AIBU to have called Accor and not been happy about the e-mail they sent?

[nannynick]

Accor have just sent me an e-mail requesting the receipt from Ofsted, from a payment I made to Ofsted in August 2009.
I called Accor and they seem insistent on wanting a receipt.

I didn't get a receipt... I sent a cheque.

I have called Ofsted and they will see if it's possible to generate a receipt.

Meanwhile, is it reasonable for Accor to request a copy of a receipt? They have the registration document, they can look up the status of my registration Online via the Ofsted website, or they could call Ofsted and confirm that I'm registered.

Surely Accor do not need a receipt... they just need evidence of registration - so the registration certificate plus the online listing on Ofsted's inspection report database should be sufficient.

AIBU? Should Accor be asking for this sort of information, especially many months on from the registration date?

Ofsted did say when I called them that they have had a number of requests about this sort of thing recently... and requested the name of the voucher company. Wonder if Ofsted will be having words with Accor over what Ofsted actually provide childcarers when we pay our annual fee.

Ihave just received an email form Accor wanting proof of my current Ofsted registration, as my employers paid the renewal fee in January I have had nothing to do with the process, I have no confirmation from Ofsted my renewal has been done - what am I meant to send to Accor to prove I am still registered?

Exactly what the problem is. Many of us I suspect have been sent the e-mail. Many of us won't have a receipt, due to one reason or another.

No idea what we are supposed to do. I have e-mailed Accor... wonder if I'll get a reply.

Ofsted don't reissue us with a registration certificate each year... maybe they should if the voucher companies require evidence each year.

Maybe Ofsted, HMRC and the voucher companies all need to have a meeting and decide between themselves how they will handle this.

HMRC are the one's I suspect who are telling the voucher company what records need to be kept. The voucher companies are trying to comply with that but I suspect Ofsted won't let them log into Ofsted's computer system.

My registration renews in August anyway... so maybe I won't worry about it too much. Just stockpile the vouchers for a while.

Yep, I received the email today.

Like you I renewed last August and I think I paid online or over the phone with a debit card. I have no receipt either and I think it is going to be a palaver trying to get one out of Ofsted.

I leave my current job this July and start a new one in September so am wondering whether to just ask mb to make sure I have been paid with any vouchers before the deadline.

nannynick - do you know what I need to do to change my Ofsted registration between families? Will I need to reregister with a voucher company and will I need a new certificate for that, because as you say, you don't get a new certificate when you renew.

You need to notify Ofsted of a change in the address of your main place of work.

Probably best to e-mail the details to Ofsted NBU and ask them if you need to complete any particular form (EY3 possibly is the form).

You need to include your signature on your e-mail. Don't think NBU are able to make changes without a signature, so a paper form will need to be done.

If the family uses a different voucher company, then you will need to register with that voucher company and send them a copy of your registration certificate. No idea how they then check that you are still registered - given that Accor don't seem to be able to check.

had the same email - do our nanny certificates have 'expiry dates'?

No, they don't have an expiry date on them. At least, mine from 2007 does not have an expiry date on it.

HMRC: E18

In this document HMRC tell childcare voucher scheme providers what records they need to keep.

It says:

You will need to keep:
You must be satisfied at that point that the vouchers will only be used to pay for registered childcare (see page 8 for what is meant by the term ?registered?). Note: Your employees do not need to use the vouchers in the week or month they are provided and can save them, for example, to meet higher childcare costs during school holidays.

a copy of your scheme rules that includes a requirement for employees to notify you of any change in circumstances in relation to the child or childcare

a record of the childcare provider?s name and, if applicable, registration number or approval number 

