Children of America

This is a response to the complaint filed by [redacted].  The major issue was the billing adjustments that were pending [redacted]' account.  This resulted in [redacted] disputing the credit card payment on 8/4/2015.  [redacted]' account has been adjusted...

to reflect her new approved rate as well as a credit for any incorrect charges that were previously assessed to her account.  The balance that is now owed is valid and has been explained to [redacted] in detail.  We value her business and attest that she has an impeccable payment history with Children of America.  All issued should be resolved.

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the offer made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me. I will wait for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved. If the company does not perform as promised I can get back to you at: [redacted]. Please note that no one asked me to provide a copy of my orders prior to 5 August so I had no idea what was required.  My orders are attached.
Regards,
[redacted]

Revdex.com spoke with the business and it was stated that this customer was sent a refund.

September 12, 2016   To whom it may concern,   Thank you for taking the time to communicate to us why our service did not meet your expectations.  Please accept our apology for the delay in response to your concern at our Deacon Road location.  We have investigated the...

issue and have a signed rate agreement and family handbook by the parent.  These documents provide our families our rates and our policies upon enrollment. As a part of Children of America’s policy the registration fee is billed upon enrollment and annually. Activities fees are billed out during the summer which is also stated in the rate agreement and family handbook.      Sincerely,   Cindi G[redacted] DSS Supervisor

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the offer and/or response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
I can't understand why this business can realize that we just didn't decide not to send my child, we at no fault here.  They, the business was liable and they should be greatful that we didn't pursue legal action.  They should have been happy that we just went away.  Now, I wish I didn't because if I had known that this is the kind of business this place run, I regret that I didn't do anything at the time, I would have definitely taken them to court.They put a non-payment on my credit report, for what because my son was scheduled for another few weeks.  What does their policy say regarding child injury and child neglect?  We aren't paying for services NOT provided.  Once again, we are NOT at fault here.  They are, the business.If they don't want to come to realization and realized that they could have been exposed, then we are going to be at a stale-mate.  Because we aren't going to pay for nothing, especially when it's their fault.Thank you Revdex.com, for your assistance.
Regards,
[redacted]

Review: Week of 7/6/2015 - vacation week = no tuition chargesWeek of 7/13/2015 - Check # [redacted] paid $191.28 = account balance zeroWeek of 7/20/2015 - Check # [redacted] paid $150.00 per conversation with Miss [redacted] regarding [redacted] attending Kinder camp. (this left a balance of $21.33 on the account)Week 7/27/2015 - Check #[redacted] paid $150.00 ( this left a balance of $42.66 on the account) 7/29/2015 an unauthorized charge of $196.51 was sent to my [redacted] card. This was credited back the same day. Week of 8/3/2015 - Check # [redacted] paid $169.95 ($150 tuition plus $19.95 camera fee, which left a balance of $63.99 on the account as the account still was not adjusted to the new rate) 8/4/2015 an unauthorized charge of $242.55 was sent to my [redacted] card. This did not get credited back right away. I had to dispute the charges and cancel the card. Week of 8/10/2015 - I did not pay tuition, leery of the account not being correct and discussed as much with you. Week of 8/17/2015 - worried the account would accumulate too much, wrote Check # [redacted] for $302.00. received a phone call from you the evening of 8/18/2015 stating the balance on the account would be $71.068/19/2015 - voided Check #[redacted] (per Christin's instructions) and wrote Check # [redacted] for $71.06. Week of 8/24/2015 the unauthorized charges credited back to my [redacted] card reflected on the COA account as due $242.55. Paid Check # 2490 $151.00 per the approved request to adjust tuition permanently Check # 2491 for $151.00 has been written for week of 8/31/2015 in advance of [redacted]'s absence that week.In the past, I have been over charged tuition without realizing it and once presented to COA headquarters had to struggle for that to be corrected. Forgive me if I do not have the patience, tolerance or trust in the COA billing department to right this situation in a timely way.[redacted] at Headquarters states I am responsible for the charges of $242.55.Desired Settlement: I have an excellent payment history and I want the account corrected. It's been one month since the unauthorized charge and I've threatened to pull my daughter from the daycare. I hate to do this as she is special needs and sensitive to routine. I just finalized SPED bus service to the center yesterday at her IEP meeting.

