Switching prep losing fees

LIZS · 13/06/2022 17:34

If you default you risk your elder child being excluded. It is unfortunate you have left moving her so late or cannot wait another term. Unless the decision is mutual there is little room for negotiation.

Hoppinggreen · 13/06/2022 17:36

Presumably you signed a contract that stated the correct notice?
You need to pay, not doing so could result in legal action against you - which would be very difficult for everyone concerned if you want to keep your other child there

suchasadcliche · 13/06/2022 17:39

Depends if it's oversubscribed. If they can easily fill the place they shouldn't keep all of it. You are a consumer in the contract and penalties are unenforceable. They will have admin costs etc. . If it's undersubscribed you are probably on the hook for the lot of it though.

MrsWonderland · 13/06/2022 17:40

You will have signed something to say that you agree to give a full term's notice. If you don't pay, the school are likely to pursue the debt all the way. Why should they make an exception just because you've changed your mind late in the day? The issue is not the impact on your son - if you pulled them both out you'd be liable for both their termly fees at this stage.

ScottishBeeswax · 13/06/2022 17:42

Agree with PP if you signed a contract stating one terms notice then you will be in breach of contract if you just stop paying.
The school can pursue you through the courts. I know someone this happened to as their business had gone under and they had to pull their 2 children out suddenly.

Speak to the school and see if they can agree on a compromise, particularly if they have a waiting list and can fill your child's place at short notice

KazzaN · 13/06/2022 17:42

dancingthelightfantastic · 13/06/2022 17:29

I wonder if anyone has any experience of the following..

We have two children at prep school and whilst we will be keeping our eldest at the school, for personal reasons we do not feel it's the right place for our DD and are looking to move her for Sept. However this would mean forfeiting a terms fees to her school in Leiu of notice. Friends have advised refusing to pay the fees (which are quite substantial £4k) but we worry that would jeopardise our DS place and as we intend to leave him there for the time being (yr 5 so leaving yr 7/8). We can't entertain moving him as he is happy and at a critical point in terms of learning / exams etc.
Not sure what to do? Any suggestions would be gratefully received! new school are unable to discount their fees as oversubscribed...🤔

Give notice now and negotiate- you are in a good position to do so as leaving a child in the school x

HavfrueDenizKisi · 13/06/2022 17:43

But fees in lieu of notice must be in their terms and conditions which you agreed to.

It seems deeply unpleasant on your part to think about not paying them purely because you haven't sorted a new school in time for September.

TeenPlusCat · 13/06/2022 17:44

A full term is standard notice. I think you'll have to pay up.

Floralnomad · 13/06/2022 17:46

I’d try and negotiate but the bottom line is you signed the contract and schools have been known to go as far as court for this type of thing . When we had a similar situation we negotiated it down to half a term so not too bad .

MustBeDueSomeBetterFeet · 13/06/2022 17:48

I think no harm in asking for some leeway but ultimately you should have sorted this out and given notice at the appropriate time - not sure why that didn't happen?

MarshaBradyo · 13/06/2022 17:49

You can’t just not pay as it’ll be in your contract with the terms and conditions

Dominuse · 13/06/2022 17:49

MrsWonderland · 13/06/2022 17:40

You will have signed something to say that you agree to give a full term's notice. If you don't pay, the school are likely to pursue the debt all the way. Why should they make an exception just because you've changed your mind late in the day? The issue is not the impact on your son - if you pulled them both out you'd be liable for both their termly fees at this stage.

The school isn’t a bloody charity - so a few members of staff won’t get paid this month because they haven’t got enough notice to get another job - that’s what your £4K equates to - how bloody unfair.

I know the staff will get paid but while the school money lot runs low and then you expect them to run after you for the money - move her at Christmas

LIZS · 13/06/2022 17:56

@Dominuse the irony is the school probably is a charity, but even so the contract is difficult to challenge.

redskyatnight · 13/06/2022 18:00

Your best bet is probably to agree a payment plan with them.
I can't see them letting you keep your oldest DC at the school when you are withholding payments you are contractually required to pay.

alphons · 13/06/2022 18:04

It’s more likely to be a cash flow problem for the school. And example-setting. See if there’s any way you can set this off against fees for your DS, or extra curriculars.

BlackberrySky · 13/06/2022 18:07

Surely this is one of the pitfalls of private education? You signed up to those terms and now don't want to stick to them despite you giving less than the requisite notice. You could approach the school pleasantly, mentioning of course your other child there and hope that they can fill the space. But otherwise you pay, private school is expensive!

Shortbreadselection · 13/06/2022 18:10

I work in an independent school. We do take legal action against non-payers unless there are extenuating circumstances so that we waive the need to give notice.
This can be secured by a charge against your house that would need to be eventually repaid to enable you to sell.
If the school is not right for your child can you use that as a reason to ask for a compromise? Are they unable to meet the child's needs?

TottersBlankly · 13/06/2022 18:15

I cannot begin to understand, from the facts you have shared, why you imagine your case to be an exception, OP.

The contract with the school exists for exactly this situation.

And I don’t envy you your friends …

Clymene · 13/06/2022 19:17

You need better friends. Ones that advise you to break your contractual obligations are not people you need in your life.

BookwormButNoTime · 13/06/2022 21:05

The new school will ask the old school for confirmation that you are up to date with fees. Not paying could jeopardise your place at the new school - I mean, would you take someone on who refused to pay in accordance with the contract you signed?

ChnandlerBong · 14/06/2022 09:30

You have to pay. If you don't they probably have the right not to accept your older dc into school.

It's worth a conversation to see if there's any leeway at all, but they are within their rights to hold you to the contract you signed.

12Thorns · 14/06/2022 09:33

You are liable for the fees, you pay them what’s your issue?

Comefromaway · 14/06/2022 09:55

I had this situation when my daughter won a substantial bursary place at a performing arts school but my son was remaining at the previous school.

I had to pay a term's fees in lieu but the school allowed me to pay in instalments.

Comefromaway · 14/06/2022 09:56

They did say that if my daughter ever chose to return (which was a possibility as at performing arts school you are assessed every year as to whether or not you can stay) then the fees in lieu would be credited against any future fees for her.

Whatswrongwithmarjorie · 14/06/2022 13:23

It’s a big fat no!
The new school usually has a clause in its contract saying you need to pay any outstanding fees to current school before you join . When we had this scenario, we spoke to the bursar at our current school and agreed to pay the outstanding fees over the course of a year rather than in 1 lump sum - she thanked us for not trying to wriggle out of the fees !