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Original poster

Please help - moral dilemma

41 replies

LadyLucksalot · 27/04/2024 17:58

I am an online tutor. The terms of my lesson agreement are that if I cancel the lesson with less than 24 hours' notice there is no charge for the lesson. If the student cancels it with less than 24 hours' notice, I charge the full fee.

This hasn't been an issue until now.

I turned up for the one hour lesson on time and waited, no reply. They didn't show up. After a bit, I get a message from the parents to say there is no internet access for the student so no lesson.

I said that as per the terms etc. etc. I would still have to charge for the hour. They are refusing to pay as the student was not at fault. Of course there was no fault, but I am still down a lesson.

Here's my dilemma. The student who is refusing to pay is best friends with another one of my students. If I lose the first student, there will be bad blood and the other will probably withdraw (parents are very close).

What do I do?

OP posts:
Comedycook · 27/04/2024 18:01

How much do you need both clients? If you really need both, what I might do is say something like although this is not in line with my t&C's, as a one off gesture of good will, I will waive the fee.

Depends what is most important to you

Original poster
LadyLucksalot · 27/04/2024 18:02

I do need both clients.

OP posts:
Original poster
LadyLucksalot · 27/04/2024 18:02

Am just fed up with them not valuing my time. It happened once before, before I set out the terms officially.

OP posts:

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Tutoring
EmilyTheCriminal · 27/04/2024 18:04

Stick to your terms and conditions or they will try it on again.

OneThreadOnly · 27/04/2024 18:05

If you really need both clients can you off a 50% reduction and written notice that any further incidents will be fully chargeable?

Comedycook · 27/04/2024 18:11

The danger is they do it again and you are in this situation again. If you're worried they'll leave and you'll lose them and another client if you stick to your own rules, it kind of makes your terms of business worthless. Tricky

determinedtomakethiswork · 27/04/2024 18:25

They could've phoned you and not just left you waiting.

I think that's unforgivable and completely disrespectful.

As this is the second time it's happened and they didn't get in touch then I think you are right to charge.

Are they really going to want give up on a good tutor at this point in the year? The same goes for the other student.

hottchocolatte · 27/04/2024 18:26

If their Internet didn't work it's still then cancelling or not attending. What would you have done if the student didn't attend if they were ill - still charged I assume? You could in then occasion reiterate that your time was still booked out and it's your policy to charge full cost for no shows or last minute cancellation but on this one occasion you will agree to a 50% charge in the circumstances.

If they're still not happy, let them go!

hottchocolatte · 27/04/2024 18:28

Just seen it's happened before - did they pay last time?

If not then if say No sorry. I let it go the first time but I am running a business and my time is precious.

MolkosTeenageAngst · 27/04/2024 18:29

In an ideal world I would stand my ground, but obviously it depends whether you can afford to lose their business. If you won’t easily be able to replace the gaps left with new students it might be financially more sensible to suck it up, frustrating as it will be, than lose them and lose a regular income.

RandomMess · 27/04/2024 18:33

Surely this is the time of year tutoring is in demand.

Most tutors you pay for the half-term/term up front!

ironorchids · 27/04/2024 18:33

This is the second time, and they are stating clearly that irrespective of your terms and conditions, they will not pay because the student was not at fault.

Which means they have zero respect for your terms and conditons since in your Ts&Cs it is completely irrelevant whether the student is at fault.
So they will do this again. That is what they are clearly stating: they will do it again and without notice.

How long ago was the last time they did it?

If you need the client then you need a way to enforce this whilst not losing them. I think what others have said is good. Say "as a goodwill gesture I will waive the fee this time, but in future if a lesson is missed with less than 24 hours notice then the full fee will be charged even in cases where it was not the students fault."

CarInsurance · 27/04/2024 18:36

I think you have to stand your ground or they'll both be at it. Plus from what I know of parents competitive enough to use tutors, they are unlikely to pull their kid out and try to find another tutor just because their mate felt hard done by.

MumChp · 27/04/2024 18:38

2nd? What did you do 1st?
Why have rules if you don't follow them? Stand your ground.

blacksax · 27/04/2024 18:42

Yeah, like I believe that excuse. Not.

Would it help in future if you were to charge for a block of lessons in advance?

DrJoanAllenby · 27/04/2024 18:42

Having no internet access is there problem not yours.

Stand your ground.

DrJoanAllenby · 27/04/2024 18:42

Their ^

Orangemangogrape · 27/04/2024 18:45

It depends how established you are I think. In the case of poor Internet signal at their end I would ask what has been done to address the issue since the last time this happened and point out that you were available for the full hour as there was no communication from them. I might say that going forward you cannot afford to lose the slot with no opportunity to offer it to someone else so Internet signal is their own responsibility and all lessons must be paid for in advance (one wonders if the student was trying to have the session somewhere inappropriate - this happens frequently and is entirely their own fault). But this once you will waiver the fee as a good will gesture. Then ask them to book lessons in blocks of however many you want going forward and assure them that in the event you are able to fill the slot, they will not be charged but this is unlikely to happen at very short notice.

ChangeAgain2 · 27/04/2024 18:48

I'd charge. Is having no internet more there fault or more your fault? They should make their problem your problem.

BirthdayRainbow · 27/04/2024 18:50

Could they not text you? They are clearly lying. I'd be looking for new clients.

MassiveChickenAtTheEveningDo · 27/04/2024 18:56

If they had contacted you before the lesson saying they were having internet problems and might need to cancel then I'd let them off. They didn't so they're totally liable for the charge.

BrightLightTonight · 27/04/2024 18:57

I think I would ask for proof that the internet was down. If provided, then I wouldn’t charge. If it wasn’t provided then I would expect the full cost of the lesson to be charged.
I would also wonder why they didn’t tether onto their mobile. They could easily have dialled in and told you of their internet iseues and rearranged.

TheRealKatnissEverdeen · 27/04/2024 19:05

blacksax · 27/04/2024 18:42

Yeah, like I believe that excuse. Not.

Would it help in future if you were to charge for a block of lessons in advance?

Came to suggest this. I pay for my son's tutoring in advance. Last week we were away and didn't attend but the tutor's time is still paid for.
This is the first time in years of paying for tutors that I've not paid on a weekly per session basis but I respect the tutor is operating a business and comply with the rules.
I understand your dilemma but good tutors are hard to find and they'd be silly to leave over this.

It's also the same for coding lessons, their karate classes and swimming lessons. Paid in advance whether the children attend or not.

mrsbyers · 27/04/2024 19:06

Next booking take their money and don’t turn up due to internet issues - see how they feel

Original poster
LadyLucksalot · 27/04/2024 19:07

Thank you all - I appreciate your comments.

I'm cross because there was no apology. That's what riled me initially.

However, I do need the clients. I'm an ESL tutor.

I want to make clear to them that my time is valuable and that I'm running a legitimate business. However, I don't want them to bad mouth me. I'm not in the UK and it's a very small world.

How does this sound:

"(Student) is of course not at fault. Neither am I. The terms of my business were clear.

I am trying to run a business and my time is valuable.

As a gesture of good will, I will not charge this time. However, I will have to charge for a missed lesson shoyld there be a next time. "

?

.

OP posts: