Originally Posted by Snowmom:
Ditto to all of the above.
By exchanging money (consideration), you agreed for them to provide services. Just because you change your mind about receiving the services, doesn't mean you should automatically be entitled to receive a refund- it was your responsibility to ensure what the refund policy was and have that in writing.
Were you given anything at all in writing (even if you didn't sign it)?
A handbook?
A pamphlet?
A receipt?
No mam, no handbook, pamphlet, or receipt.
Let me explain a little bit. This was not a random daycare as I have three friends from our church working there.
Also the reason for the rush was our plan was not to have them in daycare until i returned to work in August as i'm a school teacher. I am teaching summer school but it would have ended around the 6 weeks maternity leave my GF had from work and then I would keep the kids until the closer daycare had its opening. When she was offered a job earning twice as much and asking her to start asap, we had to change plans.
I agree that the rush was the problem, but we were also rushed by the school as they wanted the check that day.
Some of you have said that you always have your parents sign a contract before you take their money. Why is it that you feel all the responsibility then on me and not the daycare for not following what sounds like standard policy for most schools?
When I ran a business we had a no refund only store credit policy, and it was posted on the wall as well as on every receipt because if not if someone disputed a charge the CC bank would refund the customer and take the money back from us because it was our responsibility to inform them of the policy.
I'm coming at this from a business frame of mind, which may be wrong. I did research and saw many daycares charge holding fee's to hold open spots which was half of the weeks tuition which was why I thought that would be a fair fee.
The lawyer did e-mail me a contract after the fact saying this is what I should have signed, but it was out of date. The contract said they provided meals which they do not, so even that contract if presented to us wouldn't have been correct. At the end it also says-
"The following items are required for each new student(s) to be registered at the center:
A signed copy of this contract
A completed enrollment form
$75 annual fee
First week of tuition cost, non refundable if the child does not attend."
Since they didn't have a signed contract was my child actually registered? Is also doesn't say the Supply fee is part of the non-refundable deposit yet they didn't offer to return that either.
Its a weird situation, and one I didn't expect. I appreciate the advice everyone.