Business

Response:

This is a response to the complaint filed by [redacted]. The major issue was the billing adjustments that were pending [redacted]' account. This resulted in [redacted] disputing the credit card payment on 8/4/2015. [redacted]' account has been adjusted to reflect her new approved rate as well as a credit for any incorrect charges that were previously assessed to her account. The balance that is now owed is valid and has been explained to [redacted] in detail. We value her business and attest that she has an impeccable payment history with Children of America. All issued should be resolved.

Consumer

Response:

[A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's offer. If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]

I have reviewed the offer made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me. I will wait for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved. If the company does not perform as promised I can get back to you at: [email protected].

Regards,

Review: I believe COA should make an exception to their 2 week notice policy when withdrawing a child from enrollment for military members. I received military orders from Saturday 13 - Saturday 27 June to attend training in Suffolk, VA so my son was not able to attend COA for two weeks. I left messages for COA on 15 June at 0615 and 22 June at 0741 to explain my situation. I finally spoke to the manager on 24 June at 0646 to which the withdrawal policy was explained. I was told I would receive the drop form via email because I was not in the area.Desired Settlement: I would like to have the charge for $145 on 15 June and $319.00 on 24 June reversed because my son did not attend and I am not seeking a "vacation credit". The manager explained the latter charge was for summer camp enrollment, which is automatic; however, I did not register my child for this program.

Business

Response:

Re: Case No. [redacted] TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN This letter is to address the complaint by [redacted] placed to the Revdex.com. Mrs. [redacted]'s primary concern is the charges that were billed to her account after she discontinued our services. Her child's last day of attendance was on 6/12/15. She was then billed for the weeks of 6/15/15 and 6/22/15. As per COA policy, which [redacted] signed and agreed to, disenrollment from our center requires a mandatory two weeks' notice. If notice is not given, they wlll be subsequently charged two weeks from the last date of attendance. Upon further review of the account, Mrs. [redacted] was being charged at a "Before & After" rate while she attended, but the amount she was billed for failure to give a two weeks' notice was at a "Senior Camp'' rate (due to the school transitioning to summer camp). In lieu of this information, we are willing to make an adjustment to her account for the difference in rates, which totals to be $202.10. The adjusted amount can be refunded to Mrs. [redacted] upon request. Please let me know if any ;idditional information is needed. [redacted] Manager of Operational Accounting

Business

Response:

Re: Case No. [redacted]To whom it may concernThis is in response to the rebuttal from [redacted] with regard to the services from Children of America.It is Children of America's strict policy to have all families provide a two week notice when discontinuing our services. With that said, Children of America does recognize the necessity for active military personnel to leave immediately when orders are provided. If such a case does arise, Children of America requests a copy of the orders and the charges for no notice would be fully waived. In the case of [redacted], a copy of these orders were not given. If provided, Children of America will waive all charges that were assessed and close the account. Children of America actively honors the services provided by military personnel and are willing to accommodate such circumstances as they arise. Please let me know if you have any questions.Regards,[redacted]Manager of Operational Accounting

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the offer made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me. I will wait for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved. If the company does not perform as promised I can get back to you at: [redacted]. Please note that no one asked me to provide a copy of my orders prior to 5 August so I had no idea what was required. My orders are attached.

Regards,

Review: When I arrived at Children of America this morning I was unable to utilize the sign in system to access the center. When an employee opened the door for us I was told we had a balance due. I made my regular payment on Tuesday (the center was closed on Monday due to the Memorial Day holiday). We were told the balance due was from spring break which was over a month ago. I checked and verified that I had in fact paid for the week in question. According to the staff the additional charge is added when school is closed and school age children remain in the center.

While I can appreciate there are additional costs associated with the additional hours of care provided, double my current tuition seems more than a bit steep. I did ask if my current discount was applied to the rate and I was told it was not. I was told I have to "negotiate" that with the corporate office.

