Nursery wanting one month's fees 16 months in advance?

[hopingandprayingthistime]

I am currently pregnant and put my name down at a nursery planning to send baby in August 2019 when it will be one year old. They have now told me that in addition to £50 registration fee they also need the first month's fees (around £1,300) by way of deposit paying now, even though my child won't start until August 2019 and I don't even know the precise date when I will want to start as don't know exactly when I will return to work. This "deposit" is non-refundable. It's making me feel uncomfortable as it's such a lot of money and I can't see why they should need it now (surely one month ahead would do it?). London if that makes any difference. Is this normal?!

If they don't take the deposit now, the space will be open for other people. If you wait until a month before you start, the space will be gone.

There are too many people out there (not saying you are one of them), who would put their names down all over the place and then not take up the space at all. Paying a deposit shows them you're serious and guarantees you the space.

It's perfectly normal. They will be reserving the place for your child, so can't sell it to anyone else. You are reserving it over a year in advance. That means they could be potentially making a year of income from another family, but are forgoing that for you. It's only right that they take some substantial deposit for that. If you decided not to take up the place in July next year, they will have lost a lot of income for your benefit.

I would wait a while, certainly after baby is born. Then once you are certain you will want an Aug 2019 start date, contact the nursery again and reserve the space by paying the months fee upfront making sure you get paperwork to confirm your child's place and payment of the months advance fee.

I think its too far in advance you don't know what this nursery will be like by then or if you will have a job. I would wait until baby arrives and then look at all types of settings you may well find your ideas as to what your looking for in childcare changes once your a mummy. I always thought I would use a nursery as I didn't want anyone more attached than me once he arrived I realised he was happier with more homely environment so used a lovely childminder for my second I couldn't get a childminder so became one.