Our Daycare Raised My Daughter's Rate and Didn't Tell Us!

In a formal daycare setting it is customary to go over any rate changes and I would think there would be some kind of contract as well. I've never put my kids in daycare but when we enrolled my son in preschool 3 mornings per week there was a clear contract as well as a clear price breakdown based on days and whether the child attended full or half days.

I wouldn't pay it since you weren't informed of the rate increase but you will most likely have to pull her out of the daycare as well.

I don't think they can change your rate without written notification---unless the "qualification" rate was in the original written material you signed when she started. Check with the director.

I don't think its your problem since they were sneaky about it. Calmy tell them that you don't have to pay it since they overlooked to tell you of the increase. I would go online and see get all your facts straight before a confrontation.
From this point on you should unfortately have to pay the new rate but not for the time period they didnt tell you.

When you enrolled her, I'm sure you had some type of contract. Review the contract and see what it says about rates. (I find this odd because all day cares, after school programs, etc. that I have ever delt with make you pay in advance). If they did not inform you, then you do not have to pay the new rate for the services you have already received. Schedule a meeting with the director and see if you can work something out. When you meet, bring them payment for old rate. If they're not willing to work with you, find another daycare.

What does your contract say? I don't know what you can do, but changing rates without prior notification is certainly bad business! Get out your paperwork, and when you discuss this with the director, be curious, not angry. Listen to everything he/she has to say, and then make a decision.

Go over your original paperwork to see if there does in fact mention the rate change. If not, calmly call or email the director of your circumstance.

You should have a copy of the contract you signed, as well as something outlining the rate schedule, from when you signed her up. I've noticed in my years working in childcare that parents often don't take these documents seriously until something of this nature turns up. Do go back to those and check out what you agreed to. Even if you didn't read the paperwork, your signature is an indication that you agreed to their rules. You may have to pay, depending on what the contract says.
I agree that someone should have mentioned to you at the time you asked for the change in hours just what that would do to the rate you pay.

And, if it's an actual change in the rates they charge, over what was originally contracted, they should have given a notice of such a change with at least a couple of weeks time for parents to find other arrangements if they weren't satisified with the new rates.

Look over your contract carefully and if you've received any other paperwork that you haven't read thoroughly, do that before you pursue this issue. If you find out that you didn't miss reading something important that relates to this rate change, then go to the director and let her know you don't feel they did their part in informing you.
Did you work through any agency in finding the daycare you're using? If so, and if the daycare is not doing business as they should, definitely inform the agency of that fact as well.

When you enrolled her in the daycare, did they give you some handouts with their rules and fee schedule? If so, the mistake was yours for not checking it. If not, then I would definitely talk to the director since they definitely should have advised you of the change in status/rate.

After reading the other posts, it seems like I'm the oddball on this :O)

I understand your frustration......however, at the same time, if I were to ask for more daycare for my child, then I would expect an increase in rate.

Perhaps you caught your daycare "off guard" and in the middle of chaos when you told her about the change? This could cause anyone to not respond properly..........

I think you should just tell her that you didn't realize adding another morning would cost that much and it's not going to work for you afterall. Tell her what you ARE able to afford, and see if there is something that works for both of you.

You might just have to back to the 2 mornings a week.

I know that some daycares have to "hire" more staff for extra busy days. They need to follow state rules of some kind having so many personel there for a certain amount of kids Perhaps your added morning needed an increase in staff?

Try not to get all upset, I'm sure there's a simple explanation for it. Yes, maybe she didn't handle things perfectly, but it's difficult to say because daycare's are always so chaotic......

To be on your side, $400 does seem a little high for 9 hours a week. I'm sure there is a misunderstanding on her part. Just ask her :o)

In todays times, business are only trying to keep the business that they have, and not lose any........let's try to give her the benfit of the doubt until you approach her. I would call her first, to schedule a meeting. You don't want her to be "distracted" when you talk about something so important.

Good Luck!

~N. :O)

A bargan either way these days. Did you sign an original agreement for the $5/hr rate? If so read it and see what it says about additional hours/days. If it has the new rate you are obligated to pay. If it doesn't and you were not informed that the rate would go up and didn't sign a new agreement, I would pay the original rate of $5/per hour, reduce her time back to 2 mornings, or take her out of that care facility. If you like the facility, I would try and work something out.

Blessings......

MS, having been a Day Care Provider, and having grandchildren in other Day Cares I wanted to respond.
First when you first digned up you must have been aware of different rates, and should have been aware taht since you made the choice to change that you should have asked questions to be sure of things and not assumed that you were making all the business secisions and that they were going to accept it. Are the rates posted anyplce? By the way I never posted any amounts but people knew that 1x a year I had the option to raise rates or have them supply the items for their child. What does your orginal contract say? Why in the world didn't you ask? I am surprised that they did not have you sign a new contract. For my grandchild when a 2nd sibling came there was no decrease in price but with a 3rd there was. This is your fault not the directors you just assumed without asking questions but I agree that you should talk to her and see if there is anyway she will help you out in this. But I would tell her it was your assumtion taht you were going by. Good Luck

Wow. If I'm doing the math right, the price more than doubles over a difference of 12 hours per month? 12 hours times $5 is $60, not $200.
It seems to me that no one in their right mind would pay that. It bumps up to $16/hour? For a morning rate?
Definitely talk to the director and make sure you have any agreements you signed so you can know what you agreed to.
I would make it clear that you never would have done an extra 3 hours a week at that rate had you known and really understood. You will NOT be having your child there for the extra 12 hours and if they are going to hold you to charging at that rate for the last month, you won't be able to have your child there at all in order to pay those extra charges.
I might see charging extra for all day or you working swing shift at a hospital where they have a lot more responsibility for your child at odd hours, but what more do they do for her 12 hours per month that warrants that increase?
I did daycare for years and never heard of something like this.
I don't know how long your child has been there, but it seems to me that doubling your billing would have been discussed since you've paid a relatively low amount in daycare.
I hope you get it worked out, but it's obvious you can't have your child there over the "status" limit change. I'd be looking for different daycare because you may require more hours eventually and now you know what you're in for as far as rates.

Best wishes. Let us know what happens.

They should have let you know what the new rate would be when you asked for the increase in hours. Can you go back to her original schedule?

I would simply meet with the director and let her know that you didn't realize that the increase in hours would affect the rate this much, and tell her you wished she would have let you know about the rate change. Ask for the schedule to go back to 2 mornings a week. I mean, who knows when they raised the rate? The director probably didn't even think about what a price jump this would be for you. Lots of time childcare places have an, "hourly rate," a "part-time rate" and a "full-time rate" based on the hours people agree to.

Good luck!!

Do you have a contract with the daycare? I would think you would have had to sign a new contract. I wouldn't pay it if you were not told in advance. Going forward, you would have to make the choice to pay the higher rate or go less often.