Fees

[claire1985]

Hi all

Just looking for some advice.

In our club its fees day on sunday for next block problemb is there a few parents who have still to pay there last lot of fees. For last few mouths we have an increased prob of ppl paying fees late and a very casual attidude towards this - no one sees to understand that if they countine to pay fees late we will start to struggle paying for the hall hire etc and the classes wont run.

I realise that with the economy the way it is things are tight at the moment for some families but we have let them know if prob to let the coach or tresurer know and we will work somthing out( we done this now for a few families).

In the past we sat kids out if fees not paid but this is very embarrising for the kid because all the other gymnasts are then made aware of there finacial situation. we also used to charge an excess late fee but if ppl are stugging to pay as it is adding more money to what the owe jsut makes it worst

Any ideas on how to make sure fees are paid on time and penalties if they are
not.

Claire

 

[bogwoppit]

Our gym requires the whole lot up front or post dated cheques. This means that the bills do get paid of course. When parents do not make an effort to contact you about fees they force you to choose between losing money or embarrassing their child.

Instead of sitting the child out the class perhaps at the end of the class you can send a note home will the child to say that they cannot come to any further classes until they have either contacted you to make arrangements or until they have paid what they owe. This way nobody is embarrassed and they still don't get away with it.

Perhaps making it clear that only fully paid up gymnasts can take part in displays might be a good consequence. Gymnasts here only get to compete if their fees are paid, same goes for the leos and warm ups, the coach only hands them over when she gets the money.

It is a always a tough thing dealing with the money. But sometimes it seems that the people who take the most advantage are not the ones with the least money.

 

[marie83]

Our Parents receive a letter 3 weeks before the fees are due with a big note in red saying that any late fees will incurr a £1 Admin Fee (This isn't a lot but it is a pretty good incentive for parents to pay on time). If fees are not payed on time, the gymnast loses their place and has to go back on the waiting list until another place is available. £1 seems just right - usually the parent's who are paying late aren't struggling for money, just very unorganised! If parent's are struggling for money, then they just have to let us know and we will sort other methods of payment out.

If the gymnast continues to turn up after fees are due and doesn't offer any payment they aren't allowed to join in with the session - luckily this has never happened yet. If this were to happen, the gymnast wouldn't actually get through the door as we have a strict policy on parents bringing their child in to the gym. If they didn't have fees with them they would be sent home unless the parent could guarantee they would bring fees at the end of the session - they get one chance only with this option!

We are pretty good at getting fees in - we often have an extra coach in during the last 3 weeks of term to just stand on the door asking parents for fees and making it clear what will happen if they aren't payed.

It also helps that our HC is a pretty scary woman and nobody wants to get on the wrong side of her!!

 

[Tumblequeensmom]

I know one gym in our area deals with this problem proactively! I personally think it's a great idea: If you pay your tuition before the monthly due date (I forget how early it is.. .maybe 10 days early?), then your name gets put into a drawing for winning a certain dollar amount off of the following months tuition! Sure beats having to chase down delinquent payments!

 

[gymmomntc2e6]

Our gym gives $5 off if you pay before the first of the month, $10 late fee after the 10th

 

[taximom]

Our gym does postdated cheques dated your choice of the 1st or 15th of each month. Seems to work out well. If we are behind for some reason an invoice is placed in our DD's mailslot slot can quickly taken care of. We have had to send letters to some families in the past reminding them of past due fees. If $ problems arise communication is key with the gym staff some girls drop down their hours to keep fees reasonable.

 

[Aussie_coach]

One option is to not allow them to enter any competitions until their fee's are up to date. If their fee's are out of date and they bring in fee's for a competition, then it goes to their class payments automatically. Also not allowing them to participate in any other gym events like parents night outs, day camps, displays, holiday programs and so on.

If fee's are continually not paid then gymnasts will need to be stopped from training. But this is best done by making contact with the parent. The only time you would actually sit a child out for fee's not being paid. Is if you already called the parent and asked them not to bring their child to class until fee's were paid and they brought them anyway.

 

[claire1985]

Hi all thanks for all your replies they have been reall helpful.

I suppose it just confirmed what i knew before we jsut have to get tougher with them.

I like the idea of the £1 late fee cause it such a small amount that its not a major blow finacially but still acts as a deterent.

Marie i think we need to borrow your head coach our head coach is relativly young( and looks much younger than she is) so often feel thats why parents dont take her seriously.

Good advice not to even let them enter the hall if havent paid we could send out a text advicsing parents not to bring them if dont have fees or dont call to arrange alternative.

we dont hand out coustumes or let them go on trips ( to display events) if hadnt paid but this causes lots of stress as we make routines up for a year invovlving between 20-30 of them on floor at once so if one person cant come everything in the routine has to be rearranged.

anyway we have a bag pack today and will remind them all that fees are due tommorow and its on the website so fingers crossed this mouth will go smoothly i keep u all updated.

Claire

 

[gymnut1]

I think your idea of a text to those needed saying dont come without the money is a great idea. Then they cant claim to forget. It is so true that the ones late with money are not usually those worst off. It is an attitude problem.

 

[cathiann]

Our gym requires a credit card on file for all team gymnasts--that card gets charged for the monthly fee if it's not paid on time. Of course that requires the card actually HAVING money on it to charge against ;-). (yes, that's occasionally an issue with us too).

That said--if a family is getting late--the office manager--then the owner (also our HC) talks to the family. If they can't get current, the girl is off team.