We have actually already provided notice of termination because I feel the company engages in unethical business practices. At no time were we told our tuition would double if school was closed. In fact, the center is not even authorized to discuss tuition with a parent. You are required to speak to an "enrollment specialist" via phone. This issue recently arose when I asked about summer care and was told I needed to "negotiate" a rate with the coporate office. At the same time, the specialist, [redacted], told me that if I could find a better rate we could discuss a discount. As I shared with [redacted] at that time, I take offense to the fact that my tuition is based upon how you feel about me at the moment rather than on a solid matrix based upon program costs and benefits. My child is not a used car and I won't negotiate him. This process drips with price fixing.Desired Settlement: At minimum I desire to have my current discount rate applied to all the care my child receives. Ideally, if Children of America is going to price fix, their rates should be in line with other area centers which is an additional $10 per day the school is closed.

Business

Response:

I spoke to [redacted] she said that all parents sign the parent's handbook and a rate agreement is provided to the parents. That provides all the information concerning rates for when schools are open or when they are closed. This parent was told a copy could be provided but it has not been requested at this time.

Review: I gave them sufficient notice, they require two weeks I gave them over 4 weeks written notice, that my son would no longer be attending their facility. They continued to charge three extra payments out of my bank draft after he had left. I called to let them know that they were taking money out when they should have not been and said they would get me a refund the next day. I have been calling them for the past two weeks trying to get this refund and they continue to say it was sent out. It was apparently mailed out Monday July 7, 2014, I originally told them about this June 30, 2014, it is now Tuesday July 15, 2014 and I have not received it. The check is coming from the corporate office in [redacted] to my house in Virginia, should have only taken three days max. They continue to swear that they mailed it out and double checked the address, and have been stonewalling me with answers. They seem to believe that they have reimbursed me by mailing out a check, that one should have been overnighted and second had some type of tracking number on it, but they lacked to do that.Desired Settlement: I want the full amount that they owe me overnighted [redacted] to my house with a tracking number.

Business

Response:

Revdex.com spoke with the business and it was stated that this customer was sent a refund.

Review: In 2013, my son [redacted] was in daycare at the Bealeton facility, out of the caretakers neglect, my son injury to his head. YES! MY SON GOT HURT AT THEIR FACILITY AND UNDER THEIR CARE! [redacted] had to be ambulanced to the Warrenton hospital for medical care. A Sheriff deputy was there due to child injury and took report. [redacted] had been pushed onto the slide by one of the other children. [redacted] had to go tell them that he was hurt, the staff on duty were not doing their jobs and monitoring the children and providing the safety and security of every child. My wife was traumatized by this ordeal and I was furious. the next day and afterwards, we had no intentions of letting [redacted] return. One of the supervisor, was at the hospital and for support, she said that they'll take care of the bills, even thought we had insurance. Well, she called the next day and inquired but when we told her that [redacted] was not returning, my impression is that she understood because I clearly explained how we felt. We thought that this was that and nothing further. I didn't bring any legal actions and we were just going to depart bitter. Until, I started to check my credit report. There is a non-payment issue against me and it has caused my credit to drop, 100 points. The charge was NOT for services provided, it was for like [redacted] was suppose to continue for the next week. Did they want me to pay for something not done because [redacted] never returned to the day care. How could we return [redacted] to the place that he was injured, he still has a scare from the injury, they never inquired about [redacted]'s well being, it's about the money. [redacted] didn't return so why should we have paid. They should be shut down for child neglect. I think that they have many children that have been injured that goes unreported. Excuse me for being a concerned parent.Desired Settlement: Leave us alone, leave my credit alone, It's not our fault that my son got injured and if they expect traumatized parents to allow their child to return to such facility is absolutely insane. They should be happy that we went away quietly but if they are just focused on nothing but money then the public and the all the customers should be made of what kind of child care that they operated. They can still make this work, remove their non-payment against me, and work to restore my credit to what it should be. As far as I remember, they're the one at fault here and not me. I think that Revdex.com should look more into just how many children have got injured from this place.

Business

Response:

Hello,

[redacted] enrolled at our Bealeton location on 10/3/2011. One day at the center [redacted] hit his head and our management team took him to the hospital. We followed all the necessary procedures and protocols to ensure [redacted]'s safety. After the incident the family decided to withdraw the child and his last day was 12/1/2011. Per Children's of America policy all families are required to provide a two week notice prior to departure from the center. The Home Office was in contact with the family about the two week notice charge and the balance was never resolved. It is unfortunate that [redacted] did get hurt however we have done our do diligence with the situation. The charges are valid and will stand.

