Get my money back or forget about it?

Question

I was laid off so I had to pull my son out of his preschool. I applied to an income based preschool that doesn't charge parents who are not working provided that they are actively seeking employment. The receptionist lead me to believe that there was an opening. She also told me that I would get my money back if my child was not enrolled. It's been over a month since I applied with no call from the daycare so I called the Director. She told me that not only is there no space in the preschool but the application fee is nonrefundable no matter what! I have not time to wait because I need to look for another job. Although I found another preschool for my child, I want my money back because I'm in a difficult financial situation. I am so surprised that an agency that is supposed to be assisting poor ppl is taking money from ppl. I have never even heard other daycares/preschools charging people to be put on the waiting list. What should I do?

Answer 1

From the answers that you have received it seems that no one here has worked at a child care center.  Every center that I know of has a non-refundable application fee.  This is to protect the company from people applying to different schools and not actually attending them.  If they do take the fee they are required to give you a space. That doesn't mean the next space available, because you don't know how far you are on the list.  In some states infant care is so rare that mothers get on waiting list when they are 3 or 4 months pregnant.  I am sorry about your situation but I have to tell what I have learned working in this industry.

Answer 2

First, look on your paperwork you signed.  If you signed anything that says non-refundable, not matter what the receptionist told you, you are out of luck unless you can prove she said it.

Next to that, write a letter asking for their proof that you were made aware of the non-refundable policy.  If it isn't written or posted and if you didn't sign it you should get your money back.

And this does sound fishy - most only charge you IF they find a spot for you.  They will usually refund your money if they can't place your child in a reasonable amount of time.  A deposit is to hold the spot - not a waiting list.   If they "hold" a spot for you they want to insure that you will take it, therefore, the non-refundable deposit.  Usually you will find this in situations where the child won't be enrolled immediately - pre-registration the spring before, finding daycare for an infant while still pregnant, etc.    They never gave you a spot - therefore they have not lost any money because of you.  You should not be charged to be on a waiting list.

They could, in theory, have lost money because you back out and now they have a spot open.  However, if they never gave you a spot - then you never kept them from filling it with someone else.

And say that you would like this resolved by a date, and if not and your next step will be to seek a third party to help resolve this.  This leaves it open - you can have time to find who the best third party person would be - BBB, your local preschool/daycare licensing agency, media, etc.

and follow through.  If they don't provide proof you knew and they don't refund your money, then contact a third party to get involved or take them to small claims court.

Answer 3

Sorry but non-refundable is just that.

Answer 4

if you have that written somewhere in something you signed...(the non-refundable fee) there's nothing you can do about it..however if they failed to tell you it was non-refundable..if you have the time..you can try to win it back.

Answer 5

That sounds fishy to me. A non refundable deposit is to protect the daycare from parents signing up and not going. Ask them what the deposit is used for. I don't think they can charge a deposit if there is no openings! i would really make an issue of it- tell them about your financial situation and ask themn to explain how their arrangement is suppose to help people with low incomes. the preschool I work for takes a deposit- but only if we are holding a spot open for a child. I would keep bugging them,!

Answer 6

I am sorry to say this, because I am big on the principal of things, but if you are already hurting for cash and on the go, it might be best to let it go until you can find time to go back and talk to the director and tell them the situation. Then once you get back on your feet I would run an article in the paper over what they did and I would post it everywhere I could on the internet so that way they could eat some bad publicity.

Answer 7

Probably the best you can do is write a letter explaining your situation and asking for your money back--then hope for the best. It would be pretty rotten of them to be accepting application fees when there are no openings. Good luck. I hope it works out for you.

Answer 8

somewhere your application must read:  Non Refundable.  Otherwise, you should be able to get your $$ back.  Tell them you will call the Better Business Bureau if they don't do the honest thing.