Parents not paying for tutoring, getting beyond a joke now

Sashavelour65 · 16/02/2026 14:29
I do agree I've been far too lenient and so I will take on the above advice

Stop tutoring them if it’s only this family

wait until they pay then cancel their tuition - they won’t pay in advance you can guarantee it! They will turn up and say oh yes will do now/after lesson and won’t you can be sure of it!

They are piss takers.Get rid of them l bet they have done this before.

Learn an important lesson here about payments etc. Great tips from other posters.

It's so annoying and disrespectful. This used to happen when I did reflexology for a child. I had to drop them as a client as the parent was such a bad payer. It made me feel like I wasn't valued at all and I don't get paid to chase payments

We had an online math's teacher once a week for our great-grandson during Covid and we're always paying a week in advance which is obviously the only way for the OP to go to avoid being out of pocket for late cancelations or avoiding non/late payment offenders like the she is now dealing with! 🙄

Pay in advance always. They clearly don't respect your service and terms. Not worth keeping.

Pre-payment on the day, obviously.

Put some terms and conditions into your agreements that they need to sign or agree to by email. State that payment must be made in advance for 6 weeks at a time. Also put into your agreement that the lessons cannot be booked until a signed agreement is returned to you and that the advance payment must be received before the tutoring sessions can begin. I would also add in that there are no refunds for missed sessions. It may sound a bit harsh and I never had my children home tutored but I have signed up for and attended plenty of block booked fitness sessions that operate similarly. It’s easier to keep track if it’s organised up front

Stop people so rude and entitled get money in advance the are probly not intending paying at all

Another one to say get payment in advance or tell them you won’t turn up -
Payment 7 days before lesson to secure your spot otherwise will be offered to other stunts - esp if you travel to their home to teach.

You shouldn’t forget though, you know you have a lesson and need to pay for it. We all lead busy lives, I have a child, job, life, I still always pay my cleaner on time, my babysitter etc, I’d be embarrassed to have not bothered to sort money out that someone might need to buy their children food or pay their bills, it’s not right and it’s often the ones with money, maybe they have no idea about how most people live…I don’t know

All of those examples have a clear payment flow though - you get presented with a bill that you pay there and then.

You aren’t giving them any kind of flow and I can totally see how it could be forgotten.

Definitely change the way you work.

Either bill in advance for a term.

Or present them with a bill and a smile before you leave and wait for them to transfer the money before you leave.

It’s very hard to remember absolutely everything I need to do in my life and if service providers don’t send me reminders then yes I’m afraid there’s a chance they will get forgotten.

Make it easy for them - 1 bill for every term that you hand to them at the end of the last lesson of the previous term and wait for them to pay before you leave.

Following with interest. In a similar situation, many instances of not having the money until the next lesson or only part of it. I gain the least money from this family and now have two new families, all pay on time without fail. It’s not even completely about the money at times, it’s the lack of respect, it just doesn’t feel right and is not something i’d ever do. You never know a person’s circumstances and they could need that money and be relying on it that day.
I think I will probably be letting this one go in the future, really nice family, but I work hard on planning, often spend money on materials and then not to receive pay is just not professional or the respectful thing to do

Ooo I know - get a card reader!!

Get the latest payment owed and terminate their contract

I always found it was the wealthiest clients - who were so lax, had such little regard for settling their bills, and complete disregard for people (like you and me) who depended on work like this for our income.

It took me a long time to learn not to do any more work for them - until they pay for the work already done.

ask them to book the lesson and pre-pay

If you regularly forgot to pay me you'd be binned off

If it is such a big issue then get them to pay for blocks in advance. Clearly within 24 hours doesnt sound an issue for you but I regularly just forget to pay my cleaner (by bacs)

I love the way you denigrate the OP's requirements and still regularly don't pay your cleaner on time. What shit behaviour.

Im clearly in the minority here, but I am self employed. I wouldn't be chasing until it was a week in your case, my work is done for people from my desk but I wouldn't chase until a month after my invoice was sent. I also invoice monthly though.

If it is such a big issue then get them to pay for blocks in advance. Clearly within 24 hours doesnt sound an issue for you but I regularly just forget to pay my cleaner (by bacs). She leaves a paper invoice and I purposefully leave it out to remind myself and recycle once paid - the couple of times my husband has thrown it away by mistake I have just forgotten to pay until days later.
And I literally do finance for a living.

I think your boundaries are too tight - get them to pay for blocks upfront or ask for cash on the day if you need it so fast.

I have to pay for my kids’ driving lessons before they set off so maybe you should do the same ;-) xx

My kids’ tutor bills us monthly in arrears, and I pay within moments of receiving it. I’m generally crap at admin but I’m super on it with her because I’m always afraid she’ll sack us.

All that needs to be done after payment is corrected and up to date is send a message:
Thank you for you recent payment. Please be advised that all further sessions are required to be paid at the time of booking in advance of the session.

Payment in advance of session and written contract.