And so the excuses begin...

[LuckyLopez]

I have 6 children on my books and have just had my third excuse about why I can't or won't be paid on time this month.

1. Parent is supposed to pay cash on the day for ad hoc care. Turned up with a cheque. This I conceed might be my fault since I don't explicitly say I don't take cheques but in three years she's always paid cash.
2. Suddenly decided she wants to pay via vouchers so I've had to register with a new company and first payment will be late. I've advised of late fees but 'there's nothing I can do' dispite paying in cash weekly for 4 years.
3. Bank transfer due yesterday, they've emailed to say things are tight are they'll pay 'for sure' on January 1st. Again late payment charge advised but that doesn't help me now.

Well I'll just eat dust bunnies and have a great Christmas! Thanks a bunch.

1. Give the cheque back and ask for cash.
2. Say you'll be ready for vouchers next month and they need to pay cash this month.
3. I hope your late fines will pay for your bank charges?

Not nice for you. Most of my lovely parents who are due to pay by 1 January have already paid.

Have you got watertight contracts with these people?

The cheque was Thursday and I've already banked hoping it will clear before Christmas.

Yea I have watertight contracts and on the main they are all very good payers. Just Christmas comes and they lose their Christmas spirit. I guess I'm cheap borrowing until the new year.

Selfish bastards. Could you start advertising for new clients and give these ones notice when you succeed. that'll teach'em.

Hollow laugh at "things are tight" err no shit!! Theyre tight for everyone this time of year. What makes them think you have it any easier than them?? Thats a fucking insult! Grr. Angry on your behalf OP.

Maybe you should raise your late fees (sky high!) if they are not acting as a deterrent to people paying late? Hope you manage xmas ok.

My CM has had the same, only she's not getting paid at all. Her other client has decided not to pay over the holiday period as her husband is off & he said he'd look after their kids to 'save her some money' so she's £200 down. So that's her kids not getting as much for xmas this year. I'm a good client all paid & up to date. Sometimes I wonder at the logic some people apply to the contracts they sign up to.

I've been saved! A lovely parent, whose invoice wasn't due until 1st January has paid already! Love her!

Fantastic. Give her a box of chocolates

I'm really glad for you. I'm sorry you went through that experience.

Seems a lot of parents pay late :(

If they don't pay then refuse to have their children

When this happened to my childminder, they had to pay by the 1st of the month or else no childcare. I was only late once in 9 years and my son was in hospital. I text to say hubby would drop it off but he forgot. She got it the next day with a bottle of red wine to apologise and she told me off as I was at the hospital and she understood that dh had driven home to bed.

Shocking my childcare bills were always paid on time childminder was paid part bank transfer n part vouchers n transfer was always a few days early n vouchers done on day I was paid occasions when last thur of mth was v last day it meant vouchers didn't clear her end til 2 of mth but she knew this n most of our payment was bank transfer anyway.

That is awful OP. I'm so glad someone finally came through for you. I am so very lucky that none of my fantastic parents have ever put me in that position. Could you look at your processes and procedures in the future to try and avoid this happening again? Earlier payment than usual in December for example? Or heavy fines for late payment? Happy Christmas anyway!

Is it possible to ask for a 'months deposit' to be paid when they sign up with you to cover situations like this? It would then be paid back when the wee one moves on.