Nursery Overcharging

susancs

PasturesNew wrote: »

Surely if you have paid the same as the others for 3 months .... and they have paid for 12 months ... and you have got a "free week", you're ahead!

I think what OP is saying is that no one is charged for the Christmas week if their child attends nursery in December as the Nursery is closed but instead of this week coming off Decembers bill this is taken off over 12 months for the business to balance the books and not have a shortfall in December. For example a child paying £120 a week would have this divided over 12 months so would in effect have £10 off their bill each month for 12 months instead of paying £120 less in December. If a child only attended 3 months including December instead of the fees showing a reduction £120 for the weeks closure they would have only had 3 months of a £10 reduction I.e. £30. The fee structure change in January to one where they are charged on a monthly rate rather than annual one divided by twelve months would mean that in this example the fees charged for the weeks closure would have been £90. A number of nurseries in our area close for the Christmas week and staff are only paid a salary for 51 weeks a year and no heating, lighting, food costs so overheads that week are greatly reduced so fees are not charged for that week.

Nadstar

And to think... We got all the way to the 20th before someone brought nursery holidays up...

pinkshoes

If they don't charge for the Christmas week and have spread the SAVING across 52 weeks, then surely YOU owe THEM £125 as you now won't be paying for the week off?

fluffnutter

grey_lady wrote: »

hhmm - so you lucked out at the timing of the pricing change. But £125 extra for a nursery to do a great job in looking after your little one - is it really that big a deal?

I've not done the maths in this particular case buy generally speaking...Yes! Of course it is. You don't just 'luck out' if someone changes their pricing structure. Why on earth should the OP pay extra simply because they're poor at maths. Next time you go and buy something and they've overcharged you £125, just remember... they did a great job of storing said item, moving it from their depot to the shop and allowing you to buy it. Is it really that big a deal that you're paying £125 more than everyone else?

susancs

pinkshoes wrote: »

If they don't charge for the Christmas week and have spread the SAVING across 52 weeks, then surely YOU owe THEM £125 as you now won't be paying for the week off?

I think what OP is saying is that she has paid for the Christmas week as it was included in the December fees that she has paid in advance at the start of December. Instead of paying for 3 weeks in December, she has paid for 4 weeks (reduced by a quarter as she has received a fees reduction over the last 3 months). Other parents have only been charged for 3 weeks in December as they have had it taken off over 12 months. I know Nurseries charging for days they are shut, bank holidays and days children are absent is often an issue with parents but OP seems to accept that she will pay for these dates, but as other parents are not being charged for the Christmas week then she feels it is unfair that she is paying. If the staff are like a number of Nurseries they will be a 51 week salary so over the year are unpaid for the Christmas week and the nursery will have minimal operating costs as the building will be shut during the Christmas week closure.