CM CLub - Withdrawing care for non payment

[Fadge]

I have a new mindee I have not yet been paid anything for - parents applied for childcare element/new jobs/not been paid themselves yet either etc

But I feel that 3 weeks without pay for me is quite enough, and we had it written on the contract that if Tax credits not sorted in 3 weeks, parents to pay in full.

Thing is, if I withdraw care, they cannot work, and I still have no chance of getting any money off them... and they would likely just never come back and so I would have to chase through courts and all that hassle.

I have bills to pay too, and £500 worth of care given and not been paid for as yet is just not on - but then I understand that it's a vicious circle!

ARGH!
What to do??

well i pay my childminder with childcare element of tax credits and was set up very easily and quickly. my childminder receives her money weekly from me at the beginning of the week as soon as i received it in my bank account from the inland revenue. never any problems (touch wood). maybe phone them yourselves to explain the situation and that you may have to withdraw care if the parent does not receive the money soon.

i sympathise fadge i really do,its tough.

i was in very similar situtaion a few months ago....... had child for 2 weeks and after numerous reminders for money both verbally and written i had no contact from them (they were getting a friend to drop off and collect child!) i left it 2 weeks and then gave immediate notice and final bill.
i still had no contact after several letters and told tehm teh next step would be small claims court which i done got all the money owed to me plus costs.
we are not a charity we are a buisness that requires funds to survive!
tax credits should be set up intime for your first payment day,i get paid this way from a few of my parents and ive not had any probelm.

if i were you i would get rid! if a contract starts this way is it going to get any better?

I know what I would be saying if it was someone else posting this lol easy to give the advice, not so easy to take it!!

In all fairness it's not their fauult really, and I did accept them in good faith - we had agreed last week ( 3rd week) that they would pay me £100 this week as a goodwill/interim type thing to show willing, which I was happy to do, but then the day it was due it was cancelled s granny was looking after at short notice, and the next day they said child was ill and again not coming.

I had a bad feeling about this family from the start but ignored it as I need the money - but if I am not even getting that??

I think I will see what happens tomorrow and take it from there, if they cancel again or simply no show, then I will find it hard to give the benefit of the doubt a 3rd time and ask to meet them and (if they accept that) lay it on the line - and if they don't accept my request, well I'll have my answer won't I?

I DO appreciate Inland Revenue can be utter bastards but they wouldn't work indefeinitely for no money so why should I?

WCS I would take them to small claims for money outstanding already - they signed a legally binding contract after all.

Pah!

If anyone has any more advice, please do share

Can you get them to write a post dated cheque, for an amount guaranteed with their cheque card, so whatever happens, their bank will pay you that money when you present the cheque on a date agreed with the parents? It won't be all that you are owed, but at least something?

I have to be honest Fadge I don't take children unless they have paid. Only once has it been an issue & a family member paid.

I charge a month up front, but I will accept it weekly for the first month or so.

I don't know what the answer is to your problem - sorry

got the same prob at the moment
sent a letter home with parents to say fees are payable £80 and i could not pick x up after school until bill has been paid, i dont see parents as they are really rude and text me 2 mins before they arrive to say get x ready we will be there in a min then they pull up in works van and x runs down the path gets in and off they go they neaver wave or anything.

next day at school x came out and said he was with me and had a note from the head to say parents had phoned him to say i needed to pick him up

so day after went into school and told head if parents phone i could not pick x up as we had a contract disagreement

not seen x since

crikey dmo

what if you hadn't been there?!

some parents...

am going thru the process of claiming thru ncma lawyers for parent who went awol after persuading me that she gets her tax credit on the 18th. Havent seen her since. its a big mistake from day one to take them without payment. i have learned a lesson so shd everyone thinking of receiving payments in arrears. i always thought money wd come 2nd and the care of the child 1st but i was wrong. money first or you will take your child to work. tough