Nursery has given one month's notice to pay for much longer day than we need.

[Dinosforall]

I found out at pickup today that we'd missed the fairly crucial info (buried as an attachment at the bottom of the annual fee review email last month) that the hours we send DS aren't offered as an option any more. We can't use the one hour less option due to work/travel hours, and the one hour more represents a nearly 15% increase in fees.

The lady I spoke to acknowledged that the communication wasn't ideal, and that there might be room for flexibility as the increase is so large - we will talk tomorrow. DH and I get that times are tough for nurseries but it feels pretty underhand for them to drop it on us like this.

Anyone else encountered this?

If it’s a private nursery then they can increase their fees as they see fit. End of the day you either pay it, or you don’t.
As you said businesses are seriously struggling just now. Sadly that’s what happens when you don’t read documents in their entirety.

I get that. I also think that dropping something like this on parents at short notice is very poor. (Re reading documents, the attachment was buried below two others, not flagged in either the email or the subject line and apparently didn't merit a separate email.)

The communication was poor,but they aren't springing it on you. You had a months notice, even if it wasnt shouted loudly.

But it was still there and it’s still your responsibility to read these communications.

Supermarkets don't inform customers that the price of food is increasing. Mobile phone companies only give 1 months notice before they increase any charge. It is a service that is being provided and unfortunately businesses have the right to increase their fees

Just to clarify - you will need to pay for an extra 1 hour per day but the increase in fee is 15%?

They've given you a months notice so I'd use the time to approach different nurseries to see if they can offer something different

Assuming an 8 hour day, an extra hour should be a 12% increase, not 15%.
Can you challenge them on why the hourly rate has increased as well as the minimum number of hours?

^Assuming an 8 hour day, an extra hour should be a 12% increase, not 15%.
Can you challenge them on why the hourly rate has increased as well as the minimum number of hours?^

Not necessarily, depending on how funding is applied (if over 3).

One month’s notice is perfectly adequate and you are unreasonable to expect more. Read your emails more thoroughly next time.

Sounds like they've realised it's not a good business model, they won't be able to fill your 'empty' hour with another child but as they'll now need all staff to stay on for extra cleaning at the end of the day they can't send staff home as children are collected either. I can see why they've done it. It's really unfortunate you didn't see the communication.

Well you’ve a months notice, plus “there might be room for flexibility as the increase is so large”

Doesn’t sound too bad to me tbf.

Umm that’s not correct. You have a contract and they cannot amend those terms without your agreeing to them.
They can of course give notice on the contract according to their terms and conditions.

@underneaththeash

Umm that’s not correct. You have a contract and they cannot amend those terms without your agreeing to them. They can of course give notice on the contract according to their terms and conditions.

Well that’s essentially what’s happened and why they’ve given a month’s notice. If the OP doesn’t agree and want to continue on the new terms then she has enough time to give her notice on the place for her child and look elsewhere.

You can give notice, but it's then up to the other party whether to accept that change or not. If it's not accepted, then the nursery could then decide to give notice and terminate the contract, but they cannot unilaterally decide to alter it.