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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Parent Canceled Check
Unregistered 10:46 AM 12-16-2010
I have an In-Home Child Care. I had a child (19 months) that was very disruptive and began to hurt the other children so I talked to the parents about it 5 different occasions. Nothing happened the child still began to hurt the other children and would scream every time I would him down for nap( the other children could not go to sleep) I asked the mother her advice and what she thought I should do, I looked through all of my books from school for ECE and talked to teachers...I did everything I felt I could do in this situation but nothing worked nor changed. I had others parents getting upset with me because their children were getting kicked, hit and hair pulled. Last week when she picked up her son,I finally told the parent that they had to find alternative child care after the following week because I could not watch him anymore. ( His actions have been going on for about 6 months) She was very upset, very unprofessional and immature about the whole matter. I felt she would not listen to what I had to say. While I was still talking to her she walked out of my day care room, slamming the door ( in front of children I was watching). I took the children and went downstairs before she could leave. I told her that she was being very disrespectful and that I did not want her coming back due to the way she was acting towards me especially in front of the children.... Well to get to the point, she had written me a check that morning for $100.00...She canceled it as soon as she left that afternoon...which also charged my account $20 for a returned check..I was told to Mail her a Bill for payment and if she doesnt send me a check by the certain date specified,state that I will be taking it to small claims...Any advice?
Unregistered 12:45 PM 12-16-2010
I've had a couple similar situations, I tried charging a parent a late fee because she was an hour late without notice and several other things like that where parents take it personally and walk away owing me hundreds of $$. I have taken 3 people to small claims and they never show up, I always win and it goes onto their record that they are in debt. I have only gotten paid by one parent so far a year after she left!! She was trying to buy a house and couldn't until she cleared the debt. I highly recommend a single notice and then immediately pursuing it in court they will either threaten you or ignore it. One of my parents threatened to report me to CPs if I sued her and luckily I had it in a text and showed it to licensing but it's still scary. Another mom said if I took her to court she would slander my reputation but it's all talk. I wish there weren't so many dishonest parents out there.
dEHmom 01:54 PM 12-16-2010
Definitely advise the parent that court will be the next step should you not receive payment in the next X days. Maybe the scare of court will help the payment arrive. If not then take her to court. You have watched her child, and there is no reason that she should not pay you for your time. Especially if you have any documentation of the discussions you've had to have with her on the multiple occassions due to the behavior issues. You've done your job, and done it correctly.
Maybe for future clients, cash only?
I know I have altered my contract to state I will only accept cash. Not only is it often out of my way, and a bit of a hassle to go and deposit these cheques, and often, not be too sure if they will actually clear, it's not worth it to me to have to find out that the cheque bounced, and not only be out that money, but also have to pay out of pocket because of it. Most parents can understand this. Especially given that you've had this experience. The parents who will not appreciate this, are the ones that you need to be wary of anyways. They can't cancel cash!
Oh and also, might be time to take payments in advance? That's how I do it. The odd time a parent will consult me and ask if they can catch up next payday. Depending on the parent, and their history, it's fine with me.
Maybe for future clients, cash only?
I know I have altered my contract to state I will only accept cash. Not only is it often out of my way, and a bit of a hassle to go and deposit these cheques, and often, not be too sure if they will actually clear, it's not worth it to me to have to find out that the cheque bounced, and not only be out that money, but also have to pay out of pocket because of it. Most parents can understand this. Especially given that you've had this experience. The parents who will not appreciate this, are the ones that you need to be wary of anyways. They can't cancel cash!
Oh and also, might be time to take payments in advance? That's how I do it. The odd time a parent will consult me and ask if they can catch up next payday. Depending on the parent, and their history, it's fine with me.
Daycare_Mama 06:09 PM 12-16-2010
I would definitely send a letter demanding payment by a certain date. When giving her the total, make sure you include the charge you incurred by your bank for the canceled check.
Tell her that if it's not paid by such and such date, that you will be taking her to court and will be suing for the amount stated in letter, plus your filing fee, and income you will lose the day you have to go to court.
That should get you a check pretty fast, in my opinion.
And maybe for the future, require payment in advance. My notice to leave (on either end) is 2 weeks, so my daycare family pays me 2 weeks in advance. They are awesome people, but if something ever happened and they left abruptly, I would never be out money for the care I provided.
