HELP!! CM retainers - is this normal?

[spongebrainmaternitypants]

I registered with a CM in March, in order to return to work next month (June).

She said I needed to pay a retainer to hold my place, which I duly did - half a month's fee. What I didn't realise (and I know I should have read the contract ) is that I would have to pay this retainer for March/April/May and that this would not then be off-set against my first month, so basically I have paid my CM £600 for doing Sweet FA!

Is this normal? I don't want to go in all guns blazing and find out it's standard practice but it sounds ludicrous to me. Nureries don't do this . I feel like I've been taken for a ride.

Thank you for any advice.

Sounds normal I'm afraid. You are securing the childcare place for your child. That place is available now, it is up to you if you wish to use that place (paying full fee) or just hold it open so you can use it in the future.
What you could do between now and June, is to use say 1 day a week, to get your child used to being at the childminders.

Yes it's normal practice as long as she had the space available NOW. She couldn't take anyone else on while waiting for you kiddy to start.
However, if your child is taking a space that someone is using now, and then leaving, then you should have paid a deposit to show goodwill.

Hope this helps.

Well, you paid to reserve a place, which she wouldn't have been able to fill for March, April or May. So although you had to pay half fees, she had to survive on 1/2 her usual salary, whereas if she had found a different child then she'd have been on her full salary.

You could have not paid the retainer and hoped that she had a space in June, but then she might not have done and you'd be searching for childcare now.

nurseries do ask for deposits and it is standard practice

Yep it is quite normal i'm afraid I would make use of it as nannynick suggests between now and June. the other thing to bear in mind is that if your's feeling about it it's not a great basis to start with a CM best to talk it over i think with your CM see if you can wangle your retainer fee into half retainer half deposit or half of your first months fees or something most cm's are quite accomodating,

I would have a good look at your contract as well check fees for minders and your holidays and sickness / time off etc, discuss these issues now before care commences and make sure you know exactly what is expected from both sides.

Yes it is normal. However, what I have said i will do for the people i have had enquiring re my september places (I am a new minder btw) Is that I will hold their place with a deposit, however if someone else wants the place immediately then i will give them the option of having their deposit returned (and their place cancelled) or they can pay me a half fee retainer then.

hth

Thank you everyone for your prompt and helpful replies - I was an idiot for not reading the contract properly, although, in my defense I am pregnant again!

I will now read it all through again and check I'm happy with everything else.

I think what annoys me a little bit is that she didn't make it 100% clear I could use the place from March, and I would have done if I'd known.

In all other respects she is fab, and has come with high recommendations, so don't want to upset the apple cart .

Thank you again .

What the others said - agree to start using some of the time now (top up to full fee). If she is not available, then (in my opinion) she should have asked for a refundable deposit and not a retainer.

Another reason for charging a deposit or retainer is to ensure that you aren't just timewasting.

I used not to charge a retainer but just put the parents on my waiting list and I found that, when the time came for the child to start, they'd changed their minds and decided to use someone else, or a nursery. One even said that she was going with the nursery because she'd lose her deposit if she didn't. That left me with very short notice to fill a place, when I'd already turned other parents away.

Sorry if you feel angry about it, but blame the parents who've strung us along in the past.

Thanks HSMM and Tanith - I do understand the issue with people pulling out at the last minute, it's just soooo much money to pay.

I'm lucky that my dh has a good job, as I haven't earned anything except SMP since July last year - how do single parents manage?

Thank you again. Have spoken with my CM again and calmed down a bit. Will know better for next time and make more use of the place .

Hi, While on the subject can any cm's please tell me if the retainer fee issue changes when the child starts sch? my daughter been with same cm since she was 1, starts sch full time in sept and will only actually be with cm for 8.25 hrs a wk, yet i'm having to pay retainers too. someone told me the rules change once they start full time?? is this true?

how much retainer does she want littleboo?

standard practice is to charge just for hours used (either a set rate for before/after school or per hour)

never heard of a cm charging for a child at f/t school - how old is dd? if not yet in reception and you require her services in holidays it may be because your dd is taking up an under 5's place...

just regarding your comment on how it's so much money to pay out. the cm is losing half a wage by holding the place for you so it's hard for her too.
Regards the change when they are at school - I would only charge for the days I was contracted to mind so if you ask me to collect mon and Tues that is what I would charge for whether I collect or not. I wouldn't charge for school holidays but I would probably ask for a deposit x

ReetPetit , she is currently in pre sch and goes to cm 3 days a wk after her p/sch session. these are for 6, 5 1/2 and 3 hrs. In sept she will go for 2 1/2 hrs and 2 lots of 3 hrs. CM is saying she will charge 3hrs retainer per day... ie half a sch day. ?????
we also use cm in sch holidays and this is regular. daughter is 4 1/2 now. But after 1 wk introduction hrs will then be full time in sept.

ps sorry i have no idea what all your abbreviations mean!!