I truely sympathise with you and am going through a similar case. My dd had been at private nursery for 3 and a half years and we my son for the past year. I loved the nursery but unfortunately the owner became ill and sold the nursery. We did some work for the nursery (as to keep confidence I will not disclose) each month we received a monthly discount and we gave them a discount on the service we provided. Not to mention all the referrals they recieved from me and appraisals.
Anyway when the nursery was taken over the new owner advised that the business aggrement between us would stay etc etc. Unfortunately being self employed the end of last year was not good to us - Clients were paying late etc etc and not to mention with Xmas coming up getting new business was proving difficult. I also caught pneomnia and was off for 2 months, my poor dh was forced to run business and household. We were forced to default 2 payments - 1 week the kids werent even there due to them being ill and my dd hadnt been on a fri for about 4 weeks.
My dh decided before things spirraled out of control and because of the respect we had for the staff, to take the kids out until things were showing a decent improvement. He had a lovely chat with the owner and offered to keep up the business we were doing for her. She jumped at the chance and said she would get back to us on a price reduction on the 2 weeks we owed her. We felt positive and were just hoping that the new year would mean that at least my ds could return.
Where it went wrong: 2 weeks later we receive a letter through the post from the owner stating that she was upset my kids were leaving and that they will be missed, however went on to say the business deal we had running she would stop (fair play) and that she could get someone to do it for free on the work we had already done (not fairplay lol) and that because there is a notice period, we would have to owe her an extra 2 weeks. WHAT??? I knew about the notice period but if that was her stance she surely should not have lead us on and we could have kept the kids in for the 2 extra weeks so that my dh could have got more work done. Also by letter after the notice period was over.
So I responded via letter to say that I was disappointed about the business deal ending but that I can understand her stuation, and that if she wanted the work we had done she would have to pay or the work will stay with ours (we legally own it). She proceeded to call me back screaming at me and saying that I was lying about my financial situation (what a joke) and that if I wanted to put my son back in I couldnt as he didnt have a space - Hang on I thought the point of a notice period was to cover costs, how can this be the case if his place was already filled???
Anyway to make matters worse until things were improving we both agreed on a token payment. This was the case and we received another phone call with her freaking out about payments even though we discussed what was going on and she agreed- (I think I am starting to see a pattern, she obsiously doesnt listen) the same day after resolving the issue we receive a letter saying she will pass debt on to a debt collector and char 15%. We dismissed as we had just spoken to her. Then a few weeks later we received a letter from debt collectors asking for money, I was bemused - this surely isnt legal is it. We now have 21 days to pay full debt or ELSE!!!!
I feel that our goodwill was taken for granted and that she has been able to move goal posts etc.
Would like to hear a few words of advice and I am the one in the wrong??
PS. I have paid religiously every week for 2 children with only one discrepency where I actually paid the wrong person (int banking) and was oblivious to tha fact and I corrected situation as soon as it was brought to my attention. For 2 weeks arrears, this is a bit mad isnt it since the debt is only 2 months old???