is it un-reasonable to not cook for mindees?

[dragonfly42]

Hi again, also wanted to ask you do any of you cook evening meals? I offer breakfast lunch drinks and snacks at no extra charge but I dont offer a cooked evening meal, I always state however that if this is a problem then something can be arranged. bare with me as this is a bit long; A recent mindee's parent started a full time contract and agreed that it would be ok for him not to eat with us in the evening and she would pick him up at 6.30pm, I told her we ate at 6 but she said thats ok. 10 weeks later she starts asking if i'd given him tea and why he wasnt eating with us! it was never agreed as she had never asked me to do this before, she then decided to end the contract on a days notice and I havent seen her since, I ask for 3 weeks notice which I havent received and she didnt pay for the last week that he came. Do you think that this is strange or have I missed something here?

I think she's a cow who ripped you off.

I'd take her to small claims court or hire a debt collector to chase up the money.

She didn't have a written agreement with you to provide the kid with tea, and she signed an agreement stating she was to give you 3 weeks notice.

Sounds like a misunderstanding, or something else that she doesn't want to bring up with you.

As for you thread title - it is up to the family. Some will want their child fed at teatime, because if they are picking up at 6.30, they may not get to eat until closer to 7.30 which is late for most little ones. Other families may value eating together every day. Either way is fine.

yes well squeakypop thats what I think so I thought that maybe he was used to eating late. I offered on the last day that i saw her that did she want me to start giving him tea and if so there would be a small charge of £1.00 pr day and she just left without disscussing it and that was it. Im debating whether to go through small claims court or not, she seems the type of person to stir up trouble. the strange part is that she sent him back to a nursery that he left because he didnt like it when he started with me. oh and what do you all charge for cooked meals?

Message withdrawn

I doubt if her issues are to do with the food. It will be something else - maybe not anything to do with you at all.

Even if she thought you had a different arrangement up till then, it would just have been a case of - then, can you start giving him his tea. No biggie, and you can't alter the past.

She should pay you what she owes you though. Are you not paid weekly?

well no, 'oops' me either thas why I asked her if she was sure it would be ok when we did the contract and if it isnt then she can pay extra for the meal, but if she wants to feed him when she gets home then thats her choice.
I dont mind either way but I charge extra for a cooked meal thats all and I think the fact that she wouldnt then discuss it with me and just left is strange. I did offer to start giving him tea but she didnt want to know and just left so I think it was something else. She wasnt too happy when I told her that she would have to pay £1.00 for tea everyday so is that too much?

'she would have to pay £1.00 for tea everyday so is that too much? '

No. I mean, schools usually charge more than that for a cooked lunch.

DD1's nursery charged £1.50 and it's council-run.

bill her then take her to court

yes i was paid weekly. she told me she had lost her contract and hadnt read it she also on some days would not turn up and didnt ring or text me to let me know that he wasnt coming, I think she had problems of somje sort and she just had days off work when she felt like it and would then ring me 3 or 4 hours late to tell me this. its all a bit starnge. I had no problems with giving him tea, she felt comfortable enough to ask me to take him to the hairdressers and do things for him but couldnt ask me to change the contract and start giving him tea? Am I in teh wrong her or is it her?

Bottom line is, she re-neged on a contract.

She's counting on people being scared of her to let her get away with being a cow.

Well, ball's in your court, but I'd bill her and if she didn't stump up I'd take her to court.

£1 is nothing compared to basic childminding fees.

It won't be that! The fact that she brought it up with you, and then flounced, means that she was looking for a get-out clause.

am I in the wrong here or is it her? bad typing!!

she told me she had lost her contract and hadnt read

Too bad. That's her look out and responsibility. She could have asked you for a copy. As long as you've got a copy of it with her signature on the dotted line, the law's usually going to be on your side (former legal secretary here, btw).

She is, dragonfly.

She re-neged on the contract.

Yes, I think its gonna be a matter of court procedings to get the money. I doubt she dare show her face to come and pay me. she didnt even end the contract in person, she text me to tell me and that was that!

You don't need a solicitor for small claims court. It's relatively cheap and straightforward for things like this, which is breech of contract and non-payment for services rendered (the former for the 3 weeks you lost out and the latter for hte week she didn't pay you for).

ok, how do i go about it then as ive not had to do this before? never had a problem with any contract until now

just google 'small claims court in england (or wales or scotland, etc.)'.

ok thanx 4 your advice