40 Minutes Late - What Would You Charge?

[WImom]

I had a family today that was 40 minutes late (I close at 4:30 - they picked up at 5:10 after my DH called them at 4:45) They are not married and there was a miscommunication on who was picking up. I was not there since I needed to be somewhere so my DH stayed.

My contract states $5.00 per every minute late. Well I'm not going to charge that. I was thinking 10-15.00.

Dad has come late before but called and has also payed late recently so I do want to charge something.

What would you charge?

[Abigail]

When do they have to pay it? Five dollars a minute is expensive! I have heard of a dollar a minute after five minutes. What is your daily rate?

[WImom]

I've never used it before. I only have it on there if someone is late all the time. I think I like the wording better with the $1.00 a minute after 5 minutes. I think I'll be changing that.

[Abigail]

The client will pay an additional fee of $1 per minute if the child is dropped off earlier or picked up later than the time stipulated in this contract. All fees for early drop-off and late pickup are due at the end of that day of care. A late drop-off does not allow for a late pickup.

That is in my contract. I don't have the five minute grace period in print BECAUSE with the absense of a grace period helps the parents be on time every time and not always 4-5 minutes late. You can leave it up to your decision if three minutes is your limit or three times is what you will let slide. KWIM?

[WDW]

I also do $1.00/minute. I would caution to be careful charging anything though... the reason I say this... I understand you're not going to do the $5 a minute thing for 40 min... but if you cut it down to less than your contract says, then this family will most likely barter with you on other fees, thinking you'll take less. I don't know, just a thought. 40 min. late. Wow I hope they had a good reason.

[NiNi.R.]

The client will pay an additional fee of $1 per minute if the child is dropped off earlier or picked up later than the time stipulated in this contract. All fees for early drop-off and late pickup are due at the end of that day of care. A late drop-off does not allow for a late pickup.

I like what you do I'll have to change mine...to bad I just handed out the new handbooks.... I only do $2.50 every 15 mins per child. So of course some of the parents soak up that 15 mins for all its worth.

[MyAngels]

I had a family today that was 40 minutes late (I close at 4:30 - they picked up at 5:10 after my DH called them at 4:45) They are not married and there was a miscommunication on who was picking up. I was not there since I needed to be somewhere so my DH stayed.

My contract states $5.00 per every minute late. Well I'm not going to charge that. I was thinking 10-15.00.

Dad has come late before but called and has also payed late recently so I do want to charge something.

What would you charge?

If I'm doing the math right, your late fee would have been $200 for the 40 minutes. Since you don't want to go that high, I would prepare a note with the late fee detailed out:

"Per our contract, my late fees are $5.00 per minute. Since you were 40 minutes late picking up yesterday, the normal fee would have been $200. However, I understand that miscommunications can happen, and in light of that I am going to reduce this fee, as a one time courtesy to $____. I want to stress that this is a one time courtesy. I trust that late pick ups will not be a problem in the future, and from this point forward, the contracted late fees will apply."

I would just make it clear that you are being extremely generous by reducing the fee, but you don't plan on doing it a second time .

[wdmmom]

I would charge them $20 and tell them it's a one time courtesy.

If it happens again, I'd hold them to any and all fees incurred.

[Hunni Bee]

We had a parent call at 6:05 (we close at 6:00!!) and say she would be late - cool, she's usually a little late and she's a really nice parent, so we don't bother her.

She did not show up until 6:45 Her 2-year-old had been there since 7:10 am...nearly 12 hours. Our director was livid...but I and another teacher were the one's who had to stay!

As the summer draws nearer, we're all going to be seeing more and more of this.

Get your calculators ready, ladies.

[NiNi.R.]

She did not show up until 6:45 Her 2-year-old had been there since 7:10 am...nearly 12 hours. Our director was livid...but I and another teacher were the one's who had to stay!

My best friend worked at a childrens academy and if the parent were late they had to pay their fees at pick up to the teacher that had to stay late with the student.

[Cat Herder]

I, personally, would charge $40.00.

That would be the last time it happened.

[nannyde]

I would charge the forty dollars UNLESS they were perfect parents in every other way and this was really an accident ... super odd occurance.

Then I would say to them... now to everyone else that's been late I have charged forty bucks but I'm going to waive that for you just one time. My policy on being late is: Don't do it.

[Sunshine44]

Oh how nice it would be to actually get the normal late fee from them, but I doubt that would happen. I'd make sure they know that your being very generous by not charging the full amount of the late fee and in the future all late fees will be applied.

I know accidents happen, but I feel like if you really let it slide too much that they will continue to have more and more accidents.

[WImom]

They are new family getting used to using a childcare so I decided to not charge them this time since each parent thought the other was picking up. She emailed me last night again to say how sorry she was and that it would never happen again. I did email back and tell her I wouldn't charge this time but if she was picked up late in the future there would be late charges added.

When she picked up she did tell my husband tell let her know what she owed for being late so I know she wasn't trying to get out of it.

I will be changing my contract this weekend and will be having all parents sign the changed form. Thanks for all the wording help.

[Sugar Magnolia]

If your policy says 5 bucks a minute, say "I will not charge you $200, but I will charge you my maximum, which is $50".

Here, I get a dollar a minute, maximum of $60. Anyone later than one hour is terminated @ first offense.