We paid a deposit last September to secure a place at a private preschool nursery for my son starting next September. Now the nursery have written to say they are changing the start and finishing times. They are extending the hours from 3 to 3.5 hour sessions so that they can continue to charge much more than the nursery grant amount for the theoretically 'free' nursery place that all 3-4 years are entitled to. From September the 'free' place increases to 15 hours a week so in order to charge extra the nursery has had to increase its hours to 17.5 hours a week. The change of time and extended hours are a bit of a pain to us so I am considering cancelling the place. We paid a £500 deposit so not a small sum but the contract said the deposit was non-returnable if we did not take up the place. Do you think they should give me my deposit back despite this, if they have changed the nursery school start/finish times? Just wondering if I should ask for it or just let it go - I don't want to be unreasonable as a change of circumstances might mean I could want a place there some time in the future (or at their associated private school if we don't get into a good state primary). Therefore I only want to ask if it seems reasonable to request it!