I think you need to read your contract. Does it list the deposit as refundable? What does it say about giving notice before leaving? These are the things you need to know to see if you have any recourse. At DD's daycare I have to give at least 7 days written notice to receive any portion of tuition back. Did you just tell her you were leaving, or did you formally withdraw your child via written letter?
What I don't understand if it's the same daycare just a different branch of it, why it matters (money-wise) which one you send your kid to? They're all splitting the money at the end of the day, no?
And this woman sounds completely crazy... there's no way I'd send my kid back to her!
Post by Ashley&Scott on Sept 19, 2014 8:47:35 GMT -5
I agree about checking your handbook & contract about the deposit & notice. Do you have a receipt from the deposit stating it was refundable/nonrefundable? Have you talked to any other parents or DC Lady #2 & #3 about this? If multiple families are in this situation you might have more leverage working together against Lady #1.
FWIW, our deposit was pre-paid tuition. It held our spot then once he started DC it was applied to his first week of tuition.
Update as of this morning: Lady #1 sent an email late last night stating that for parents deciding to leave, they will not be issuing any refunds (neither of our initial deposit (which she's now calling pre-paid tuition) or the remainder of September's tuition (which we've already paid)). She said we're welcome to have the kids come back to daycare through the end of October to recoup this money.
Total, this represents approx $2400 for we'd be out. I'm absolutely not sending my child back to this daycare with this fucking lunatic. I'd appreciate any "non-advice" any attorneys on the board might offer.
Have you paid additional funds since moving to the new location? Haven't you been using the care of the partners (#2/3) all this month?
It is not clear, at all, that you have left this daycare. All along, they have presented it as some new location. The OWNERS are staffing the new location. If your September tuition is paid, resume going to the new location. If you've pre-paid tuition, continue to use it through October, too. I would pay for what you use, but they have lost all expectation that you will be pre-paying ANY MONTH until this is much more stable.
As for the allegations of poor child care - I think she is lying. I think she's a horrible, horrible liar.
What do 2 and 3 say? Are they expecting that you pay additional money to send your child to the new daycare for the rest of September? You didn't pull your child out of one daycare and enroll in another. You already paid #2 and #3 via your enrollment in the original daycare.
As for the deposit/pre-paid tuition I think it will depend on what you signed when you started.
I am not in any way a lawyer, but I agree that creating an official looking paper trail (putting things in writing, registered mail, etc.) may scare #1 into giving up.
I'm glad you have a new drama free option. If you don't get your money back, I would join forces with a few other parents and get a lawyer. If you all split the cost of then drafting a letter to crazy owner #1, it wouldn't cost too much. Good luck!
It sounds like this is already happening, but I would say get the group of parents together and go at as a team. #1 is going to say what she wants to individuals, but if you go at this as an organized team, it may be harder for her to fight and not give back the money. But you need to be well organize and speak well. Don't all go in and yell at her at the same time.