New contract questions

[Dsquared]

Hello, I have some new families that will be starting soon so I would like to tweak my old contract for new and current families. I have a few questions.
1. How many weeks do you require parents to let you know that they would like to terminate the contract? I have 2 weeks notice in my old one but have noticed other daycares require 30 days and if a parent terminated before 30 days payment is owed for those days. What is your rule for giving notice?
2. When a new family starts do you require a deposit? I have families on the first day pay me for the week of care and a deposit for in case they terminate. That deposit goes towards their last week of care with me. I am not sure if this is the best way. What do you all require?
3. If you do require a deposit from a new family at what point does that deposit go away? I have some families who have now been with me for almost 2 years, if they were to give me notice at this point would the deposit they gave me when they first started still go towards the last week of care?
Thanks so much for any information!!!!

[butterfly]

My contract says 2 weeks. Honestly, if someone is unhappy enough to want to leave, I'm not going to push the 2 week notice - I'd rather have them gone. I wouldn't want to put up with them for 30 days! I have a wait list anyways, so the sooner they are out, the sooner I can fill the spot with a happy client.

I require 1 week's rate to enroll to hold their spot and it goes towards their last week. (nonrefundable if they choose later not to enroll)

I would still count their deposit towards the last week(s) of care no matter how long they are with you if that's what they agreed to. That's just good business practice.

[Unregistered]

I take a 2 week non-refunable deposit to be applied to their last two weeks- I hold it in a special Daycare Saving Account so it'll be there for as long as they are- and require 4 weeks notice. They must either use the 4 weeks or pay for it if they leave earlier. They also pay Fri for the following week.

[Blackcat31]

Hello, I have some new families that will be starting soon so I would like to tweak my old contract for new and current families. I have a few questions.
1. How many weeks do you require parents to let you know that they would like to terminate the contract? I have 2 weeks notice in my old one but have noticed other daycares require 30 days and if a parent terminated before 30 days payment is owed for those days. What is your rule for giving notice?

I require 2 weeks written notice PER child. For a family with two children, they would be required to give 4 weeks notice.

2. When a new family starts do you require a deposit? I have families on the first day pay me for the week of care and a deposit for in case they terminate. That deposit goes towards their last week of care with me. I am not sure if this is the best way. What do you all require?

I require a one week deposit PER child. The deposit is put into a savings account and applied to their last two weeks of care. If they leave with no notice, the deposit is applied and not refunded.

I do NOT refund deposits.


3. If you do require a deposit from a new family at what point does that deposit go away? I have some families who have now been with me for almost 2 years, if they were to give me notice at this point would the deposit they gave me when they first started still go towards the last week of care?

The deposit never goes a way until the family is leaving care. The deposit is applied to the final two weeks of care, whether that two weeks I next month or 4 years from now.

When a family signs on, I give them until the end of the two week trial period to have their deposit paid in full. They can split it into more than one payment that way and it isn't such a financial burden to the families with more than one child.

Thanks so much for any information!!!!

I replied in blue above.