Private School deposits Post Reply

[AKA]

Hi there I just wanted to raise this issue and wondered if anyone had had a similar experience. Last september we put our DD's name down for a place at a Wandsworth Private school. We were offered a place and paid the £2,000 standard deposit. In the January of the following year we were then offered a place at a good state school and decided to send our daughter there. We knew of course that we would then forfeit the deposit that we had paid to the private school. Fair enough. However, the school are now trying to charge us for the first term at the school even though we have never attended the school. So they are asking us to pay another £1,600 on top of the deposit that we have already paid. Is this usual? Any advice on what we should do?

[Goldhawk]

What did the contract say?

Did you give the private school written notice?

[Goldhawk]

I thought state school offers were only made in March/April?

[AKA]

Sorry Goldhawk you are right it wasn't January it was April. We heard about the state school place during Easter holidays and notified the private school just after the Easter holidays. So that's plenty of notice.

[Goldhawk]

But what does the contract say?

Usually they specify a full term's notice. Did you give written notice before the start of the summer term? Did they acknowledge this?

[dandelion53]

If you were meant to give a term's notice, then you would have needed to write to them before Easter, i.e. before the start of the summer term.
I agree that it may be plenty of notice to fill the place by Sept for them but if a school says a term's notice then this is what it usually means. Sorry!

[AKA]

Dandelion53. I think that's the issue. The summer term had started. So bloody mean though! Theyve already got their £2,000 why ask for more.

[BalhamMumWorkingFT]

Call the school and plead your case. They do this on purpose so people don't do exactly what you did. However, if they have a full class, it shouldn't matter and they should understand. I don't know what school but I think they all handle it differently. Good Luck.

[AKA]

Thanks guys for the advice. Really appreciate it. They clearly have a case if I left it till after the Easter term started but it stills feels a bit money grubbing. I know they are a business etc but still. Mmmmm

[Happymama]

Like you I would be pretty annoyed I have to say ! I have just received request for a deposit for my son's place at a local Wandsworth school and I have the contract here in front of me (obviously I have no idea which school you are talking about but I would have assumed they were all pretty similar ? But maybe not)

At this school you loose the deposit - they definitely do not ask for payment of the first term !!!

I agree with you - fair enough to loose the deposit but totally unreasonable for them to ask you to pay for the first term. Bet it makes you glad that you didn't accept a place at this school !!!

[balhammummy5]

As others have said, your position will depend on what any contract you signed said / what any terms and conditions you were given before you paid the deposit said. Check what you were given and what you signed. Whatever the docs say, if they have filled the space / have a full class, then they won't have suffered any loss so very cheeky to claim the £1,600. I would call them up and try to reason with them - and there's always exposing them on NVN as leverage...

[harriedmum]

Hi AKA,

Speaking as someone who may well lose her reception deposit as well this year, I feel your pain.

I think a lot of people have already made the crucial point. If you had to give a full term's notice in writing (ie prior to the end of the Easter/Spring term) and you didn't, that's the problem.

Did you write and tell them that you didn't need the place? And if so when?

However I do feel, like a lot of the other posters, that if they have filled the place then, quite frankly, it is very mean to charge you all the same.

If you didn't tell them in writing (and just phoning up probably doesn't cut the mustard, it's always better to write, keep a copy and then ask them to confirm in writing that you are relinquishing your place) then you are in a much tougher position.

Definitely call up and ask them to be reasonable if they have filled the place and if that doesn't work, try a polite letter to the Principal or Bursar.

Otherwise all you can do is tot up how much you are saving over the remaining years and try and console yourself with that!!!!

[Soon-to-be-a-SMOG]

We had the same, and had to pay the first terms fees in addition, as we didn't give a full month's notice (or term's notice, I can't remember which). I just remember it was approx £3k lost (as it was a nursery term, so not full days / full price).

I did stay on good terms with the school, and they have said if we wish to switch our DD at age 7 (which is something we're considering), then they *might* allow us to use the money we lost against that - or at least part of it.