Deposit/Holding Fee

[christine19720]

Does anyone have a deposit or holding fee form they could share?
I've never done this before and could use a little help wording this.

Thanks

[SignMeUp]

Mine are both part of my contract. It says something like this:

Deposit portion:
The last two weeks fees are due upon signing of this contract. No space is held without payment.

Holding fee portion:
Provider agrees to hold a space in the child care from xxxx until xxxx.
Xxxx’s first day of care will be xxxx.
Parent will pay 30% of the regular weekly fee to hold the space. The holding fee for your child(ren) is $xxx per week, for a total of $xxx, due upon signing of this contract. The holding fee is not applied to future care.
The holding fee is non-refundable, even if parent decides not to begin care at the end of the holding period.

Every piece of paper that I give prospective clients now says that fees are non-refundable.

[SignMeUp]

Mine are both part of my contract; I don't have a separate form. It says something like this:

Deposit portion:
The last two weeks fees are due upon signing of this contract. No space is held without payment.

Holding fee portion:
Provider agrees to hold a space in the child care from xxxx until xxxx.
Xxxx’s first day of care will be xxxx.
Parent will pay 30% of the regular weekly fee to hold the space. The holding fee for your child(ren) is $xxx per week, for a total of $xxx, due upon signing of this contract. The holding fee is not applied to future care.
The holding fee is non-refundable, even if parent decides not to begin care at the end of the holding period.

Every piece of paper that I give prospective clients now says that fees are non-refundable.

My receipt also specifies exactly what the payment covered.

[Kim's Sweet-Tots]

Good morning everyone from AZ! This is only my 2nd time to reply to a post. I usually just read everyones comments and just shake my head and say to myself, I totally understand!!! This isnt an easy job at all. Most of us who are in this is because its truly a passion because if it was just for the money, IT DOESNT PAY! Its very stressful. Not only is it hard keeping the children all happy but we have to deal with the parents and sometimes they are harder to handle than the little ones! Ok, back to what I was intending to say....
My holding fee is 1/2 off the parents normal weekly rate and I to have it included in my contract. I like the idea of putting that its non refundable. Good idea!!! EVERYONE TRY AND HAVE A GREAT DAY!

Kim

[mia]

Question,

If you had some one come for an interview and decided to start with your center / daycare and they do a deposit but the spot start date is for 8 months away, what do you do in the mean time is it fair to accept some one during those 8 month then tell that person they are out, or do you keep turning possible full time clients away the whole the 8 months and lose all that pay??????

[jenboo]

Originally Posted by mia

Question,

If you had some one come for an interview and decided to start with your center / daycare and they do a deposit but the spot start date is for 8 months away, what do you do in the mean time is it fair to accept some one during those 8 month then tell that person they are out, or do you keep turning possible full time clients away the whole the 8 months and lose all that pay??????

No way do I hold spots! Tell the family they can either start paying the full amount for the spot to reserve it or chance that it will be taken in 8 months.

[jenboo]

Originally Posted by mia

Question,

If you had some one come for an interview and decided to start with your center / daycare and they do a deposit but the spot start date is for 8 months away, what do you do in the mean time is it fair to accept some one during those 8 month then tell that person they are out, or do you keep turning possible full time clients away the whole the 8 months and lose all that pay??????

I also wouldn't have taken a deposit from them.

[Jack Sprat]

What if you won't have an opening till the end of the summer? Does it make sense to ask for two weeks deposit now and then credit the deposit back to them when they start?

My thinking is I won't have room till then, and if they decide to not bring child to care then I am paid for the two weeks that it may take to fill the spot that I thought was filled.

[sahm1225]

Originally Posted by Jack Sprat

What if you won't have an opening till the end of the summer? Does it make sense to ask for two weeks deposit now and then credit the deposit back to them when they start?

My thinking is I won't have room till then, and if they decide to not bring child to care then I am paid for the two weeks that it may take to fill the spot that I thought was filled.

That's what I do. The two week deposit is non refundable if they decide to not start. Another daycare around here charges one month deposit

[childcaremom]

Originally Posted by Jack Sprat

What if you won't have an opening till the end of the summer? Does it make sense to ask for two weeks deposit now and then credit the deposit back to them when they start?

My thinking is I won't have room till then, and if they decide to not bring child to care then I am paid for the two weeks that it may take to fill the spot that I thought was filled.

This is how I do it. They pay me a two week deposit that is used to the first two weeks of care. The deposit is non-refundable no matter the reason.