# Boarding price change



## drzult (Dec 6, 2008)

I'm just wondering what your experience on changing a boarding price. I know that as cost of living and well, cost of everything goes up, eventually boarding costs will go up, which I can understand and have no problem with. I was wondering if there should be a couple months notice before the price changes? 
What is your experience with this situation, and what is the norm for when the price changes? Thanks in advance.


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

I don't board, but it seems like they should give you a few months' notice to find a new barn if you can't pay the new expected price.


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

30 day notice would be the max I would give and possibly less if there was something unforeseen that made expenses go up. Like flooding and it ruined the hay crop and hay doubled in price or something of that nature


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

It was always at least 30 days' notice when I boarded if there was going to be a price increase.

Generally, prices don't go up that much higher, because the cost increase is spread among all the boarders.


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

I believe the only times board has been increased when I was boarding we were given 45 days notice (a month and a half), this allowed us to give full 30 days notice if we did not want to continue boarding there after the increase.


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## maura (Nov 21, 2009)

A couple of months may be unrealistic, depending on the reasons for the price change. If the BO is caught off guard by a sudden rise in the cost of hay, bedding, labor or feed, they have to raise the price to the boarders ASAP in order to avoid going into the red. 

Most boarding barns have a very, very, very narrow profit margin and many are "loss leaders" for a lesson, training and showing business. Labor and overhead usually eat up all available revenue; so even small changes in supply prices can wreck havoc. 

I do agree, though, if the increase is more than 15%, there should be a grace period to allow folks to make other arrangements.


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## RitzieAnn (Dec 22, 2010)

churumbeque said:


> 30 day notice would be the max I would give and possibly less if there was something unforeseen that made expenses go up. Like flooding and it ruined the hay crop and hay doubled in price or something of that nature


 
As a boarder, I would expect 30 days notice. Just as when renting an apartment/house etc. However, in the event of an emergancy, i can see how 30 days could be basically impossible.

This is yet another reason i really liked the set up I was in when I was boarding. I had to supply my own bedding, and food, but board never went up, because it was just use of amenities!

If i had a boarder, and I supplied everything, i would do my best to give more than 30 days notice, as it is, in my opinion, unreasonable (except in extreme case, such as desaster as mentioned above) to expect somebody to stay and pay the new fee with no notice. Seem to me that would cause problems for the BO possibly more than it would for the boarder. I know I would seriously consider just leaving if I wasn't given notice of a board increase.

But, also as somebody else mentioned, board increase are usually smaller because they are spread over all boarders. Of course, if you are at a small barn, it could mean bad news for you


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## Kymbadina (Oct 29, 2010)

My board just went down. It was about a week notice..It went from 195/month self care to 180 however now we have to provide our own shavings.. It's a bit inconvenient but at least we were given shavings for that last week in December..If the price went up I would want at LEAST 2 weeks notice..a month would be what I would expect though.


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## Hunter65 (Aug 19, 2009)

I am going to double check my contract but our barn gives us 3 months notice of a rate change. I'm sure if there was some unforseen emergency they may talk to us. I also know she has already allotted hay/grain etc. for winter because I was going to trade Hunter and if it had been for a horse that eats more than him she said she would have to charge me more because she already allotted enough for Him. Sooo glad I never traded.


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## franknbeans (Jun 7, 2007)

Ritzie-everything goes up. Even the cost of keeping the "amenities". Taxes, utilities, insurance-ALL go up.

Most places I have boarded at did not increase board for existing boarders. New folks pay the new rate. A couple have given minimum 30 days notice of increase.


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## drzult (Dec 6, 2008)

I thought 30 days seemed reasonable as well. I was very upset when I received a letter stating that as of the following day, my board would go from $300 to $400. There was no reason as to why my board was increasing, and none that I no of.
I think I was just very upset that I was not given any notice, I would be fine with the price change if I had 30 days notice.


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## haleylvsshammy (Jun 29, 2010)

a $100 increase in 1 day? That is CRAZY! Can you talk to the BO and find out what is up with this price increase?

Where I used to board, the price was going to increase $25 a month if you didn't get turnout and $50 a month if you did get turnout because they were installing misters. The BO said the misters would be up by the next day, and the price was to increase for the next board payment which was in about a week or so. 

One week later, the misters still weren't up, and we were expected to pay more. My mom downright refused to pay more until the misters were up. She payed the old amount, and told them she'd pay the rest when the misters were up. Luckily, our BO was very understanding and we payed the rest about 1 week later when the misters were up. But man, a $100 increase for no reason? I would talk to the BO because that is ridiculous, only giving you a day's notice?!


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## franknbeans (Jun 7, 2007)

I would definitely have a big problem with that, and would certainly talk to the BO. Is the barn under new management maybe?

If not, I would find it really hard to believe that she decided in one day to do this. She had to know it was coming. I would also talk to the other boarders and get them to talk to her also-there is power in numbers. Over a 30% increase is ludicrous. I would suggest you all get together and at least get her to spread the increase out over 4 months maybe? ($25/m0 x 4 mo).


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