Is it ok to take a retainer fee when i'm still on mat leave?

[agalch]

Not sure if any of you will be able to help.I am still on maternity leave and due back to work in january.

Have a family coming to see me today who want to start in January.I would normally take a retainer fee so that know they are serious about actually wanting me to keep the space for them.

But can i still do that if im on mat leave? My worry is that i keep the space for them and then they don't bother to come in January and i then have no money and a space to fill.Seems daft but i have had a run of bad luck(taking a parent to court over non-payment of fees/losing xmas money with farepak etc) and i don't want to be made a mug of again.

Im not sure. I know that you are not allowed to earn any money while on Maternity or you have to pay some back.
I would take some money from them for the space and January isnt far away.
Perhaps you could ring the maternity allowance people and ask them. Although the experience I have had of them is pretty useless.
Who's going to know???

I think your on dangerous ground with a retainer. Why don't you take a deposit and apply to their first month's fees. If they don't show, you keep them in lieu of amonth's notice (assuming a month's notice is what you have in your contract). That way you aren't being paid on mat leave, but you do have a guarantee of payment when you are actually available for work.

Oops, you keep it, not them.

Thanks

scv3,know what you mean re the maternity people lol.

Uwila that's a great idea but pretty sure they are not in a position to fork out a months fees in advance which i would need to hold the space.

Oh well i will speak to them and see what they say.It's awful to be conned by parents cos you then become cynical and you don't trust anyone

Just ask for as much as you think it would take to ensure they show up. Is the child full time? Are we talking £50 or £200 per week in fees?

just a deposit should do

if they dont turn up in jan then you have a months wages to find somebody else

A deposit sounds like the way to go. The fees will be 120 per week.I am determined not to be soft and say i'll keep the space open and not take a deposit.Knowing me i will

Due anytime now so wish me luck!!!

Put on your business hat and remember that you are in business to make money, not to provide free childcare. Good luck.

I would ask for a deposit to be retained until the end of the childcare arrangement plus the first payment in advance.

Well thanks everyone for the advice.The mum was nice and the little boy was lovely too.She hasn't even sorted out her working families tax credit so didn't see the point in scaring her with deposits atm.

But she did say she had all the school hols off so i said i would charge half fees as a retainer to keep the space open for her.She has asked if i will have her little boy 2 days per week as i will be getting half pay.

In the past a retainer fee has been taken as a way of keeping a place open and i havn't had the child in the holidays.What does everyone else do?

Hi, it sounds as though you have got into a situation of maybe having to work 2 days a week DURING your maternity leave

Personally i would ask for a deposit as a retainer is not really applicable if you are not available to work.

If you do decide to work the 2 days she has asked then full fee should apply for those hours + retainer for the rest of the week, but then you have the complication of working whilst on maternity leave. Hope that made sense!

Sorry didn't make myself clear,i'm not going to work during my mat leave.She doesn't want to start till January.

She works in a college so has the long hols.If i charge her half fees during the holidays,she expects me to work 2 days as i will be getting half the normal money iyswim.

So would i charge the retainer fee plus charge her the extra hours i would work?

Never had this before,when i have minded teachers children they pay the retainer fee then i don't see them till the schools go back.

I give my parents a booking form before each holiday so they can return it if they want to confirm their own place during their reserved hours.

They pay full fee for each booked day (if the child doesn't turn up on the day, is late arriving or collected early or off sick they still pay full fee) and half fee for any unused part of the retained period.

If they don't return the form there is no guarantee their place will be available but they still pay retainer. If I am closed for sickness/holiday or I give their place to another child (ie, I am full) the retainer is waived for the period during which their place was unavailable.

HTH

Hi Agalch

Yes you would charge retainer plus charge for the extra hours worked