Mary approached me on this website offering childcare for our 12month daughter, which we needed only for a few hours on Mondays. She said she could help, and we met her at her home. Everything seemed lovely so we agreed to work together. Mary explained that, because we were only doing one day, we'd have to pay the higher £12 hourly rate. Even if it was more expensive, we agreed so at least we could have some flexibility on the hours. We paid her the £350 deposit she requested, as well as paying for settling sessions.

Mary took good care of our daughter in March, she seemed to be sweet to her and kept us posted during the day. She also helped us the days when our nursery closed due to Covid and we had to do extra hours with her, she was very flexible then.

Mary was sick on the last Monday of the March, which we had to still pay for, but we didn't question this and wished her well. However, before starting the second month working with her, she sent us her invoice which requested 5 days payment for April. We were confused as we only use Mondays. Mary told us we had to pay for "all bank holidays", including Good Friday. And that she was also taking a week off before Easter, and we had to pay for that Monday too, despite the service being closed. There was no prior notice of this holiday and, with less than 2 weeks notice, we therefore also needed to arrange childcare elsewhere. When we questioned the Friday BH and the unannounced annual leave, we were told if we didn't agree, we could terminate the contact.

Having to pay Mary for sickness, annual leave, and bank holidays we didn't use, as well as fund additional childcare to cover these days, this was over budget. As a one off, Mary accepted to cancel the Friday BH charge as "good will", and we agreed to pay for 4 days in April (despite using 2), but reducing the hours slightly. Apparently that was not possible either, as she said she had booked her assistant and it couldn't be changed - despite Mary advising us (when we first met) that only a couple of days’ notice were necessary for her assistant if we ever needed to adjust the hours.

Mary's contract mentions that BH are to be paid, but we expected only to pay if it falls on the day we used, not every BH of the year, especially as our arrangement was on a more expensive hourly basis, one day a week. The contract terms were unclear, and seemed very unfair. And although it mentioned 2 weeks paid holidays in summer with notice given, it wasn't in our case.

After just one month working together, due to this inflexibility and unwillingness to find a fair solution, we didn't find an agreement for April days and worse, she kept our £350 deposit. All in all, a disappointing experience which has cost us a lot of money, but most of all, it was Mary's nonconciliatory approach which disappointed us.