Aibu re money

[mumonthemove22]

I'm a mum of twins in y5 and was looking at getting piano lessons for them.

Found a tutor online who seemed suitable and paid £20 to buy his contact details (think that's how these websites work); in return he said the first lesson would be free.

Normally he teaches at home I think but have asked him to come to mine (about 25 mins away) as I've got two younger children and wouldn't be able to manage it all.

He's now said that if I come to him he can give them a free lesson but that it'll be £10 if he comes to us? He is willing to travel to mine for the additional lessons though at no additional charge (he charges something like 24 per hour though).

He has also offered to give them 2 hours, taster lesson and first lesson at my house and to have me just pay for the one hour, thereby making the taster free.

Does this sound right do you think? He is a recent uni grad I think to give you an idea if experience and we are in the SE but not London

They're both 9, in year 5 yes, he's proposing the 2 hours in one go, the taster is more of an intro lesson for the parents' benefit I think and then one hour of "proper" teaching...

I guess what I'm asking is does this sound fair? He seems like a nice guy but just not sure what standard procedure is I guess!!

Half hour lessons are sufficient at that age right up to college age. I'd want the hour free to be split over two separate sessions (or two children)

Sounds reasonable to me; he's essentially asking for travel money :)

Ok thanks. I think his reasoning was that he tends to teach at home so can't do a "free lesson" outside his home really. As I said he suggested the 2 hour lesson which would make it free, or that I go to him for it, which I can't do...

the £20 may go to the website perhaps?

If he's willing to come to you for lessons, I think I'd agree to pay the £10 out of goodwill. After all, you want a reasonably long and friendly future relationship; if you'll be paying £24 an hour, I guess £10 is not going to break the budget. It would cover his travel costs and I suppose he can't offer any other lessons just before or just after, which he could do if he was teaching at his home.

agree that 2 hours in one go is too long.

how do you plan to share the lessons time? Both DC at once, or 30 mins each in turn?

if it's any help, my DS had 30 mins lessons when he was a beginner and younger. Now he has 45 minute lessons, he is 11 now and it is just the right length.

Isn't the reverse of this thread on here somewhere? I've definitely read it this week where someone offers a first free lesson at home but someone with two kids has asked them to go there and should they charge for fuel!

I've read it too!

Yep I was going to post that too Blue

Ah okay, do you know what the consensus was? Hello to my daughters' future piano teacher if he is using MN

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/2487644-Tutors-Is-this-fair

Consensus was that it was fair.

£10 for travelling sounds entirely reasonable given that the time he takes in travelling may prevent him offering a lesson to someone else.

It may not be the same tutor/customer but it should give you an idea on how others think about it.

It's entirely reasonable because it's not just the fuel/travel he needs to charge for is it?

The 25 mins it takes him to get to your house & the 25 mins it takes him to get home again is another hour he isn't available to teach for. I would therefore expect to be charged for one hour travelling time at his usual rate to come to your house. If he's in demand that is, if he has plenty of free gaps and you are willing to accept a time more convenient to him then I would expect a lower travelling charge.

our teacher comes to us, but it's £30 for 2 half our lessons (SE)

don't think young kids should have hour long lessons by the way.

Is this in London? We are in the Northwest and pay £13 per half hour lesson, I would have thought London would be much more expensive!

No, not London, we're in Oxfordshire