Ways in which the poor are penalised.

[malificent7]

Dd loves her music but paying for lessons can be a struggle. Studen single mum. I do my best but i am sometimes late with payments . I have totally settled up and dont owe any more.
However as i was late with another payment dd is not allowed to go to thr last lesson of term. I have paid for this lesson however and im not allowed a refund for it. Its £10 worth which for someone like me could get food for Christmas or pay a bill.
Apparently she cant go as its not fair on parents who pay on time.

[WereYouHareWhenIWasFox]

I would take that further. Yes, I get that it is annoying for them to be paid late, but if you have paid you are entitled to the service or a refund. I would understand that lessons can be suspended until payment is made, but they can’t cancel a lesson that has been paid in advance.

[KathyBates]

Assuming the music tutor has to pay to keep a roof over their head too? If you are consistently late paying it could have a knock on to them being able to pay her own lessons. Not sure why you're DD isn't allowed to go to the lesson though, sounds like she's trying to prove a point.

Stop describing yourself as poor- you have the luxury of being a student who can send her DD to private funded music lessons.

[Sweepington]

Is this through school OP?

[JollyAndBright]

That’s not right, you’ve prepaid for it, they can’t refuse to give you something they already accepted payment for.
I would tell them either they give you the lesson you have paid for or refund you the money for it.
If they planned to refuse you the last lesson they should have told you before you paid.

Do you have alternatives outside of school?
Because I’d be tempted to threaten to cancel the lessons all together and go to another teacher.

[TanteRose]

agree with WereYou - that is unfair.

And I agree that there are many many ways in which those with less money are made to part with more of it, making things much worse for them. It can be a total vicious downward spiral

[Sirzy]

I agree it should be transferred over to next term at least

However have you regularly been late paying? It sounds like the owner (maybe in the wrong way) is making a point about how they need to money on time. They have overheads. They have bills they have Christmas.

I don’t think this is an issue about people who are peanalised for being poor (for a start for a lot of people spending £10 on one music lesson would be the thing of dreams!) but an issue of a company actually needing to know regular payments will be regular

[IfyouseeRitaMoreno]

So you’ve paid for the last lesson but are late on the one before?

I don’t get it. If you’re up to date with all of them including the end of term one I don’t see their reasoning. What they should do is take DD to the end of term then refuse in the future.

I’m sorry you’re finding it so hard though.

[knittedjest]

Because I’d be tempted to threaten to cancel the lessons all together and go to another teacher.

I don't think that's a threat when you consistently don't pay your bills. In fact that's probably what they are hoping for.

[Sirzy]

I would actually them to keep that £10 as a buffer payment so you are always one in advance to hopefully stop any future issues.

[malificent7]

The thing is i do pay them always...i paid last time at the beginning of term . I agree it must be frustrating.
Im not the poorest of the poor but im not exactly flush.

[Sirzy]

But do you alway pay them when the bill is actually due or just when you can soon after?

[knittedjest]

it must be frustrating

No, frustrating is not a strong enough word. How would you feel if your boss just decided one day not to pay you until they could shuffle up the money? Would your landlord be understanding of that? The server behind the counter at tesco? When you don't pay your way it has a knock on effect. If you consume something you need to pay for it at the time you agreed to pay for it. You can't just pick and choose to pay when it suits you to do so.

[malificent7]

Soon after. Ive decided that i am being unreasonable anyway! I think it just stings a bit and i feel a bit hopeless atm. The course is not a luxury but a necessity as it will lead to a good job .

[HSarah]

Sadiq Khan's ULEZ plans.

[Sirzy]

If you see it as a necessity (which few would) then make it a priority to pay.

[malificent7]

Its not a necessity but under tax credits i could always afford to pay on time ( hence dance teacher benefitted financially too.)
Under Universal Credit...not so much.

Bit of a drip feed but a healthy economy keeps the money circulating...not stagnating.

[knittedjest]

But that's your problem. Not the music teachers. It's not the economy that's keeping her money stagnating, it's you. If your daughter wasn't there another paying student would take her place. You need to pay her on time or you need to give her back her space to get another student who will.

[Sirzy]

A healthy economy also needs people to pay when payments are due to keep that money circulating though.

Your not doing one a favour by just paying when you feel like. In fact you could be putting their livilhood at risk!

[malificent7]

Ok cool...i have admitted i am being very unreasonable and will always pay on time in the future. My point was i could pay on time before universal credit which was better for said teacher too. Its been a wake up call for sure.

[ellesbellesxxx]

What do your terms and conditions say about late payments? Without having covered those in t and cs, they can’t really do that. Mine say if payment is late, I with hold the right to cease lessons but the invoice still stands. Funnily enough everyone paid on time!

[Mummyoflittledragon]

malificent7
It sounds as if the teacher has taken this as an “interest” payment. Yes it sounds shit. But unfortunately if you want your dd to continue to partake in the lessons you’re probably going to have to suck it up. What does the contract say? How late and how often?

If you have mislaid the contract, I’d contact the teacher and ask them to send another as you’re surprised they’ve taken a whole lesson as interest payment. I’d also state that you are sad your daughter has been penalised for your mistake. Apologise and say you were not intentionally late and will make every effort in the future.

If the music lessons are a high priority to your dd and your family give Christmas / birthday gifts, perhaps they can pay for them instead? I know from your previous threads your parents aren’t lacking in money. Please don’t go begging though. You know they’ll just lecture you.

[Coppermine]

Why does UC make it more difficult to pay on time? The UC payment is on the same day every month?

The tutor is not unreasonable to terminate lessons if there have been repeated late payments, however they shouldn't keep the final lesson payment. Do you have a contract with them? Are there any clauses in there about withholding fees?

[KanielOutis]

Do you need to find some help with budgeting? It sounds like you have the money, but struggle to pay on time.

[Billben]

Its not a necessity but under tax credits i could always afford to pay on time ( hence dance teacher benefitted financially too.)

The dance teacher benefited?🙄 She provided a service for a fee. You paying on time as you should is not a benefit to her. Pay up or bugger off somewhere else. Do you always think that the world owes you a living?

[Coyoacan]

I sympathise, OP.