a note of when, if applicable, the childcare provider?s registration or approval is due to expire.

~~~ End Quote ~~~

So nothing there about needing financial records from childcare providers! Nothing asking for a receipt. 

Accor already have a record of our name and our registration number. 
While our registration would expire if we didn't pay our fees, there is no expiry date on our certificate.

If Accor stop letting parents use childcare vouchers in the Summer because we haven't been to produce a receipt I hope parents complain.

If you are a parent and pay your childcare provider using Accor childcare vouchers... please contract your company and ask them to contact Accor to confirm the current situation. 

To me it appears that Accor are wanting information that HAS NOT BEEN REQUESTED by HMRC. The information being requested is NOT required in my view to operate the childcare voucher scheme.

I have written to Ofsted and Accor. Wonder if I will hear from either of them.

I have suggested to Ofsted that they contact HMRC and have a chat about the requirements for voucher schemes, so that Ofsted is able to enable us as providers to comply with requirements of voucher schemes. I do however consider that we as providers already do comply with the voucher scheme requirements.

What will happen come 31 July 2010? I'm clearly not the only person to have got the communication from Accor, so I expect a lot of childcare providers have had that e-mail. Thus come 31/07/2010 some providers won't be able to accept Accor Childcare Vouchers... as some providers may not be able to prove their registration status.

Should it be up to providers to prove registration status - or should Accor check with the regulator?

Is it just nannies that have received this email? Or have any cm's that accept accor vouchers had the email too?

Do come back and let us know if you get a reply nick.

I'm wondering that as well nbee84.

Can anyone who has received the e-mail (or a letter) from Accor about wanting a receipt for an Ofsted payment in 2009/10 please sign in and say what type of registration you have.

I had the same emial as well. I didnt get a receipt from ofsted this year and nor did my boss!

CM - have been taking Accor for 4yrs never been asked for reciept, just a copy of reg when I started taking them. I pay over phone too so if they ask me havn't got proof either.

Have had a reply from Accor and they are like a repeating record... they want a receipt. Ahh!

So I'm now waiting for Ofsted to get back to me with a receipt - wonder how long that will take.

Meanwhile, I think I will send Accor a scan of my reg certificate and the Ofsted invoice, to see if that will be sufficient.

I have send an email to Accor saying that I had paid on the phone therefore, I dont have proof that I had paid. And also said that Ofsted doesnt provide such documnets. And they got back to me saying that they are aware of that and If I could get a receipt from Ofsted. Send an email to Ofsted and waiting to hear from them. Or I will ask my boss to change their voucher company simple. I think Accor shouldnt bother us with this, they should be dealing with Ofsted!

If I could get a receipt from Ofsted

But that's where the problem is... Ofsted Payments does not provide that, at least they haven't yet. Maybe Ofsted will be sending all providers receipts though I doubt it.

Update with regard to my situation:
Having sent Accor a copy of Reg Certificate and a copy of the Ofsted Invoice (which I had fortunately kept), I can now accept vouchers up to my next Ofsted renewal date.

So IF you have the invoice still, copy that and send along with the certificate... it may give you a few more months.

Accor and Ofsted and/or HMRC had better be having some discussions about all this. They need to come up with a system that works.

I have made a formal complaint to Ofsted with regard to the issuing of receipts. In the complaint I suggest that a receipt is automatically issued for any fee payment made and that to save money perhaps that receipt could be made available on-line via GovGateway.

Nick, are you saying if I send my Ofsted Invoice, they will let my bosses use the vouchers? But it is not a proof that I paid anyway, It just shows that my Ofsted Reg. is up for renewal.

Anyway, I will see what Ofsted will say about it. Altho, I do belive that they should be providing receipt.

if your renewal is within a couple of months of the July deadline, then yes, send a copy of last years invoice plus copy of reg certificate and see if they extend the deadline for you till your renewal date.
Then when you renew, insist on a receipt from Ofsted.

I actually renewed it nearly 2 weeks ago. I would send them my bank statements so that they could see it in there but, I dont want them to know how rich I'm.

Ofsted have sent me a receipt, so contact Ofsted and request a receipt for the payment you have made. Provide as much details as you can - ideal if you have the invoice they sent you as that will have things like an invoice number on it.

Update: Ofsted have responded very quickly to my complaint against the Ofsted procedure of not providing a receipt automatically.

Ofsted has acknowledged that the situation needs reviewing. So in future things may change, or they may decide to keep things as they are. It at least will be looked at again.

So current situation is that Ofsted does not issue a receipt automatically (due to cost implications). They will provide a receipt on an individual request basis.

So if you have paid Ofsted any money and need a receipt, contact Ofsted (I'd suggest via e-mail as that seems to get sent on to Fees Department fairly quickly) with as much information about the payment as possible so they can trace the payment transaction and send you a receipt.

I have received mine too and that was easy. All I had to do is call them and the lady on the phone was lovely. She said she will post it to me today and I received it the next day(I think).

Ofsted seem to be dealing with this all quite well. Unfortunately the Government cost saving method of not sending out receipts is now resulting in them having to spend time looking up the past payments and send the receipts. So I expect that the situation will be reviewed to check that it is cost beneficial to do things in this way.

Voucher companies and HMRC may also be looking at their procedures as if Government are wanting to save money by not issuing the receipts, then there needs to be some way for the system to work without the receipts. If a voucher provider can't produce the required evidence that childcare providers are registered without these receipts, then if Government financial savings are to be made then I feel there needs to be changes to the evidence required by HMRC.

From the sounds of things the situation is now being looked at... I expect the most cost effective system will be implemented - which could be the same as now, or could be a different system (such as data sharing between Government agencies/departments).

Just echoing everyone elses' experiences. Our nanny received the same letter from Accor concerning her registration, which was renewed in September 2009.

As is the case for many other nanny employers, we handle and pay for her registration, as she only has it so that we can use our vouchers. She had already been in our employment for some time when the voucher scheme came in in its present form, so she had no reason suddenly to need a CRB.

Ofsted eventually agreed to send a receipt - once she had phoned them personally. So she will receive a receipt for a payment that I originally made. The system finds it impossible to deal with this sort of situation, which Ofsted admit is very common with the nanny (voluntary) side of the register. Ho hum. I really don't think that she should have to worry about this when it is all for my benefit.

This said, it is incredible to think that there is no certificate issued for your £103 when the biggest selling point of the voluntary register is proof of registration that will be checked annually. You are registered - but cannot whip out a sheet of paper to prove it! ("OK prospective employer - here is the payment to Ofsted on my bank statement") I don't think so!

Ofsted could always issue certificates electronically in .pdf format or investigate other e-options.

There is no point at all in having this register if it is administrative nightmare for nannies to prove that they are on it.