Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  05/07/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  During child pickup one evening (June 22, 2024), my partner was late stuck in traffic due to a motor vehicle accident on the way to the daycare. Weeks later, we received notice that a late fee of $72 was due for the late pickup which is steep considering it was totally out of our control. During the conversation that followed we notified the daycare that our son would be moving to a new daycare in September that is closer to our home and would therefore have a better option for after school care as it is in the French school, which he will attend. Now, a few days after that conversation, we get an email saying our son's care is terminated as of today (July 5th, 2024) with no prior notice. When he was signed up to seeds & sprouts we signed a contract stating if he was to be leaving their care, sufficient warning would be required, but it seems they aren't required to follow the same standards which is a poor double standard in business practice. We send EMT transfers to prepay for 2 weeks care so we are owed money back for one week's care. We also paid a $270 deposit when our son was signed up. The late fee has not been paid yet so that could be taken off the balance. We were also notified that our son's things from daycare were to be picked up by end of work day today or his things would be left outside, in the elements, which is petty. I now have to drive back to Fredericton from Moncton where we were spending the weekend with family.

  Business response

  05/07/2024

  Due to multiple late pick ups from this family over the last year, the late pick up fee was raised in the Daycare Manual in March 2024. Parents were notified and signed a new contract agreeing to the updated late pick up rate. On Friday, June 21st, their child was picked up 27 minutes late – the fourth late pick up in a two month period. They were charged the late pick up rate rate of 72.00$ and the Daycare Director reached out to see if our operating hours were working for the family and to make a plan going forward. The family responded angrily and the parents made the Director aware of an upcoming change in daycares. Then, one parent posted on social media about the late pick up fee rate and made several disparaging comments about the daycare and it’s director – which I have also attached.
  
  Due to a combination of the multiple late pick ups, 10 late invoice payments since January, and the unprofessional behaviour the family was let go effective July 5th, the final day for which they have paid for care. The operator explained that they had until 5:30 PM to pick up his items, or they could do a doorstop drop off over the weekend. When they were made aware that they were out of town, they offered to drop them off at a third party location  - one has yet to be provided.
  In the termination letter, this is all explained including that the return of the initial 270.00 Deposit less the amount of the late fee (72.00 $) would be returned to them in lieu of notice. This is a small, licensed ELC home and there is no way to welcome families who are behaving disrespectfully both to the operator and publicly online while engaging in a professional relationship.
  
  I have attached the Termination Email with the names of the Child blacked out, as well as the two invoices in question. One, Invoice 46 is the last invoice that has been paid. It goes from the days of Monday June 24th to Sunday July 7th. The child received care Monday – Friday, so the reason the Final day is Friday the 5th and not the 7th is because we are not open weekends. The child’s termination notice was not effective until after the last business day included on that invoice, meaning there is no care owed.
  Invoice 47 has not been paid. It includes the details of the 72$ late fee in question. This invoice would have stretched from July 8th – 21st for care. No payment has been received for this invoice at this time.
  There is no outstanding care owed to this family. As promised in the termination letter, the only money owed was the initial deposit (270.00), less the late pick up fee for June 21st (72.00$) for a total of 198.00 that was paid this evening via e-transfer to the mother’s cell phone number.
  At this time no one has picked up the child’s belongings and no alternative pick up address has been given.

  Customer response

  08/07/2024

   Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID 21945488, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

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