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Crèche closed for 2 weeks in summer but expecting full payment

  • 23-07-2021 7:17pm
    #1
    Registered Users Posts: 114 ✭✭


    Hi all,

    Anyone else in this position?

    We have a child In Crèche and they are closing for 2 weeks in summer and expecting full payments for the 2 weeks. They do the same during the Christmas period.


    Is this normal?

    Paying for a service your not getting?



Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 622 ✭✭✭Minier81


    My crèche does close for a full 2 weeks over Christmas and our monthly pay is the same every month. They should have been upfront about the closed weeks and costs whenever you started your child there.



  • Registered Users Posts: 13,178 ✭✭✭✭fits


    I pay my childminder for two weeks in summer and two at Christmas



  • Posts: 2,799 ✭✭✭[Deleted User]


    Take your child out, someone else will be happy for the spot



  • Registered Users Posts: 24,695 ✭✭✭✭Strumms


    If you are not receiving a service you should not be expected to pay, simple.

    the fitness company I use take a four week break over Christmas / new year, around mid December to mid January , if you pay monthly which I do there is a half charge for both months, and why shouldn't there be ? Just so I’m in line to return I should be paying for a service I cannot use ?



  • Registered Users Posts: 113 ✭✭starlady1


    Sounds normal for most childminders and creches. Do you pay for Bank Holidays as well?

    I know some creches only charge for the days your child attends but these seem rare now and there is such a huge shortage of places in both the creches and the minders that they can do what they like really.



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  • Registered Users Posts: 5,746 ✭✭✭appledrop


    I don't think that is right at all.

    Now don't get me wrong in our creche you pay for full month every month even if your child doesn't attend, is on hols etc but I don't mind this as staff need to be paid.

    However they only close on public holidays, not for two weeks in summer and also while the close at Christmas only that week and open back up on 2nd Jan or whatever way it falls.



  • Registered Users Posts: 114 ✭✭Darkslcie


    Thanks all, looks like it normal. 👍



  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    If they didn't charge you for the 4 weeks a year they're closed, they'd just charge more for the other 48 weeks and make it up that way. This way, its just spread over the whole year.

    It works out the same, in the end.



  • Registered Users Posts: 298 ✭✭Tech_Head


    This is the way our creche works. It tots (pun intended) up the hours for the year and divided by 12.



  • Posts: 596 [Deleted User]


    Do you pay your rent or mortgage when you're on holidays and not using it?



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  • Registered Users Posts: 18,897 ✭✭✭✭Mimikyu


    That’s different because, in that situation, you’re choosing to go on holidays and I could understand paying for that period because the Creche is still open and operating. In the OP’s scenario though the Creche is closed by their own choice and no service is available.

    The OP will either have to take annual leave or pay someone else to mind the child.



  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    Put it this way. ...

    The creche could charge you *€180 a week, over 52 weeks of the year, including the weeks they are closed. That works out at €780 per month or €9,360.00 per year.

    Or they could charge you €195 per week, for 48 weeks ("no charge" the weeks they are closed) but it would stil work out at €780 per month or €9,360.00 per year.

    They are not going to give you four weeks free of charge when they are closed, because they still have to pay overheads, staff wages, insurance etc for those four weeks. All these costs are factored into what they charge per place.

    It sucks, but it is what it is. You'll probably find paying for the closed weeks in whatever contract you signed when you signed up for the creche place.

    *just for example



  • Registered Users Posts: 762 ✭✭✭Pistachios & cream


    Our Creche closes for 2 weeks in summer and a week at Christmas but we pay the same fee every month. However our overall fee per month is lower as we pay for 49 weeks over the 52. This was clearly stated to us and it is cheaper than other crèches we had enquired about.



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,731 ✭✭✭mrslancaster


    It's been like that for years but imo parents should only pay for the hours/services they use. Everyone knows permanent staff need to be paid for the whole year and creches want to hold onto good staff because its better for children to have continuity of care, but thats part of the business running costs just like rent or insurance.

    So if a family pays for 52 weeks, takes 2 weeks hols in April and 2 weeks in Sep but the creche is closed for 2 weeks Aug and 2 weeks in Dec/Jan, then the family pay for alternative childcare when the creche is closed so end up paying for 56 weeks. The creche can't have it both ways - closing for 4 weeks AND expecting parents to also pay for weeks they take holidays. They either open for 52 weeks and parents pay or they open 48 weeks and parents pay someone else for the time the creche is closed.



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