Think childminder may be ripping me off? HELP

[allgonebellyup]

Our childminder insists that, even though i only work term time, that i should pay her all through the holidays so that equals 13weeks per year at full price.

She then went on a holiday with her mates for a week during term time (ie when i needed her) and insisted that i still paid her for the whole week, as she is still "entitled to holiday". So i paid for this week as well as the 13 other weeks.

Is this right??

so what would she say if you told her she was having your children during the holidays since you're paying for them anyway?

i charge anyone who wants term time only on a pro rata basis, means i get less per month but get paid all throught the year. i think she is taking the micky. personally

I think she is taking the micky.

I would sign a contract that included the following but not more:
Bank Holidays (but if she wants to be paid for BH she should also be prepared to work it)
Contracted days/hours at hourly rate
Any time I don't show up (sick, holiday, etc.)

I would not pay her when she is not available for work. And it is unlikely I would ever use her on a BH. But, still, if she wants pay then I want the option to ask her to work.

madusa - i did think about plonking the kids on her anyway throughout the hols, if only to get my money's worth - but it would mean they are only with her from 8-9am then 3.15-4pm, so not really worth it!!!

She has been texting me back really stroppily saying she is quite within her rights to charge me full pay throughout all the school hols, as it is MY decision not to send my kids to her.
On top of that, she says she is entitled to 4wks hols during the year, fully paid - so this means i am paying her 17 weeks holiday at full pay!

I have found the contract, it is my own fault for not looking at it properly; in the tiny writing it does state she wants FULL pay for : school hols
Bank hols
My holidays
Her holidays

(i am just support staff in a school and do not get paid for MY 13wks hols at all!!!!)

You can't still blame the CM then as it's been made clear for you on contract and you signed it so legally you haven't any recourse now. It's your own fault I agree.

Sick of parents/MNers who don't read things/discuss/question before signing then come on here all guns blazing and blame Cms for "ripping them off"

Lesson learnt for the future I hope!!

allgonebellyup, I am afraid if you didnt read the contract but states that then she is quite within her rights to charge you, if it is an ncma contract then she will be given legal help to recover any unpaid costs fron you (if there is any) but it does sound like your relationship has broken down anyway so I would suggest you give notice asap and find another that maybe has term time contracts available.

hth

AvadaKedavara a little harsh but true

I agree that as you have signed the contract, you do have to pay all of this. However, if I were you, I would line up another childminder and give notice.

Another thing I noticed is that in view of the very short hours she works, you aren't really having to give her a fortune. So, it may be worth considering how many childminders might be prepared to work so few hours.

OK, OK!!
She does charge me time and a half as she calls me a "teacher" as i work in a school but i keep telling her i am just support staff. Yet apparently teachers only have to pay half pay, so why am i paying full???

So i am paying her £7.50 per child per hour. So am paying £15 an hour! Which i think is an awful lot compared to what others pay. Its £30 a DAY for half an hour in the morning (she charges for the hour, fair enough) and half an hour after school!!!!

i was desperate when i took her on and she took full advantage of this i think...

What do you mean by she charges you time and a half? Out of curiosity, where do you live? Childminders around me charge a similar rate, which is why we have a live-in nanny.

As been said, if you aren't happy with the contract you signed and agreed to, give her notice and find elsewhere.

i am desperately looking for a new cm!!

Time and a half means instead of £5 p/hr, she adds on half of that so its £7.50, cos of all the hols teachers have? (even though im not one!!!)

and even though you are paying for those holidays?

I don't get that

This cm is really taking you for all she can get

Seriously, how can she charge parents on the basis of their job?

Give notice tomorrow.

Doyou mean she is charging time and a half , to cover holidays as teachers have so much time off, and then charging you for holidays as well?

I know CM's that charge extra for teachers children, but they dont charge for holidays, or chagre for holidays, but charge normal charge while children are with them

Not BOTH!

Another thing I noticed is that the hours you require are less than two a day which I believe means you don't actually need a registered childminder.

True but if the Op needs to claim CTC or Childcare vouchers, the CM has to be registered.

If she dosn't then definitly look at finding someone either unregistered

But, how much money can she possibly be saving at £15 per hour? I'd find a local au pair and see if her employers would share for say an extra £10 or £15 per day. Would be half price for OP, and Au Pair would make another £75 per week. win-win all around.

CM's like the Ops, give all the rest of us a bad name, she should definitly find alternative care.

but wouldnt an au pair have to live with me?

I meant find a neighbor who has an au pair and see if you can cut a deal to share for an hour in the morning and an hour in the afternoon.

Gordon Bennet bit steep IMO

You can't possibly continue with this CM especially if you are getting stroppy text messages

Find another, read the contract, and get shot! and if you need less than 2 hrs a day you don't have to use registered care, unless you are getting TC. I would have thought that you could find a mum at school who would have your dc's for 1/2 hour either end, you could swap the weekday care with someone for the odd weekend stint.

like shoshe says this kind of carry on gives us all a bad name and I would hazard a guess that most of us on here who are cm's are pretty shocked at this.

You can get someone to help you who doesn't live in.

She sounds really mean to you with these texts

im a single parent and i dont earn much, so i need to use tax credits to pay for the childcare. :-( but the tax credits only cover the cost of term time; i get no salary and no help for the holidays.

thanks for all your help btw xx