Childminder has increased rates quite significantly!

[Flo23]

DS1 has been going to CM for over 2 years, rates were last increased 16 months ago to £2.75 per hour so obviously she was due to put fees up. She has increased to £4.50 per hour which seems quite a big jump.

But, as I dont know the going rate for childminding not sure if I have been paying way below the norm. We're in Bristol. DS2 also due to start in June so am thinking about increased rates x2..

Thanks!

were i am anything between £3 and £4.50 is normal..however to jump up than much with an exisitng customer i think is too much!..she could have put yours(existing) up and charged new fee for all newcomers...has she give you notice of change?, i have to give 90 days notice of any change..has she discussed it with you?..surely she cant make that much of a jump straight away?

also I would give a discount for siblings, so she might too?

Thanks Rose, she hasnt mentioned any discount for ds2.

The increase comes into effect from 1st April so she has given us notice. I am surprised by it, but feel quite awkward speaking to her about it. After all, she is the person I trust to look after my child so dont want to create any bad feeling between us.

Also, dont want to say anything if she has been out of line with going rates.

you could try rinign your local child care plus and asking rough hourly fees, see what they come back with..but i dont think its the amount really, its the increase isnt it..i guess theres nothing she will/can do, but i would def not raise my fees by that much all in one go! totally OTT!

also are meals/snacks incoded?..£2.75 IS selling herself short, but she has to justify the increase to you, what did she say?

Bloomin heck!! I put mine up from £3.50-£3.80 and felt awful about that!!! Does seem pretty steep for an existing customer!

This website will tell you fees in your area - put your postcode in!

i dont plan to increase mine anytime yet!..been trading 18 months, may do it next april, but no plans and no way by that much!

that is a big jump
i put mine up to £3.20 last april from £3 after 4yrs and i thought that was a big jump
do you know any of the other parents? to ask how they feel

I do know one of the other parents, so will have a word with her(she had a baby 2 days ago, so wont bother her quite yet!)

Meals are included, she said she was raising the fees 'in line with inflation and the cost of living'. Just wish my salary increase was in line with hers.

Will have a look at fees on your link looneytune, thanks x

Going rate seems to be £3.50. How do I approach this one!?

has your c/m inder actually told you its now £4.50 p/h or has she made a mistake with your invoice IYSWIM ?

i put my hourly rate up by 20p per hour after 2 years - i sent out a newsletter a month before the change came into effect - i now charge £3.20 p/h

i think it's completely out of order to put it up so much in one jump

How many hours per week do you use her? If you use her say 50 hours per week, that is a weekly increase of £87.50, which is £389 per month per child. And since you are soon to have two kids there, we are talking and extra £778... blimey. I think I'd be a tad upset.

On the other hand, you did start out dirt cheap. In our area a childminder is £6 per hour per child. So to keep our costs down we have a live in nanny.

However, she is running a small business and can do what she likes with her rates (within the terms of the contract), so she can do this if she wants. And you can choose to go elsewhere if you want.

What about if you start by telling her how valued she is and how much you love your ds spending time there etc etc but unfortunatly your finances cannot stretch to that much extra and is there a possibility of her reducing the increase to say £4 per hour, if she declines this which is her right as it's her business and she is allowed to charge what she likes provided she can find people that are prepared to pay it.

I'm a childminder too and i'd love to be able to charge loads but if i did i'd never have any customers! If she really won't budge on price then I think you will have to look elsewhere as £9 per hour per child for a full day is more than most people can afford!

tbh, heating and cost of food has risen dramatically in the past 2 years youa re still getting a good deal. i understand it is a shock to the system.

I'd love to get £4 an hour btw!

Thank you for the above.

I'll have a word next time I see her. We do get on well so hopefully we can come to some agreement! Was just v surprised to get her letter, only found it in DSs bag today.(He was there yest am)

She has obviously undercharged for a while now, but my NHS salary certainly isnt going to rise in line with hers!

I know that my childminder is considering stopping, because the fees SHE has to pay to Ofsted are going up dramatically. As she has been winding down the childminding anyway, she doesn't think it's worth carrying on.

But we do pay £4.50 per hour already ... £8 per hour for two siblings.

Flo, i would personally speak to her and explain that although you think the wages for cm's IS terrible (and this £2.75 start was her idea, not yours!), you just dont think you can afford an increase of £1.25 per hour(work out how much extra that will be daily and weekly), then explain as you were wanting your other LO to start, this is just not feasable any longer and you may have to start looking at other options..im not saying hold her to ransom at all, just that her increase is HUGE and personally i think unfare and id be surprised if she DIDNT lose business putting it up this much!

How much would your weekly fee go up by???

I would understand a cost of living raise but that increase is too much! Thats a lot extra each month to find.

I would go with LoveMyGirls idea but go for £3.50 (in line with other rates for area) and then go from there.