First Bounced Check... UGH!

[SilverSabre25]

We bounced a check recently. The check and our deposit crossed midstream. it was really annoying.

not saying that it wasn't intentional or wouldn't happen again, but it DOES happen unintentionally sometimes.

[daycaremum]

I charge a penalty of $35 for bouncing a cheque and they must pay the balance owed before any more care is provided. From then on I only take payment from that family in cash, in advance of care. (currently I take payment every Friday for that week)

[LaLa1923]

This is why I have a card reader. I would also require payment before they drop off again. There would also be a $10 late fee per day as well as the bounced fee of $35.
They would also not be able to use a check again.

IMO I don't see how it was an accident. You never write a check when the funds aren't there yet. KWIM??

[Sunshine75]

That could have been a scary situation for you as well if you had thought the funds were there and wrote checks off it. In essence she kept you from using money that was rightfully yours for care provided x amount of days. That would irk me as our budget is tight. That is why I would add a late fee. You could set one amount versus a daily amount but I would make it enough that it gets your point across.

[Blackcat31]

My handbook says :

In the event that a check is returned as NSF, parents are responsible for the following fees: any cost associated with non-payment, including but not limited to, return check fees ($30.00), insufficient funds fees, collection fees, court costs, and substitute fees.

An NSF check is considered a late payment and all late fees and rules will be applied. Late fees are $10* per calendar day

Once a check is issued it will be considered payment. Checks will NOT be held. Please do not ask me to do this.

After an NSF check, cash will be the only form of payment accepted.



I also agree with the poster who said that most times the check writer knows FULL well the check is NSF long BEFORE we are aware of it. For that reason, I charge late fees, and ALL additional costs that I may incur due to the bad check.

I also ONLY accept cash after an NSF check.


EchoMom ~ HOW this parent handles this would determine how I would handle it...kwim?

If it really was an honest mistake, I'd be willing to work it out with her.

If she simply acts like it was/is no big deal, then she would be paying ALL fees and prepaying in cash ONLY from now on.

[Memc2001]

Hopefully your friend/acquaintance will pony up the money before you have to ask. I never charge more than what my bank fees are. I don't have a late fee, I just simply refuse service if it is not paid in a timely fashion. It's up to you, it's your business.

[EchoMom]

Family did not respond to my early morning text letting them know about the bounced check and fee. Dad shows up with DCK and I tell him the check was returned and there was a fee. He was like "Seriously?! Ahhh." But not sure if he meant Seriously like I'm charging him or like seriously his check bounced. I allowed DCK to attend today, even though I have no deposit and they owe the money plus NSF fee. Anyone else I wouldn't, but you know... a friend...

DCM texts me saying she's so embarrassed, it was a mistake, not their fault, bank messed up (I don't really believe that though....), it will never happen again but she can't bring me the money today. (Again, I think that's BS because she's at home with a newborn and she COULD drive over here and bring it, or she said her husband could bring it at 8pm). When I told her it must be paid today or have an additional $10/day late fee she said ok she'd add that on too and pay it tomorrow when I come over to her house (we had a scheduled get together for tomorrow).

Her attitude in text seemed mixed... On one hand some of her texts seemed like she thought I wasn't being flexible enough (Oh H*LL no!), on the other hand she seemed polite and like she doesn't want to lose her DC spot.

I'm frustrated that this is so classic... favors that backfire and now I look like I'm not flexible enough! Grr...

[Crazy8]

this sounds like trouble.... no deposit, bounced check and now no payment till Saturday??? And she's supposed to pay again on Monday for next week?? I would require all future payments in cash. This is why I will never provide daycare for a friend!!!

[Leigh]

Family did not respond to my early morning text letting them know about the bounced check and fee. Dad shows up with DCK and I tell him the check was returned and there was a fee. He was like "Seriously?! Ahhh." But not sure if he meant Seriously like I'm charging him or like seriously his check bounced. I allowed DCK to attend today, even though I have no deposit and they owe the money plus NSF fee. Anyone else I wouldn't, but you know... a friend...

DCM texts me saying she's so embarrassed, it was a mistake, not their fault, bank messed up (I don't really believe that though....), it will never happen again but she can't bring me the money today. (Again, I think that's BS because she's at home with a newborn and she COULD drive over here and bring it, or she said her husband could bring it at 8pm). When I told her it must be paid today or have an additional $10/day late fee she said ok she'd add that on too and pay it tomorrow when I come over to her house (we had a scheduled get together for tomorrow).

Her attitude in text seemed mixed... On one hand some of her texts seemed like she thought I wasn't being flexible enough (Oh H*LL no!), on the other hand she seemed polite and like she doesn't want to lose her DC spot.

I'm frustrated that this is so classic... favors that backfire and now I look like I'm not flexible enough! Grr...

I agree that the bank messing up isn't too believable, but it actually happened to me TWICE in a TWO WEEK period! My bank's software must have been screwed up, but twice it sent through ALL of my checks twice. On 2 separate occasions, exactly 2 weeks apart. And this was in the days that I wrote a check for EVERYTHING. I was overdrawn $1400 the first time. The bank finally fixed it, after days of arguing with them. The second time it happened, I went to a teller, and she said it was no problem-this same thing happened to everyone a few weeks ago, too! It was stressful and ridiculously frustrating to deal with. I have also had automatic withdrawals pull early on more than one occasion. So, banks CAN make mistakes. They don't do it very often, though.

[se7en]

Twice now , in the past 6 years, somebody got privacy info through a debit card and stole our money. The bank reimbursed us and sent us new cards, but for . 2 days all the checks bounced, and we didn't know until the bank called to ask if we had been to Spain !!! So yes, in circumstances lime that, it can happen without the customer knowing their was no $$ in the account.

[rhondawarren]

That's why I tell them I prefer cash and ... at the start of the week!!!

[hgonzalez]

My policy is similar. Payment due on the first day of a family's daycare week at drop off.

Bounced check = $35 fee, any charges I incur as a result and cash payment for that week and all fees as soon as I notify them. Late fees will be charged as well and I will not care for the children until it is paid in full.

Cash only from there on out....

I had a client do this their first week here. Now they occasionally hand me cash and it is not enough so I have to remind them they owe me, so now I count it in front of them.

[momofboys]

Wondering how this turned out - know you are supposed to get paid when you go to the gathering today so update when you have a chance! I would be ticked. I hope the get together is not awkward!

[EchoMom]

Thanks for asking. So on Friday when all this happened another mutual friend of ours does dcks pick up every day for dcm ( dcm was on bed rest and now has a Newborn). The pickingfriend had the cash with her at pick up. So she paid the rate plus 35 fee. Assuming dcm is supposed to pay her back.

Hangout with dcm went well today. Some tension some smoothed over mostly good. I did tell her I would need a deposit before she could bring the new baby to me.

[misslori50]

Most banks have a number you can call any time