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the offer and/or response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.

I can't understand why this business can realize that we just didn't decide not to send my child, we at no fault here. They, the business was liable and they should be greatful that we didn't pursue legal action. They should have been happy that we just went away. Now, I wish I didn't because if I had known that this is the kind of business this place run, I regret that I didn't do anything at the time, I would have definitely taken them to court.They put a non-payment on my credit report, for what because my son was scheduled for another few weeks. What does their policy say regarding child injury and child neglect? We aren't paying for services NOT provided. Once again, we are NOT at fault here. They are, the business.If they don't want to come to realization and realized that they could have been exposed, then we are going to be at a stale-mate. Because we aren't going to pay for nothing, especially when it's their fault.Thank you Revdex.com, for your assistance.

Regards,

Review: Please see enclosed letter I have mailed to Children of America

Dear Sir of Madam,

I am writing to dispute a billing error in the amount of $ 1500.00 on my account. The amount is inaccurate because when I gave two weeks’ notice to the daycare. I was told my account was in good standing nothing more would be owned and that I would receive a $600.00 refund. Never once was I told I was paying an incorrect amount the entire time my children attended Children of America. I would ask what amount is due and would be pay in a timely manner as you can tell from my account history I have never even been late on a payment.

I am disgusted to find out months after my children stopped attending Children of American that I own additional funds which should have been addressed when I gave my two weeks’ notice. I have never even received a phone call or letter I own this money. I found out because my husband was following up on the refund and was advised this information over the telephone.

If I am not contacted via mail, email or if you are unable to pick up the phone, to resolve this issue you have given me but no choice to hire a lawyer and resolve this issue in court. I will not have something like this turn into collections and I refuse to pay this amount . I have also filed a complaint with the Revdex.com.Desired Settlement: for 600.00

Business

Response:

August 18, 2014Dear [redacted]:We are in receipt of the complaint ID [redacted]) sent to our [redacted], VA location.The [redacted] family enrolled at Children of America on August 13, 2012, withdrew on February 28, 2013 and then reenrolled on March 4, 2013. In late September 2013, the [redacted] family changed their schedule with us for their two daughters, [redacted] and [redacted] (see rate agreement forms attached). They asked for part-time, afterschool only care from Monday through Friday rate for both girls. This included only taking them from their primary elementary school to the Center after school. We gave them a 10% discount off of our regular rate for afterschool only care and reduced the fuel charge from the $5.00 for two way service to $2.50 for one way service. If they had wanted a Before and After program, the cost would have been more.Each week, in good faith we billed the family for an After care only program. Once, (March 4, 2014) we did charge for a full day drop in for each child for $25 each. This was during a time their primary school was closed and they attended from 6:39 am until 6:41 pm. We then received a two week notice from the family on May 30, 2014 stating that they were moving out of the area.At the time of the drop from our services, as is our standard procedure, we audited the account to verify any monies we may owe back to the family. It was then discovered that they had been using our services not only afterschool but also before School. This began happening when we went through a management change at the preschool and the new manager was not aware that the children should only be attending afterschool. The family never informed us that they were changing their schedule back to B & A care.In calculating the difference in cost, instead of receiving a refund of $613.36, it was found that the family would instead owe us an additional $1520.96 for services received but never paid. Since we do recognize that there was error on our part for not catching what the family was doing earlier, we agreed to write off what was owed but do not believe that we owe them any money back as they had been provided services that they did not pay for from November 2013 through June 13, 2014. As you can see from the account statement I also included, we have already written off the balance.Please let me know if you have any further questions.Sincerely,Pat SVP of Operations

Review: I enrolled my child to COA's daycare of one day.

Thus enrolled in a.m and dis-enrolled by end of the day.

