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Our 2 sons were attending part-time at a local private preschool. We paid a $2,500 deposit for the 2010/2011 school year (contract signed, deposits non refundable). We then paid a $3,000 deposit for the forthcoming Sep 2011/2012 school year (contract signed December 2010). So this is where it gets interesting. Director is sorting out her roster for 2011/2012 and has a wait list. She calls me a month later (January) and tells me we can't have the 3 days which we initially asked for, we can have 2 days and the boys must attend alternate days (I reluctantly agreed) but didn't sign a new contract (it was all verbal). She then calls me another month later (February) and tells me that our youngest can't stay in the class with his friends, she wants to put him in a different class come September 2011 (I didn't agree).
First she tells me she'd refund full deposits of $3,000 because she can't accommodate our family, she then changes her mind and tells me she'll only refund $1,500 and now to date, she has not reimbursed us a dime. We had a meeting with the director and there was no open communication, it was all one sided and she said that deposits were non refundable but she'd refund $1,500 (which we never received). Another parent told us something this director had said about someone else's child and it was one of the most shocking things i've ever heard. So after a disastrous meeting with this director and after hearing what this other parent said, we pulled our children out of the school. The trust was broken and we are generally very pleased to be out of there. We also feel conned and my view of preschools/daycares has been tarnished forever. I understand why daycares have to take the deposit up-front but I never thought it would be abused in this fashion.....after all, it was her who broke the contract, not us. She's also kept $5,500 in deposits. Is this situation common? Unless we get at least $3,000 back, we will fight this battle in the small claims court because I'd hate for another family to get cheated in this way.
First she tells me she'd refund full deposits of $3,000 because she can't accommodate our family, she then changes her mind and tells me she'll only refund $1,500 and now to date, she has not reimbursed us a dime. We had a meeting with the director and there was no open communication, it was all one sided and she said that deposits were non refundable but she'd refund $1,500 (which we never received). Another parent told us something this director had said about someone else's child and it was one of the most shocking things i've ever heard. So after a disastrous meeting with this director and after hearing what this other parent said, we pulled our children out of the school. The trust was broken and we are generally very pleased to be out of there. We also feel conned and my view of preschools/daycares has been tarnished forever. I understand why daycares have to take the deposit up-front but I never thought it would be abused in this fashion.....after all, it was her who broke the contract, not us. She's also kept $5,500 in deposits. Is this situation common? Unless we get at least $3,000 back, we will fight this battle in the small claims court because I'd hate for another family to get cheated in this way.
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