Ex Client being troublesome

Sorry this is long message but I can explain.

Last Jan a family left my day care on 24th January 2014. They had been troublesome for a long time. It was a big relief and I was about to give notice and planned to do that in a couple of weeks as I had replacements lined up, but they. handed me their notice instead. It was good because then I didn't need to feel bad about letting them down.

Lots of situations they kept information secret until last minute and so backed me into a corner more than once. They knew I didn't want to lose children as I had other vacancies and no one was replying to the ad and I was getting worried about it.

When they left I am sure I gave them their receipts. I can see in my book that the duplicate is there, with the right information and dated 24th January 2014 so I know for sure they were written out and I'm pretty sure I gave them over on the last day. This is what I normally do when someone leaves, give them receipt on last day so all the paperwork is done and tidy.

So this weekend Dad e-mailed me and asks when they will get their tax receipt! I tell them I gave it last day of service over 12 months ago and tell them to check they didn't place it somewhere safe or maybe file it with the full year receipt that they would have had just a few weeks before on 31st December 2013.

I tell them if they need a duplicate, my accountant will charge me for that copy and so make sure they need a copy before I tell my accountant to copy their receipt.

Then then answer that they checked, they don't have it and please get them another. So I reply that I will instruct my accountant, find out the cost and then tell them and they can decide how to proceed.

My accountant messaged me back this morning and said what the fees are and so I send them off by e-mail to this ex client. I tell him how much a duplicate will cost electronic and how much a duplicate will cost if printed and mailed out. I tell him I don't take cheques now but he can EMT the money or pay cash. Let me know what he wants.

They now say that I am being difficult and that they refuse to pay for a receipt they didn't have. And are demanding I give them a receipt and tell them when they can come and get it.

I answered that I am not being difficult. That I told them there would be a cost when I asked them to check they didn't misplace it, and that it wasn't okay that they expect me to incur the cost. That it's not a problem to get them a duplicate and I am more than happy to do that but the fee would need paying and not by me.

So now what?

This family cost me a lot of lost money in lost fees when they were here.

They dropped the boy from FT to 3 days a week when the girl was born.
I lost those 2 days income for the 6 months he was going to be off because I had to keep them available for his return to FT in June but it was going to be 6 months only.

Then they delayed June start until September due to family situation but only told me in June when I asked what date the kids would be FT again.

Then in September they weren't ready until 30 September 2013. So I lost 2 days a week for 6 months, but then extended that for another 12 weeks plus didn't have the money from the new baby for 12 weeks after I was expecting it.

Then they told me on Friday they they were ready to come on Monday but then said they needed care for 30 mins after I closed. I did that but said not for more than 6 months without a fee increase. If they still needed longer hours after 6 months I was not doing that for same monies.

I was also looking for replacements as I thought they would wait until last minute and then back me into a corner again saying do the same agreement for same monies or lose the income from the two siblings.

So, I do feel that I have had a lot of costs from this family and I don't think I should have to have still more again. Do I have to give a free copy of receipt ? Or can I charge them for it as I will be charged to make copy?

And how late can I give it to them? If my accountant can wait to make the copies until she does my accountant anyway, then it might just be in the set fee she charged but if I have to get her to make a copies today, then there will be a flat fee for pulling her away from the scheduled work.

What is the latest I can give receipt - is it in February or in March?

When is the lastest I can do it?

I am not sure I understand....are they looking for a receipt for 3 weeks of January 2014...if so...why do you have to go through your accountant?.

Can you not just give them a hand written receipt with the amount? When I write out receipts to parents, I just do it on a dollar store receipt book!

Same here....that's all I use!

Miss sandylynn - they want a receipt for 2014 for care from 1st January 2014 until the last day on 24th January 2014. But they got one on the last day. The book I have makes a copy so I write out the receipt on-time, tear off the top copy and give to parent and then I keep the back copy in the book. Then I type into my book spreadsheet summary information from back copy. The receipt number, date on receipt, who it was for, what money was, how much. This is always my process. Then at end of year, book goes to accountant with receipts of expense, and she does up most information, to nearly completed. We just wait for little bits like mortgage statement, health insurance statement for year end final account but that not take long when most done and waiting.

The book is with my accountant office because after I did my receipts for this years children at the end of December and I took the book to her with some other paperwork. So she physically has the book in her office.

But I have a book spreadsheet here that tells me the summary information of all my old receipts. So I know from my spreadsheet that on 24th January I gave receipt number 786743 to this parent for the boys day care monies and 786744 for sisters day care monies and how much both was for. I can see in my book spreadsheet that these receipts was done.

Miss Lou - But they already had one each for boy and girl. If I do another, then I get taxes two times for one incomes. They must have copy not extra receipts.

Give them another receipt from another dollar book and write REPLACEMENT RECEIPT FOR JAN 1 - 24, 2014

Just write them a new reciept. Put on the receipt that it is a duplicate receipt and then write out original receipt numbers. Mail it to them and done. Your accountant doesn't need to be involved. It will cost you a bit of time and the price of a stamp.

It doesn't sound difficult to me .... you have a receipt book .... Just write another one and write on it "duplicate receipt" ...... What's the issue ?

Make a handwritten receipt. Note in bold at the top it is a replacement receipt for the original receipt issued on XX date, receipt #xx

you don't need a new copy of the receipt...you have the original. Making a new receipt from the receipt book leaves you with 2 receipts which YOU don't need. They just need something to prove they paid.

As much as they wronged you in the past, you get no benefit by standing firm on making them pay...all it is doing it stretching this out and making you have to stand your ground for people who could care less. Be done with them. Make a written duplicate, put it in the mail and end contact.

I've never heard of being charged for a receipt...is this common?

In the past, I've just written a new receipt with "duplicate" in big, clear letters and made sure my accountant knew as well so it didn't get added twice.

I don't say this to be mean but.....In regard to the past, it would benefit you to let it go. Unfortunately, they were allowed to treat you like that because you allowed it. In the future do not do things for families unless you want too to be kind. Don't allow someone to walk over you and than hold it against them....unless you told them this would not be tolerated and they continued to do so. In that case, you should have terminated immediately than.

Just write duplicate receipt in big letters, and list the original receipt date and number as well, so they can't double the claim on taxes.

If you have the original dated receipt copy make a photocopy of that receipt so it shows the date it was originally given. On the page note that this is a copy of the original. They can only claim once and even if they did claim both don't worry because if ever asked to produce receipts both of you would be handing in a page that says duplicate and they would be denied. You will only be required to claim the income once for the original receipt so don't worry about that either. You can then either send the page you create by email to them to be printed out or mail them a copy.

That is one of the reasons I give a receipt with each payment but give one final tax receipt with all of my contact information in January for all families - even those that left during the year. In town they must pick it up and if they have moved out of town will mail it to them. Too often things get lost and misplaced. The probably didn't even think about taxes last year when they got the receipt.