Pre School Fees

lynseydee

Guest101 wrote: »

I would pay nothing and write to them offering a F&F figure of 4 weeks (excluding the two which were clearly never on the cards)

I've already tried offering f&f figure of the amount I was originally told the fees would be which they have refused stating that full fees are payable.

Part of me thinks to just bank transfer the amount I originally said I would pay and see if they do anything. I'm thinking for the sum of £90.00 it would cost them more in incurring other fees if they did decide to pursue it in court. I do have written evidence of what they originally asked for and then what they are now asking for having taken into account they can't claim the funding for the first two weeks of September.

Guest101

lynseydee wrote: »

I've already tried offering f&f figure of the amount I was originally told the fees would be which they have refused stating that full fees are payable.

Part of me thinks to just bank transfer the amount I originally said I would pay and see if they do anything. I'm thinking for the sum of £90.00 it would cost them more in incurring other fees if they did decide to pursue it in court. I do have written evidence of what they originally asked for and then what they are now asking for having taken into account they can't claim the funding for the first two weeks of September.

You are, unfortunately, incorrect.


If they go to court and win, then you would pay those fees.


So the only reason to not go to court is if they don't think they'll win.


Given you'll have paid up the majority by then, a simple letter before action would probably be enough to get full payment from you. Especially as your part payment acknowledges the debt.


It's up to you, but I would write (not email, not text, or phone) a full and final settlement offer, outlining my position and await a formal response.

LKRDN_Morgan

I would pay them the original amount and then wait it out.

By not being able to claim the funding they haven't lost anything because he wasn't there to begin with, he was at school (if I've read that right?)

lynseydee

Guest101 wrote: »

You are, unfortunately, incorrect.


If they go to court and win, then you would pay those fees.


So the only reason to not go to court is if they don't think they'll win.


Given you'll have paid up the majority by then, a simple letter before action would probably be enough to get full payment from you. Especially as your part payment acknowledges the debt.


It's up to you, but I would write (not email, not text, or phone) a full and final settlement offer, outlining my position and await a formal response.

I have already written a letter, which I enclosed with my cheque, stating that I would pay the original amount in full and final settlement of the fees outstanding and they have returned my cheque as they say they don't accept payment by cheque anymore and that the full amount is to be paid.

LKRDN_Morgan wrote: »

I would pay them the original amount and then wait it out.

By not being able to claim the funding they haven't lost anything because he wasn't there to begin with, he was at school (if I've read that right?)

Yes, you've read that right and that is my argument with them.

rach_k

Is your son 5 years old? If not, I don't think the nursery has done anything wrong as some parents don't start their kids in school until they're 5, or some choose to homeschool after they've finished nursery. I suppose they could have asked but I wouldn't say they should have.

lynseydee

My son is 4 and started school at the beginning of the new term

susancs

If they are an oversubscribed pre-school and have just allocated your son's place to a child on the waiting list with an immediate start date, then they cannot double charge for that place by charging the new starters parents and you. If on the other hand that place was not filled as they had turned away another child then it would seem only fair that you pay for the place during the notice period. As the funding is used by the school now, then you were not entitled to a discount at the pre-school as the pre-school would either have been refused funding or have to return it back to the local authority when the school put in a claim.

I wouldn't just pay the bill minus funding you were not entitled to, as they will probably chase you for it and you run the risk that they will take you to small claims court , may win and you will have extra costs on top to pay.

Before you pay the full fees, it may be worth requesting written confirmation that your child's place was unfilled during the two weeks they are charging you for and asking what steps they took to fill the place from their waiting list and mitigate their losses, so they were not all passed onto you. Point out that if the place was filled then they cannot double charge for the same place (i.e. charge the new child and your son).

LilElvis

lynseydee wrote: »

My son is 4 and started school at the beginning of the new term

But they didn't know that until you gave them formal notice. You contracted to pay x amount per session/week/month and that is what you owe. The fact that you are no longer receiving the subsidy element is not their concern. Given that you signed a contract agreeing to provide 6 weeks notice they would certainly win if they choose to take the matter to court and, as Guest has said, you would also be liable to pay the court fees on top.

rach_k

lynseydee wrote: »

My son is 4 and started school at the beginning of the new term

As he's not of 'compulsory school age' yet, I don't think they should have assumed you wouldn't want his place with them. If you didn't want him to start school yet but they gave his place away, you'd be rightly miffed! The onus is on you to give them the notice agreed in your contract, not for them to ask you if you'll be making changes.

sooty&sweep

Hi

The schools where I live only have the children for half the day initially for the first two - three weeks & so some parents keep their nursery place until the child is full time at school & the child does half day at nursery & half day at school.

If you signed a contract that says you need to give 6 weeks notice then you do need to give 6 weeks unless you can negotiate less notice.
If they can't get the funding contribution for the place then they will charge you for it as that is the cost of that place.

Did you have a conversation with anyone where you verbally said when your child would be finishing that you could refer them to ?

Jen