What is your spot holding policy?

[aDCProvider]

Mine is a 2 week deposit (applied to the last 2 weeks of care) to hold a spot for up to 30 days. If they need the spot held longer than that they begin paying full tuition payments (which is not applied to a future balance). I've interviewed a couple families looking for infants spots in late fall/early winter who are asking why I would charge so much. I know this is a common practice around here, some daycares only hold a spot for 2 weeks with a 2 week deposit and then begin charging tuition.

What is your policy? Do you charge tuition for long term spot holding? Do you ever have trouble getting people signed up and paying this?

[Annalee]

Mine is a 2 week deposit (applied to the last 2 weeks of care) to hold a spot for up to 30 days. If they need the spot held longer than that they begin paying full tuition payments (which is not applied to a future balance). I've interviewed a couple families looking for infants spots in late fall/early winter who are asking why I would charge so much. I know this is a common practice around here, some daycares only hold a spot for 2 weeks with a 2 week deposit and then begin charging tuition.

What is your policy? Do you charge tuition for long term spot holding? Do you ever have trouble getting people signed up and paying this?

I don't hold spots. If I have an opening a client may choose to take that spot or not. If not, I move on to the next client!

[butterfly]

I have a unique situation. I do school year only, so I only charge an enrollment fee equal to one week's rate to hold their spot through the summer. (I'm not open during the summer.)

For infants: I don't hold spots for new families. They can go on my wait list and if I have a spot, I'll call them closer to the time I'd want them to start.

I will hold a spot for a currently enrolled family's infant - if I have a spot available - with just the above mentioned enrollment fee.

I like having lower enrollment numbers, so I don't mind holding the spot with out collecting full tuition and I can often fill that spot with some drop in clients in the meantime. However, it is common practice here to charge the weekly tuition while holding a spot.

[bloom]

I won't hold spots anymore either. I did before and ended up being burned and losing out on A LOT of money. I think your policy is fine. Parents just don't understand sometimes that by you holding a spot for them means that you are losing out on someone having that space right now. If they aren't ok with your policy then tell them that they are welcome to check back to see if you have any openings when fall or winter roll around, but that you plan to continue interviewing for those spaces right now. They can't just hold a space for months without paying.

[Blackcat31]

I don't.

If the space is open, payment in full is required.

I don't feel it's fair to my other clients to charge to hold a space because I charge based on enrollment not attendance.

[MotherNature]

I charge a half rate to hold a spot. If I have room, I'll allow it for longer..i.e. pregnant families due in a couple months, but I generally won't hold that long. but for something like holding spots over the summer for a teacher's family..half rate..

[Second Home]

I do not hold spots .

[daycarechick]

my handbook says:....* Spot Holding: All roster spots are first-come, first-serve. I interview & hand out paperwork all the time therefore I cannot guarantee anyone a spot or take one off the market (hold it) until & unless it is locked in by a non-refundable spot-holding fee or CCRC authorization—the first parent to put money down or get authorized, gets the spot—no exceptions. Spot holds are only good for 30 days-- if you change your mind or otherwise fail to start Care within the 30 days, the spot will be released and your hold fee forfeited. Credit for the hold fee may be applied to your last week of Care only when all of the conditions for disenrollment listed below have been met.