Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Nurseries

Find nursery advice from other Mumsnetters on our Nursery forum. For more guidance on early years development, sign up for Mumsnet Ages & Stages emails.

Altruistic Nursery Scam or Acceptable?

11 replies

lovelife77 · 03/05/2018 13:36

After registering and paying £1,500 for my son to attend a few morning sessions (9hrs/week) at the local nursery, the owner now has informed us that her "policy" is not to accept a child for ONLY one term. We said, okay then fair enough, we don't want any "favours" from you as this is what she keeps saying (last time I check a favour is an act of kindness with no fees attached to it!) we will enrol our son at a nursery at a later stage whereby he can attend for as many "terms" as we choose. The owner prides herself on being altruistic - as much so that we are highly recommended to add a charitable donation at the time of fee payment to the charity of her choice. She will not refund our money. My questions is (as a business person myself - I do understand business is business), with the caveat she is saying it's not her policy so why would she be entitled to keep our fee payment if my son will not be attending? At a minimum, I would expect the fees to be refunded pro rata until she fills his space. Are we being unreasonable in expecting a refund? My son has not attended one day of Summer term as her policy is not to allow him to do only one term.

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
dementedpixie · 03/05/2018 15:01

So there is a space you have paid for but are not using? I don't understand tbh

UtterlyUnimaginativeUsername · 03/05/2018 15:03

I would have thought the terms and conditions should have been made clear before you paid?

lovelife77 · 03/05/2018 15:32

Yes, we have paid for a space we are not using.

OP posts:
lovelife77 · 03/05/2018 15:33

Nothing in the TCs about policy of not allowing a child to attend for one term. Also, seems a bit strange to dictate “terms” for a two year old. It’s not school, it’s a daycare/nursery.

OP posts:
Bobbybobbins · 03/05/2018 15:35

This is nuts. They need to refund you!

MollyDaydream · 03/05/2018 15:35

What is the notice period?

N2986 · 03/05/2018 15:37

9 hours a week is £1500? I'm confused.
If it's not in the t&C's I'd take her to small claims court. What does altruism have to do with this?

HeadsDownThumbsUpEveryone · 03/05/2018 15:42

I have read your post several times and I am still not 100% clear on what you are asking but I think what you wanted was your son to do 1 term only (not continuing at the Nursery after the summer term had ended?)

Did you explain that at the time to the Nursery? As only 1 term is not a huge amount of time for a child to settle so I can see her reluctance to have him for such a short amount of time. Has he been in a Nursery before and what is the charitable donation all about??? Hmm

HeadsDownThumbsUpEveryone · 03/05/2018 15:45

Also, seems a bit strange to dictate “terms” for a two year old. It’s not school, it’s a daycare/nursery.

Also baffled by this comment. The terms are for you, not the 2 year old. It is to stop people accepting places and then not using them thus costing the Nursery and putting it in possible financial difficulty. Agreeing terms for a Nursery is not uncommon, I would think you would find it impossible to find a Nursery or childminder who agreed to look after your child without making you sign and agree to specific terms.

Slightlyperturbedowlagain · 03/05/2018 15:47

I don’t think that is acceptable unless made clear to you before you paid. Also If you were explicit at the time you arranged this that you only wanted one term then they took your money under false pretences. Can you contact your local trading standards for advice?

N2986 · 03/05/2018 20:26

Op?

New posts on this thread. Refresh page