parent breaking terms of contract and a friend

[nadmaj]

hi ya (this is a long one)

i've had a friends son for just over a week and she wants to end the contract - i' ve put that i need 4 weeks notice otherwise full fee and she send me a text on saturday saying that she wants to end the contract and i've told her that she'll still have to pay me in full but then she says that because she is taking a holiday off from work she's classing it as a holiday from childminding and only paying me half - fair enought but i've stated that i need 4 weeks holiday notice aswell otherwise full fee applies and if i get 4 weeks holiday notice then only half fee applies but then i had to redo the contract and i put that i need 1 weeks holiday notice and she hasn't even given me that.

So i'm only going to get half fee which isn't fair to me and i explained about all of this before she signed the contract and even agreed to it and now she's being really awkward. saying that it's only half for a holiday correct but with complying to the notice period i've written into the contracts.

now her husband is a long time school friend of her's and this is going to cause a rift between the friendship.

shall i explain this to her and try to get the full fee or just cut my losses and get whatever she pays me.

[littlesprogs]

i would keep explaining until i got the full fee, tell her to read over her contract!

[mel]

what a nightmare but you are right, she is taking you for a ride. I would tell her to read the contract and that you will be taking advice if she does not fulfil her side of the contract

Mel x

[hazel2]

hi, yes a nightmare, just explain again and put it in writing if you have to. stick out for what you are owed. i was messed about once by a parent they used to give me 5 minutes notice that i was not having their child but in the contract it was put 12 hours to be agreed mutually thats 4 hours a day one week they only sent her for 8 hours and paid for 8 hours when they owed me 12, its a longer story but i gave them notice because of this and for all the messing me about. now i don't stand for any nonsense. good luck

hazelx

[nadmaj]

thanks i'm going to stick to my guns even if it ends the friendship - if she were in a nursery and she broke the contract she's definately pay them full orgiven them notice but because it's me she thinks she can mess me around - she's comming round in a bit and see what happens - i'll keep you posted

[miffy]

Did you manage to sort this amicably?

Miffy

[nadmaj]

miffy said:

Did you manage to sort this amicably?

Miffy

The cow bought her husband along for moral support but he pointed out that she should have read the contract before she signed it. so hahaha to her.

Anyway after a long chat we decided to call it half fee and end the contract and i will NEVER EVER do business with her again.

If her husband and my husband weren't friends i would have took her to the cleaners!!!! the $%^% $£

[vik3000]

I personally won't do business with "friends" - as I think there is the strong possibility of special favours wanted and the rules don't apply because of the friendship. I too have learnt the hard way.

Sorry that this person tried to take advantage of you, and I am glad that you got it sorted it out.

[emmylou]

I totally agree with Vik3000.

It is never worth getting involved with friends at all. I too have learnt the hard way. They definately try to take advantage and think they can call the shots.

sorry to here it has caused trouble to your friendship but you are definately better off not minding her son. At least you got it sorted in the end!!!

emmylou x

[buildingblocks]

I totally agree with Vik3000 as well the only problems i have ever had in this job have revolved around so called friends. So much so that I turned down a very good chance this summer. I would love to work with children with special needs or similar and this child had numerous allergies and special requirements and was holiday time only so would have been great.

I turned it down after much thought as it is someone I have known for a very long time (although haven't seen her in ages) and just didn't want the hassle if things went wrong.

I have to admit most parents I have worked with have turned into fairly good friends but I am not prepared to take on new contracts with friends that already exist (hoe this makes sense)

lov eKate

[vik3000]

I would go along with your last paragraph Kate, the people I have minded for have turned into good friends too.
I do have one friend that since I have started working as a minder, is very "off with me". The only thing I can put it down to is that I used to have her kids round for tea on a regular basis and also done a lot of the runs to and fro for cubs etc - now I've had to rein it all in a bit and I think she resents having lost her "free" childcare. Some friend - sorry this went of on a tangent a bit and is not particuarly related to the actual topic! ;D

[rubybubbles]

well done for sticking to you guns

Phew it's hard all this isn't it ;D

haha at her hubby turning up and saying about reading contract teehee