Tell her that if it's not paid by such and such date, that you will be taking her to court and will be suing for the amount stated in letter, plus your filing fee, and income you will lose the day you have to go to court.
That should get you a check pretty fast, in my opinion.
And maybe for the future, require payment in advance. My notice to leave (on either end) is 2 weeks, so my daycare family pays me 2 weeks in advance. They are awesome people, but if something ever happened and they left abruptly, I would never be out money for the care I provided.
QualiTcare 09:42 PM 12-16-2010
i would do what you were advised - give them the chance to pay and then take it to court.
moral of the story - make sure the check clears before terminating in the future.
i had a less than pleasant conversation with a parent once on the phone while i was watching her child which i was certain would end up in her pulling him. she was a friend and couldn't understand why i couldn't watch him the following week for the pay she had given me for the current week because of a last minute change in schedule where she didn't need me
i hadn't gone to the bank in awhile so i was holding a couple of checks - 500 bucks - and i loaded up the kids right after i hung up and went and cashed them. i was allowed to take kids in the car if i needed to so that wasn't an issue, but i didn't tell her i did it. i can almost bet she tried to stop payment - too late!
moral of the story - make sure the check clears before terminating in the future.
i had a less than pleasant conversation with a parent once on the phone while i was watching her child which i was certain would end up in her pulling him. she was a friend and couldn't understand why i couldn't watch him the following week for the pay she had given me for the current week because of a last minute change in schedule where she didn't need me
i hadn't gone to the bank in awhile so i was holding a couple of checks - 500 bucks - and i loaded up the kids right after i hung up and went and cashed them. i was allowed to take kids in the car if i needed to so that wasn't an issue, but i didn't tell her i did it. i can almost bet she tried to stop payment - too late!
dEHmom 06:20 AM 12-17-2010
I'm not sure how the cancelled payments actually work. And not sure if you all know how it works either.
But if you go and deposit/cash a cheque lets say at 10am in the morning. Then if they put a stop payment at 11am the next day, because you deposited before they stopped it, would it clear or bounce?
But if you go and deposit/cash a cheque lets say at 10am in the morning. Then if they put a stop payment at 11am the next day, because you deposited before they stopped it, would it clear or bounce?
Unregistered 06:29 AM 12-17-2010
I deposited the check before she canceled it and it took a week on my bank account to show that she canceled it. It was showing that I had the money in my account for a week and then the bank took it back out. I deposited it before she canceled it but I don't understand why it actually took a week for them to take it back out of my account to show it was canceled. Thanks for your advice.
misol 06:31 AM 12-17-2010
Originally Posted by Baybee0585:
I'm not sure how the cancelled payments actually work. And not sure if you all know how it works either.
But if you go and deposit/cash a cheque lets say at 10am in the morning. Then if they put a stop payment at 11am the next day, because you deposited before they stopped it, would it clear or bounce?
When in doubt, do not deposit the check at you bank. Go directly to the parent's bank cash the check there.I'm not sure how the cancelled payments actually work. And not sure if you all know how it works either.
But if you go and deposit/cash a cheque lets say at 10am in the morning. Then if they put a stop payment at 11am the next day, because you deposited before they stopped it, would it clear or bounce?
dEHmom 06:34 AM 12-17-2010
GREAT ADVICE!
I honestly had never ever thought of going to that bank. Didn't think it would make a difference, but now I see it would!
I honestly had never ever thought of going to that bank. Didn't think it would make a difference, but now I see it would!
Unregistered 06:39 AM 12-17-2010
After I had my Fiance deposit the check for me I thought about it and I should have had him go to her bank and cash it....but it was too late...now I have to go through all of this. I have the bill ready to be mailed out so we will just have to see what happens. She originally owed me $100.00, now add $20.00 for the returned check fee, and $10.00 late fee for every day late without payment...( She signed my contract stating that she is to pay $35.00 a day and any payments not made after every Friday of the week their is a $10.00 late charge per day late) So now she owes me $200.00....It just erks me that a parent would do this. I treat the children as if they were my own and I have never done anything wrong...I didn't realize how disrespectful she was going to be towards me...It makes me upset when all I do is do what is best for the children.