Nursery 'registration' fees?

[tomo]

Can anyone tell me why nurseries charge a 'registration' fee? I was pretty appalled to find out that I could be charged a non refundable fee just to go on a waiting list which doesn't guarantee my child a place?

Is this just a money making scheme on their part? I asked at one nursery I visited this morning and was told it was to 'secure my place on the list' and that 'all the nurseries do it'. Am I the only one baffled by this system?

[Polly D]

I came across this too a while ago and can only think it's to prevent parents putting their child's name down on waiting lists for loads of nurseries 'just in case' so this way they can assume that if you're on the list, you really want it, if that makes sense, and that the numbers on the list are more realistic.

Saying that, it wasn't all nurseries who asked for it.

[hazelnunhead]

It was a while ago since I did this, but I remember it being common to give ?20 to ?30 to put your child's name down. I didnt register with one nursery that asked for a ?100 non refundable fee (not in this area i hasten to add!)

[tomo]

Hmmm, Yes the nursery I visited this morning charge ?25 but ?100!! Really?! Amazing to think that people actually pay that kind of money, even with the chance that they might not get a place.

I get that they don't want time wasters, but nursery provision around here seems to be massively over subscribed, they are clearly always able to fill the places?

[david_carnell]

Tomo - I agree.

We lost money at a place that took our fee after a "look-round" day and then called a few months later to say we wouldn't get a place. ?30 poorer.

It's a con. But what can you do?

[Bellenden Belle]

Yep - Gumboots, take a bow. If I'd known I was no.64 on the waiting list, with little chance of a place, I might not have written my cheque so swiftly.

[Pickle]

That's absolutely shocking, surely they knew when they took your deposit that there was no chance?! I would have thought that in cases where it's due to the nursery having no space they should refund the fee. Obviously an easy way for them to raise funds.

[crystal7]

I've experienced this in all nurseries I've looked around, 1 in this area asked for 75! Suppose it's like Polly D says to stop parents putting child's name on waiting lists of all nurseries in the area. Feel they should refund the deposit though if you don't get a place when you need it.

[Yak]

This is shocking - not my area of law but in principle isn't this an unfair contract term? Might be worth asking CAB / OFT.

The two nurseries we were on waiting lists for didn't charge, but they are sure start/ charity run.

I would be tempted to name and shame, so at least there's transparency for other parents thinking of applying.

[Smiler]

Standard, but wrong.

[tomo]

I'd be interested to know Yak- my mum volunteers at CAB, so I'll get her to investigate. It does seem wrong to be charging potential customers with no promise of goods and/or service?

[Convex]

It seems unfair but I doubt there is anything illegal about it, unless they know for a fact that you won't get a place. I'm about to put my name down for a couple and I'm pretty heartbroken to be parting with my maternity cash!

[urchin]

I found this with all the places I wanted to register with and was the sole reason why we only put our names down for two. Won't name and shame (although maybe I should!) but the one we have ended up with charged ?75 and the one that couldn't give us a place when we needed it was ?100! We delayed ages registering because of this but in the end felt it was one of the best places we'd seen so reluctantly wrote a cheque. However when the time came and despite their original offer of a place last September when we needed it, they retracted it because an existing child decided not to move after a house sale fell through. We fully expected to be refunded but no joy! Which as the fee was so exorbitant was pretty tough to take.

[Monkey]

It's standard and completely wrong. It is well known that the more you keep in their face, the more you call them to reiterate your interest will help you secure a place.

[Strawbs]

I had Toby on 3 lists so ?75 poorer, since found a nursery I could pay a month up front to scure a place so I did that..

[????]

To play Devil's advocate (and we have lost money on a place btw) how are nurseries meant to stop multiple registrations? My feeling is perhaps they could at least either give you a 'probability/likelihood' scale and slide registartion fees to that as a compromise? But no fees and some (many) would just register their children to as many as possible.

[ludoscotts]

Dulwich village pre- school only charges ?10 which is really good. So some are really reasonable.

[Convex]

Just been to a registration morning at a nursery. Cost ?25 to go on list.

but.... They were very transparent about how many on the list, your chances, etc. there were 4 staff fully involved in showing a group of parents around and it was well organised. From the demand I imagine it does cost them to administrate the list. So although I would prefer not to have paid, I paid knowing what our chances are, and feeling like its beeing dealt with in a fair and professinal manner.

Likely we won't get a place until the baby is around 2, so I know where I stand and will look for an alternative in the meantime.

Any more that ?25 is pretty ridiculous though and I do feel like I have no choice if nursery is the way we want to go (as opposed to other child are options I mean)

[Polmoche]

They should refund you if you don't get a place. Seems ridiculous to pay to be put on wait list, and then not be refunded if you can't actually get in because THEY don't have the room. One thing for the customer to walk away, another for the nursery not to have the service available and still make you pay the pleasure to find out!

[Cora]

What's wrong with putting yourself on multiple lists? The nursery doesn't lose out just goes to the next person on the list.....The 'admin' fee is a complete con.