Nursery asking for £30 fee just to check waiting list

[fifiKma]

Hi, I am just about to become a mum for the first time and live in an area where advance booking for a nursery is usually needed. We have viewed one of the two nurseries that take 1 YO kids and requested a spot for bubs in Septemberish time next year. Loved the first place but didn't want to just go with them without looking at others (they recommended this too).
The other nursery in the area told me I couldn't view (OK COVID-19 so understandable) but they want a £30 cash only admin fee (dropped in the mailbox in an envelope) just to tell me if/when they will have space for him. I could understand an admin fee maybe if it was a big fancy private school or something but it is a small village nursery. The other places haven't asked for this and I'm a bit bamboozled, I'm considering writing them off but its slim pickings and I really want him to go in the village as it will make our lives so much easier. AIBU?

That sounds a bit dodgy to me, I’d probably avoid, especially as you’ve found a nursery you like.

That's ridiculous.

Cash! The are having a laugh. Direct debit so all accounted for would be one thing but ridiculous. Cash for checking if they have room for your business, no thanks!

Stick with the place you loved!

Get it in writing and then report them. Dodgy!

No way.

Whoever you spoke to is chancing it! Perhaps they're leaving and fancied a bit of extra cash?!

I've honestly never heard of anything like that!

I did wonder if it was a scam honestly, mum suggested it was a staff member making a bit on the side but surely they would be caught! I'm tempted to reply that it's inappropriate/leave a review on Google mentioning it but I think I'll avoid burning my bridges just in case... Thanks everyone for replying glad it wasn't just me that thought it was weird x

@fifiKma No, don't let her get away with it! She'll do it to someone else!!!!!

Sounds dodgy AF!

Good luck with choosing your nursery. We only looked at one, our closest, and got brilliant vibes from it. We then had 1 or both children there for 8 years in some capacity... sometimes you just have to trust your instincts.

I've paid a deposit to go on a waiting list (which I loathe) but always had a receipt and confirmation of being put on the list!

I’ve never heard of a deposit/admin fee just to check the list. I paid a deposit once I was on a waiting list. Unless I really liked the place/had no other options it would definitely put me off.

Asking for cash is weird at the best of times but at the moment? No, this isn’t right. I’d ring and ask for the manager and then politely say you wanted to check that you understand correctly what you had been told because it seemed quite odd and that you only want to make an initial enquiry re availability.

We've just been asked for a £250 deposit to go on a waiting list for a nursery that doesn't have places until about 4 months after we need it...without having viewed...I think there's some dodgy practices out there!

The more fun thing to do would be a Facebook post tagging them saying

‘Is it normal for nurseries to ask for 30 in cash to check their waiting list, x nursery have and I’ve not come across this before/wondered is it the correct thing as it seems a bit ridiculous?’

That way it highlights their behaviour to all and sundry, shows them up for bad practice/CFEry behaviour and if it’s a con they’ll soon reply!!
And youve posted a nice innocent request.

So the plot thickens (OK I'm on mat leave and admittedly bored...) I wrote a google review, a very polite one, and got this reply. Seems to have transformed from a cash fee to a deposit magically? Not sure if I should continue pursuing this since I already signed up to the other nursery but I might write a reply asking if I 'misunderstood' that it was a deposit they wanted. Not a weird envelope of cash I wouldn't get back...

GeorginaTheGiant: the lady who emailed me is the second-highest manager I checked.

*Many thanks for your review F, we ask for the £30 deposit as it takes a huge amount of time to look at availability through all 4 classrooms. We also look at the availability for the application right up until your child goes to school. Many nurseries ask for larger non refundable deposits for this reason. In our mind, we feel this is quite reasonable for the work involved.

Many thanks again as we do value your feedback.*

That reply made me laugh. What a load of bollocks 🤣

“We also look at availability right up until your child goes to school” I should hope they bloody would, it’s pretty pointless if they don’t, so it’s not an amazing extra service they are providing. I think someone there was being dodgy and the nursery is just trying to cover it up.

Surely that’s what spreadsheets are for?! Quick look over who booked into start and what age they move rooms for months ahead. It’s something nursery’s should have at tips of fingers from week to week. How can you turn people away from every inquiry because it’s to much work just to see availability. Crackers.

That’s utterly ridiculous. It’s normal to pay a fee to secure you’re place once you decide to book but to charge for the time to check for availability is a joke. I’d be concerned about the chaos of their admin systems if it takes that much time to know whether there is a place in the nursery or not

I’d be having a wee word with HMRC! They’re taking the piss

OP, steer clear if this nursery, if they are like this now, I can only image that they will excel themselves in CFery when it comes to early years funding, free hours and any potential reduction in your bill.

That’s ridiculous. Imagine if every business started doing that. “Sorry, can’t book you a hair appointment unless you pay a £30 fee for me to check the book”.

Is it a registration fee, to go on the waiting list? I have paid this for nurseries, and they have made it clear that it's just to go onto the waiting list. Neither of the two nurseries I paid it to ended up having the space I wanted. It was roughly £30 each time from memory.

Sounds like a tax free bonus scheme to me