Late Fee?

[coolconfidentme]

What is a standard late fee to charge? I'm hard copying into my contract so parents are aware up front. I've heard $1 a minute to encourage promptness. Suggestions peeps? Please & thank you!!

(I tried looking it up on past forums, but I'm still trying to figure the site out.)

[Meeko]

I charge a dollar per minute.

[littlemissmuffet]

I charge $1/minute on regular days. $5/minute when I have an appointment/class to make.

I do not have a grace period - I don't care WHY someone is late. Habitual lateness will result in termination without notice or reimbursement of monthly fees.

[Creek]

I charge $5 for the the first 5 minutes, so no matter if you are 1 or 5 mins late, it's $5, then every minute there after is $1 a minute.

[coolconfidentme]

I charge $5 for the the first 5 minutes, so no matter if you are 1 or 5 mins late, it's $5, then every minute there after is $1 a minute.

I like that...

[williams2008]

I also charge $5 for the the first 5 minutes, and $1 a minute after that.

[bgmeyers]

I charge $1 per minute per child. Had a family of 2 pickup 15 minutes late a week ago. That was $30 added to their bill. I DO NOT want to work past my closing time, so I always charge my late fee.

[Texasjeepgirl]

I charge $1 per minute per child. Had a family of 2 pickup 15 minutes late a week ago. That was $30 added to their bill. I DO NOT want to work past my closing time, so I always charge my late fee.

[daycarediva]

I charge $5 per 15 minute increment (or portion thereof) outside of contracted hours. THEN $1 per minute after my official closing time. For example: contract is pickup at 5:30. Mom shows at 5:56 and leaves at 6:02, That is an additional $12.

Honestly, I have considered changing it to $1/minute outside of contracted hours (even if I am still open and have other kids in care) becuse I have one dcf that buys my gas every single week being 15 minutes late EVERY SINGLE DAY but refuses to change their contract because it would add...get this... an additional $5/day for going over 10 hours. ::

Atleast it isn't past closing, because she would have been termed over it forever ago.

[Blackcat31]

My handbook says $1 per minute and I do charge it IF it happens but I have to say, I haven't had a late pick up in a really looooong time because my parents also all know that my first rule is to just NOT do it in the first place.

I will look the other way the first maybe one or two times (still charging the late fee of course) and if the reason was an acceptable one but after once or twice, I would rather just term and find a new family since having to constantly repeat the rules drives me crazy.

I don't mind informing parents of my rules but don't make me have to keep repeating them.....