MARK’S MARKET MAGIC
All providers: One of the key provisions of The Childcare Act 2006 is as follows: ‘Providers must ensure that their premises… are fit for purpose and suitable for the age of children cared for and the activities provided on the premises. Providers must comply with requirements of health and safety legislation.’ Basically, you’ve got to make sure your setting is in tip-top condition.
Avoid: If you are kind enough to offer your employees a discretionary bonus, make sure it genuinely is discretionary. If you pay the same bonus year on year, it can actually become an implied term of an employee’s contract: if you decide not to pay it one year, you could find yourself in breach of contract.
On the horizon: With the general election looming, the deal market might cool a little. Let’s see if buyers and investors press on regardless.