Cancelling a Nursery Place

Gambler

Just wondering if anybody has had a similar experience. I've posted elsewhere on this board so wont go in to too much detail.

Basically due to Mrs. G being treated badly on her return to work after maternitiy leave and our son's failure to settle at nursery we have decided that she will give up a very well paid job to become a full time mum to our son and 8 yr old daughter.

We had 2 'free' taster sessions before Xmas and his planned start date was Monday 9th Jan for 3 full days per week.

We kept the nursery fully up to date with the problems at work and due to a heavy cold our son didn't go in the first week anyway.

The second week we tried him for a few mornings (couple of hours at a time) but taking all thing into consideration we decided to call it a day.

Have received an invoice this morning, including a months notice !

Has anybody been in this situation before and how did you handle it please?

june1970_2

a months notice is normal as it would be inn your contract.

Shame you are not trying the nursery again as i don't think you have given him enough time to settle in.

nic82

Is there nothing about the notice period in the contract? Even though your son had only just started, you have pulled out of the contract, so I would imagine you are liable.

If there isn't a contract, on one hand I would say you are in a strong position to argue for a reduction, if not a full credit. However, on the other hand, I understand that a verbal agreement is almost as good as a written contract nowadays.

I hope this next bit doesn't come across that I'm picking on you because it isn't supposed to, but looking at it from the nursery's point of view, they were expecting your son to start attending regularly which would be a regular income stream for them, and they may well have turned other children away in order to take on your son. Therefore, they may be looking for some kind of compensation (in the form of a month's fees) for this and until another child comes along to fill the spare place.

Savvychick

I'm not sure how helpful I can be but I worked in a nursery full time for three years so thought I'd add an insiders view. The reason nurserys give to need notice is simply due to them having to hold the space if your child is ill or being withdraw and they loose money for that space. The notice period gives them time to fill it. Although we always waivered fees in certain circumstances. I would say unless you have signed anything to the affect of giving one months notice before taking your child out of nursery then you have no obligation to pay and it is doubtful that the nursery will follow it up. Let them know what the situation is rather than just not paying it.

You would be required to pay for the week (or the days from that week he had planned to be there) as they held his place and the full days that he went in mornings.

I do feel for you, I had to give notice when I took my daughter out of nursery and its very costly but she had been there for 8 months and not just started. I hope that this has helped

Woby_Tide

also to add that a couple of days to 'settle in' isn't much at all at that age, are you sure you can't perservere a bit longer (seeing as you're paying for a month anyway!). Our boy has been in nursery for best part of 18 months now for 3 days per week, we switched just before xmas and even though he's used to being at a nursery it took him a good two weeks to get used to a new place, he's old enough to realise that it wasn't his normal place and teachers. By the third week you struggle to keep up with him on arrival. It's a whole new experience at that age, a few hours here and there isn't much. What made you decide not to carry on though, what did the staff say he did once you left him?

Gambler

Thanks for the responses. Can I just clarify the main reason for deciding not to go back to work is that Mrs. G received a letter a few days before due back off maternity leave to say her post had been downgraded. Completely knocked her for six and ultimately has upset her enough not to want to go back.

I think if this hadn't of happened and she had gone back to work as planned on 9th Jan everything would be fine by now.

We are lucky enough that we have the option due to me also having a good job.

alwaysonthego_2

did your wife just take normal maternity leave or did she take extended. If she only took normal mat leave then it is illegal and discriminating your wife. If she took extended leave then I don't think your wife has a case. You should ring acas because she possibly could take them to a tribunaral

crispeater

it took my son 6mths to fully settle into nursery but then he did have a few bottom problems which probably didnt help. anyway his new nursery he is now in his 3rd week 3 days a week and still screams when i leave him and when i return lol i swear boys are more clingy to mummy than girls! dd wasnt that bad

plane_boy2000

1 Months notice is the norm - at least with the nurserys we have used. I guess you will have signed a contract with them which will spell this out.

Also dont think they can downgrade your wife while she is off unless it is for a reason like unsatisfactory performance etc. When on mat leave you are allowed to return to the same job or an equivilent

jenny22_2

i have worked at a nursery for 6 years and we have a 6 week notice period if your child will be leaving. this is mostly so we can get any notes up-to-date before the child leaves so they can take them with them. this probably isn't necessary in your case as your child hasn't been there very long. in my experience it can take some children several months to settle in a nursery where as others can settle the day they start.

Pink_butterfly_3

We have to give two months notice to the nursery our dd is in.

Out of interest, how old is your son.