Mum won’t pay for whole of lesson

[Saltedcaramel78]

I am not the teacher on the other thread! But clearly there’s something in the water because I’m having my own AIBU

Mum booked 90 min lesson for her son, got stuck in traffic and so was about 25 mins later. Son is teenager, paid in cash and left. I realised afterwards that he had only paid for the hour.

I sent polite chase up emailing asking for the full amount, she’s replied saying he only had an hour lesson and so doesn’t want to pay full amount. Not sure what to reply to that!

The more I mull on it- it’s the casual attitude to my time not being important that frustrates me (as does the unexpected loss in earnings). Mum has long term illness and so I’ve been pretty relaxed in letting her cancel classes, so really is my fault for not taking harder line from the get go.

[Nicknacky]

You know what line you need to take now!

[Saltedcaramel78]

If you teach an instrument/other thing- whats the best way to stop this happening? I think I’ve got lucky with nice parents up until now and have been fine operating in a ‘good faith’ way with no probs

[Saltedcaramel78]

@nicky definitely!!

[TedAndLola]

Just respond with the appropriate line/paragraph from your contract.

[TedAndLola]

If you teach an instrument/other thing- whats the best way to stop this happening? I think I’ve got lucky with nice parents up until now and have been fine operating in a ‘good faith’ way with no probs

Get payment up front. Not at the beginning of the lesson but well before the lesson - preferably 4 weeks in advance or something like that.

[BUNGLEisBEST]

Invoice and get paid for the whole term up front. That's what we have to do for school music lessons. Then, if there are any cancellations with proper notice, you can reimburse at the end of term, or deduct it from the next terms invoice.

[QueenNovo]

Ask for monthly payment by standing order.

[Di11y]

if you don't have a sufficiently robust contract already signed then it's the perfect time to write one with effect from Jan.

[user1468942365]

Send them an email when they first book outlining that the lesson will be chargeable in full regardless of attendance unless (your acceptable period of time) notice is given. Tell them an invoice will be sent to their home address and that commencement of tutoring is deemed acceptance of these terms. Headed by how excited and delighted you are to be tutoring Precious Edgar blah blah

Sort of thing.

[thehorseandhisboy]

As someone who has paid for scores of music lessons over the years and on the one occasion that I forgot to get cash out was completely mortified and sent BACS over that evening and then made permanent arrangements to pay by BACS in advance as I was so mortified (you get the picture...), I'm really staggered by the casual attitudes people have towards independent sole traders.

If they don't eat all of a meal at a restaurant, do they say that they'll only pay for half? (Actually, don't answer that....)

I would send another polite email asking for the full amount as that is what they had chosen to book. They booked your time and you provided it. If they refuse to pay, simply state that this situation isn't tenable as a self-employed person, and that you will have to ask them to pay in advance in future.

And do that. Chasing up incomplete or late payments isn't a good use of your working time.

[Saltedcaramel78]

@tedandlola I thought fairly clear from my posts I don’t have contracts drawn up 😬

But yes that would have avoided the problem

[ARRRGGGGHHHHHHH]

The time was booked to them meaning you couldn't book someone else, she needs to pay. People are so infuriating!!!

[adaline]

I think you need to get contracts in place and insist on payment in advance.

[celtiethree]

Change your billing to monthly and ask to be paid by the 1st of each month, in advance. In the event of a cancellation with sufficient notice you can adjust the invoice for the next month. Or if not enough notice then no adjustment.

Invoicing in advance also had the added benefit of making parents check their diaries for the coming month. For one of my DC to be music teacher does it this way and it is by far the best way. I receive the invoice mid month, check the dates and if their are any clashes let her know, a new invoice is then issued and I pay before the first of the month.

[BadgerWithSprouts]

All of DS’s clubs and activities are paid in advance by term.

Maybe take this opportunity of a New Year to start charging in advance for a set period, that way if anyone misses a session it’s their own money they are wasting

[TheGonnagle]

I invoice in advance. Half termly for lessons at home, termly at the schools I teach in. If I am unable to teach then they get a credit against the next invoice. If they need to miss a lesson with no notice then they still have to pay, but with a weeks notice I can usually reschedule something suitable. Cash payments are a nightmare anyway, I won’t take cash at all- virtually everything is by bank transfer but I still get the occasional cheque.

[TedAndLola]

@tedandlola I thought fairly clear from my posts I don’t have contracts drawn up 😬

But yes that would have avoided the problem

Then you know what to do!

You can try to retrospectively create a 'rule' that lessons must be paid for in full unless you get X days' notice, but doesn't sound like it would wash. If you want to keep the client, I'd just write it off but get the mum to sign a contract ASAP. If you're not bothered about losing them, deliver an ultimatum and hope she pays up.

[twoshedsjackson]

I can't think of a polite phrasing for your reply, but what does she think you'd do with that spare half-hour? pull a random in off the street for a one-off lesson? She's booked your time, and it's up to her to make good use of it.
Maybe the new term, new year would be a good excuse for "updating" how you run your lessons. I'm sure you've had to politely phrase revised fees before now.
When I had the joy (!) of sorting out rotas for instrumental teachers, it was made clear that parents would be charged regardless for cancellation at short notice; if they quibbled, either to me or the peri, I'd point out that it was no more than my dentist did! The joy of rotas fell to me because the lessons happened during the school day, and I could work round complications like a year group being out for the day, school journeys and the like, as I was "on the spot" to notice upcoming complications.
Now might be the time to draft something to circulate to all your clients, giving you time to ponder and tweak before 2019 kicks in, rather than singling out one pupil and their parent.

[Starlight456]

Without a contract you are pretty well not covered .

You need to ensure you have contracts in place .

You need to be clear what is chargeable and what isn’t.

Cancellation period/ notice

[anyideasonthis]

You need them to sign terms and conditions in advance. I have for my kids lessons, even swimming. You can probabky find template to copy online. Also discourage cash,should be Bacs in advance for full term. Also stipulate notice period for stopping lessons... its a full term for my kids lessons.

[MilkyCuppa]

Draw up a contract that says lessons are to be paid in full unless cancelled at least 7 days in advance. Get parents to sign it. And ask for advance payment - a month or a term, whatever suits you. And tell the CF parent to pay up or there will be no further lessons!

[SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius]

@SaltedCaramel78 - if I were you, I would send an email saying that, on this occasion, you will accept the lower payment, however, in future, lessons must be paid for in full, even if pupils are late - and that if this doesn't sort the issue out, you will be forced to start collecting payments termly, in advance.

If I were you, I might also add that I am disappointed by her attitude, given that you have been very understanding in the past, when she has had to cancel classes.

[Walkingdeadfangirl]

Contract and payment one term in advance.

[MrsFogi]

I think you should ask again for the balance, if she declines tell her that you will not be continuing to teach her son. If you are a good teacher I suspect that she will pay pronto after that.

[ResistanceIsNecessary]

Dear X,

As the time slot was booked for