I advised both assistant director and later confirmed with director and was told ok, I also called their corporate number, as I first enrolled via the enrollment number. all parties said ok. THe main reason for leaving was because I did not feel pleased with the services rendered and advised them of that but I will rather not go into those details here. The information given to me at time of sign up was that my $100 deposit was a hold (per [redacted]), however since I was on the verge of moving, if I happen to move or change my mind since deciding on location, that that money will be refunded. I was quoted a $180 charge a week with waived registration fee. After leaving, I called around a week later to ensure there were no issues and also to ensure that I get pro-rated for the $100 deposit I had already made but corporate said they will not refund the money. I decided to just let it go as I was tired in trying. Around 3 weeks ago (almost 3 months later) I get a voice message from a [redacted] with collections at corporate children of America who stated he is calling about an amount I owe. I called back to explain the situation and he said he is not sure why the $100 has not yet been applied to account but I do owe for two weeks for not giving notice and that the $100 will be credit and once credited, I still owe. I called the center and spoke to the director who said she has me down as enrolled in a,m and dis-enrolled at night so it appears corporate just need to do an adjustment and that she will email them. She advised I call corp the following money since the day of my call was a Friday and they were gone for the day. I called to speak with his supervisor at COA Corp and she said all management leads agree I owe the money. I was shocked. I asked for their operations manager to call me and she said she will give the message but they are not obligated to call me. I said I will wait it out to see if they will due to the circumstance. I never did hear back so I followed up in one week. I called again to speak with [redacted] supervisor and she said she remembers me and gave the message but that unfortunately, they did not feel a need to return my call. I asked for the vp of operations as I hoped that surely, I will get a return call.

The next notice I received was a mail from collections from [redacted] sent to my JOB. I called [redacted] and they stated that CHILDREN OF AMERICA has actually now changed me for the enrollment feed they advised was waived, that they had me down for enrolled for one day, but that the weekly charge was raised to $194. so after recalculations and the 100$ credit for my already made deposit, I still owe 328$. I am highly disappointed. They stated they do not report the credit bureau until after 60 days. I sent them a dispute and now waiting for a response.

The principle of this matter is just unbelievable and I feel compelled to report it and have it resolved as any contract in VA can be ended within 3 days of signing. In addition, had COA told me in the beginning of my notice there will be an issue I would have resolved it then. They never notified me in the mail but rather, notified me via a collection agency at my JOB address? Letter from collection agency was dated 3.17.14. Our mail clerk saw my personal information at work and that is just unacceptable and not the way to conduct business for a few hours of care. I was being forced to keep my business there and they simply did not want to accept that I was not happy with their services.Desired Settlement: The one day should be prorated and rather provide me with a refund.

Business

Response:

To whom it may concern,This letter is in response to a complaint on Children of America, case ID # [redacted]. The validity of the customer's complaint is subjective in nature and hence the balance is accurate.The customer enrolled their child and used our services on January 6,2014. After one day, she informed our center directors that she would not be returning, without any reason as to what the issue is so Children of America could rectify it. It is Children of America's standard policy that if a family is leaving then they are required to give a two week's notice. Failure to do so will result in an additional two weeks of charges from the last date of attendance. In this customer's situation, we would have reviewed and possibly relinquished a portion (if not all) of the balance, but they did not give Children of America a definitive answer as to why they were not returning.It is our assumption that these series of events stems from miscommunication and misunderstanding. Children of America strives for the highest quality of services and if the customer was dissatisfied, we would certainly utilize their feedback to improve. In this situation, nothing was communicated so we could not come to an amicable solution for all parties. It is unfortunate, but Children of America maintains our stance that the balance is accurate.Sincerely,Children of America Management

Consumer

Response:

[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved] Review: [redacted]

I am rejecting this response because:

I advised that I was not happy with conditions and teachers. I was told a manager will call me to address any concerns. No one ever did. When I called the school to follow up, I was told the manager had been calling. When the manager got on the line, I asked that they read me the phone number they are calling, the phone number was not correct. As specified earlier, they mailed the initial collections notice to my Job. When I told the manager I was not satisfied, she said she wish I gave more time to resolve the issue but understands. I specifcally asked that I wanted to ensure nothing else is needed. I called corporate and spoke with [redacted] and [redacted] again and they both did not want to return my 100$ deposit.

The amount due is still not justified and that 100$ needs to be refunded. Along with the several details explained.

Regards,[redacted]