Claiming back unpaid pre-school fees - small claims court?

[Wigeon]

I went to my first pre-school committee meeting last night and they are all very exercised about the fact that four families have recently withdrawn their children from pre-school (to send them to the nursery on the same site) without giving the required 1/2 term's notice. The terms of the pre-school state that if you do this, you have pay back the fees (because it's then hard for the pre-school to be sure they can fill the places, and they potentially loose money). There are fees because it is before the children are the age at which they qualify for the 15 free hours a week (ie between the ages of 2.9 and the term after their 3rd birthday).

The families are refusing to pay back the fees - £800 in total. The pre-school is a voluntary organisation, not a private company. They are considering taking the parents to the Small Claims Court. Has anyone done anything similar? How easy / hard was it? And did it work?!

Cheeky bastards.

Yes you can take them, but the threat of might just help get them to part with their cash. I think it costs £125 per claim to submit, so that is another cost to think about. Generally, you should win, there is a contact which clearly states the details on notice and they have broken that contract. You might also get your costs back. Or you could have them pay in installments, as the court like to see people given the opporunity to pay back.

People amaze me!