Do you think I would be unreasonable not to except vouchers?

[MilaMae]

The one family that use them with me have been a total nightmare with them,making me chase and carry over any shortfall. Money is not a problem with them so I'm thinking of requesting weekly cash/cheque next term. What do you think?

I think if they are like that, they will probably be as bad if not worse at handing over cash. I'd probably give notice that I would be charging late fees in future where there is a balance outstanding after my due date.

I paid for one month in advance without vouchers while the voucher was paid into my voucher account, so then it was there very very early for next month, when I used the voucher... it will carry on like this. So it will be impossible for it to be late. Could you have them do that?

Their hours change and they are so disorganised I think after a few weeks it would build up again. They just don't seem to be bothered that I have to wait and constantly add on bits not paid from previous months. I just thought if I invoiced on a Friday and told them I expected a cheque or whatever it's done and dusted.

As I understand it with the Busy Bees there will be the Busy Bee account that they say how much goes into (which is never enough because they always under calculate) and money coming from their bank account so 2 accounts to chase.

They want to do it electronically because it suits them,at the mo they give me a voucher from another company I have to send off to get a cheque then chase the shortfall.

I don't do electronic banking so I'll constantly be ringing to check payment has gone in from both accounts.

I'm just thinking cash/cheque on a Friday would be easier for me but minderjinx has a point about that.

Is not excepting vouchers really unreasonable?All my other ones don't use them because it effects pensions. I don't want to be unfair but it is my business.

I wouldn't be able to afford my cm without using my pre-tax vouchers that get taken from my paycheck.
It would appear to most as though money were not an issue for us, but we budget very, very carefully and rely on those vouchers. Sorry, but just being honest.

I would have to leave my CM if she stopped taking vouchers. We would lose far too much money doing it that way.

We have never had any problems at all because we built up vouchers for a month before first using them. Also I'm a bit obsessive about keeping track of our payments because IMO it is completely my responsibility to make sure that our CM is ALWAYS paid on time. I did mess up once, but I gave her a cheque immediately to cover it. It really isn't hard!

We do weekly payments do make the accounting easier.

I agree with the others who say that this is more about the attitude of the parents than about the method of payment. They could make it work if they thought it really important. Do a newsletter (to all parents) saying that you've recently incurred bank charges due to late payemnts from parents and that regrettably you will now need to apply late payments. I'd recommend a simple flat rate surcharge that is applied to the following bill if any of the previous payment was late. Will have to include in your contract.

oh wow, just read your last post. Missed it before sorry.
Is there any way you could ask them to pay you in advance instead? They will have to then commit to a number of hours or something, but that's only fair on you. Then any extra hours they used, they would need to pay in cash at the end of the month.
I pay my cm in advance and would dream of it any other way.

I except vouchers 2 weeks in advance which is the contracted amount, any extra is invoiced. If you don't check electronically you should be getting emails to say it will be going in.
All my parents pay me with them, I wouldn't get work if I refused them and find them so easy.
When a new parent starts I always warn them to get the vouchers set up and start saving them before they start or to pay a cheque when they start.
Really should be very easy.

Also, if you bill monthly or weekly in advance then you should never be caught short of money iyswim as it's coming in advance.

agree with others about doing it in advance.

you could give them a choice of vouchers in advance or cheques in arrears - just say that the current system isn't working, but that either of these options would be fine.

our previous CM took vouchers which was great although we always made sure she was paid on time, ours were the paper vouchers so she was given them in plenty of time to transfer them over to 'money' for her payment date of the 1st.

our new girl doesn't take them and we're about to have to drop her hours as we can't afford it anymore

I agree completely it isn't hard for the parents to be organised with this and you should stipulate payment in advance or charge a late fee - once is an easy mistake to make, twice is careless anything after that is sheer inconsideration

sorry, just re-read previous post - as though money is not an issue not were not. oops.

So do you think I could ask for a standing order every Friday of the contracted amount a week in advance?

Of course! I can't believe they pay you weekly, in arrears, and make you chase payments! That is so ridiculous!

But, I do think you risk losing them in the long run if you refuse to accept vouchers. I would be devastated if my cm did this because, as I said, we would have to find a new cm.

I'd invite them round for a meeting, or write a letter and explain that the childcare vouchers really aren't working for you because its so important for you to be paid the full amount on the agreed date. Agree a change of payment date if this will help. You could agree a timescale for them to get themselves in order, and say that if a single payment is late after the agreed deadline you will have no option but to decline vouchers. This may mean they will go elsewhere, but if they can't pay up on time you're better off getting rid and advertising for someone new.

If the vouchers aren't paid on time, it is the parents responsibility to chase it up, not yours. It is the parents who signed the contract agreement, not the voucher provider, and therefore it is the parent's responsibility to ensure you are paid on time and to make up any shortfall and to pay your late payment fees. You do charge late payment fees????? If the voucher provider is at fault, they will usually reimburse the parent for the cost of the late payment fees (but will need a copy of your invoice). If its not the voucher provider's fault then the parent should pay this anyway.

I use vouchers with one family and they pay either cash or cheque if the vouchers aren't enough.

I have had problems with getting money/cheques on time in the past. I have now started charging if I think I need to for late payment.

I would let them know that if you have any more late payment that you will either start charging for late payment or consider only cash by the date set out on their contract.

I know that most of your other families don't use them at the moment, but it will make you less competitive when you come to fill spaces in the future if you don't accept childcare vouchers. They make a significant difference to some people, given the cost of childcare.

I hope you were able to sort this out. Ironically, a colleague of mine just had to swap cms because she said from x date she was not going to accept vouchers. Very because she really liked the cm a lot.

My colleague did what I did and saved up a month's worth before starting to give them to cm so she would always have money in her voucher acct and never be caught short or late because of the voucher company. It was because of problems with another parent and their voucher company that the cm decided not to accept them. I hope she changes her mind because my colleague said she and another mother (who hasn't told cm yet) are going to have to stop using the cm because of it and perhaps do nursery if they can't find another good cm.

I would advise that the parents always save up one month's worth at first, though. So their voucher account is always in credit and they can pay at any point in time without the cm having to chase the voucher company for money.