Outstanding subs & bouncing cheques!!!

[sheep56]

It's a rubbish situation. I've got a guide that owes us for 5 terms of subs (£91), she's never paid. Her parents ignore my letters and their phone is either disconected/they don't answer it! I basically 'let it go', although her behaviour has become so bad, I am going to have to ask her to leave.

If I were you I would make it clear in letters etc (which I know you've already done) that if the mother has any financial diffilculties, she can call you and things can get sorted out. I would also suggest what others have about a pay weekly scheme. But I would definitely no allow her on trips. This might actually make the mother pay (if it's not money related).

Hope it gets sorted!

[yorkie67]

I'm surprised that your Dist Comm won't help you, that's what they are there for! I have had the same problem and got my DC involved and she wrote a letter on my behalf and suggested that they pay weekly and it has worked but it's started again as I'm still waiting for two weeks subs and census. We know where they live as I have a couple of guides who live on the same estate as them. We've had problems with them and we have warned them that if they don't pay they will loose the place as we have long waiting list!!!

Sheep - that's ridiculous, she need to pay you asap, get your peers involved - don't you let them win. You need to get the money back even half of it as you've had to pay for insurance, rent, badges, activities etc. I would say to the parents - that the guide cannot come to guides/brownies anymore till the subs are paid in full and then start on weekly subs.

[Fox]

I'm surprised that your Dist Comm won't help you, that's what they are there for! I have had the same problem and got my DC involved and she wrote a letter on my behalf and suggested that they pay weekly

I contacted my DC about non payers and she told me we shouldn't be having outings, expecting them to wear uniform, or doing expensive crafts. Basically that we should be keeping our costs down so some parents needn't pay subs.

So not much help really TBH!

[phred]

I think that the only thing that you can do is say that unless the money owed is paid, the girls place will be filled. Its not fair on the other members of the Unit who do pay. They shouldn't have to subsidise somebody else.

It may sound cynical, but there are parents out there who will not collect their child in order to avoid the whole paying up situation. If you look at it from another parents' perspective, why should they pay for someone else's daughter?

[Squirrel-Nutkin]

I contacted my DC about non payers and she told me we shouldn't be having outings, expecting them to wear uniform, or doing expensive crafts. Basically that we should be keeping our costs down so some parents needn't pay subs.

So not much help really TBH!

it would be rather hard doing the programme, especially the "community" part without outings! or is your DC also saying not to follow the programme and not to do holidays/camp too? Agreed don't have to do expensive crafts... but there is always going to be a "cost" for badges/hall/census and other things too!

[Fox]

it would be rather hard doing the programme, especially the "community" part without outings! or is your DC also saying not to follow the programme and not to do holidays/camp too? Agreed don't have to do expensive crafts... but there is always going to be a "cost" for badges/hall/census and other things too!

Well exactly!

We had two outings that cost something in our first term - one was the panto - and it is clearly parents' choice if they go to that. We never, ever buy pre-prepared crafts - most of our craft materials are bulk bought using our grant from Project 50K. The only outing this term that's cost anything was Division Thinking Day.

I have not pushed uniform on those that clearly can't afford it, this comment about not "making" them wear it if they can't stretch to it was in response to a query in the District whether anyone in another unit had any spare second-hand.