business urgent help please !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[LesbianMummy1]

I have been a child minder for nearly 10 years. I have worked really hard to build my business up and now have 13 children on my books have had to employ an assistant and I have a waiting list. I moved house just after ds2 was born just over 3 years ago. When I moved before signing my rental agreement I asked especially if I could child mind in the property as in the contract it says I could not run a business but I was told Child minding was exempt. I have now been told by the housing association that I can not run a business as a neighbor has said he feels it's unfair I can run a business but he can't. He does not want to run a business but he is stopping me. Does anybody know what I can do to prevent this as it would have repercussions for various families particularly as some of my children have additional needs and struggle with change and following new routines and meeting new people also because of his complaint my partner is also facing losing her job because she is a minibus driver and has been for 18 months since working hard to overcome depression and get back into work and the insurance is invalid if the bus is further than 50m from our house and he has also complained she is allowed to park it here yet he does not drive. My housing officers answer was go on benefits then. I do not want to live on benefits they should be used by people who need them.

I think the thing that has changed is that you have employed someone. That has taking it from just "child-minding" to "running a business". So only thing I can think of is to find out if it would make a difference if it were just you working again.

Sorry, not much help but you do have my sympathy. You try to help yourself and you get kicked for it.

Hopefully, someone else will come along who knows more.

no they are on about me on my own they don't have any issues with how many children etc or if i have an assistant

tabithacat thanks for trying to help though

Did you get anything in writing confirming that childminding was exempt? If not, is the person who told you it was exempt still around and prepared to confirm that they told you that? If you can prove that you were told that childminding was exempt and you entered into the tenancy agreement in reliance on that representation then you wil at least be entitled to damages if they then turn around and withdraw it. Although in practice that isn't what you want, the threat of them having to compensate you for the loss of your entire business may convince them to change their minds. Unfortunately in practice it could be difficult to prove if you don't have anything in writing. I'd suggest, if you can afford it, that you speak to a solicitor, sometimes a strong solicitor's letter is all that's needed to sort out things like this. If you can't afford it the CAB may be able to help you put something together yourself, or maybe the NCMA could help?

unfortunately I did not think to ask for a written letter and the member of staff has left I do however have a copy of my neighbors letter saying that she was allowed to child mind and she lives two doors down.

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