEEL QUILTY!!! None of this is your fault! Keep your chin up.

Sorry, didn't mean quilty, not suggesting your soft!!!! lol!!! Spelling mistake! I meant don't you feel guilty!!!

quilty! classic have u seen my other replys to your posts? thanks for being supportive btw im sending her a letter today im going to get the full amount no more miss nice cm!

Yes, I did send you an e-mail, did you get it?

i got the email and mailed you back but i havent had a reply from you so maybe you didnt get my mail?