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AIBU?

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Original poster

Charging student for missed tuition session

79 replies

RangeTesKopeks · 28/05/2016 20:01

Hi everyone,

This is a bit of a WWYD situation, so I'd be really grateful for any advice you might have please Smile

I work as a tutor, and have been teaching French to a girl for a couple of months now, but fairly infrequently (we manage to fit in around a session a month).

At the start of May, the girl's parents had provisionally arranged for her to have a tuition session with me this morning.

I travel to the family's house for the tuition, and when I got there I rang the doorbell a couple of times but got no answer. I waited for a few more minutes and realised their car wasn't in the drive, so I rang the house phone. I could hear it ringing but no one answered. I also tried a mobile number for the family, and again got no answer so I left a message on the landline and mobile.

The family got in touch a couple of hours ago to say they were really sorry but were out at the time of the lesson. They said they'd tried to send me a text earlier this week to cancel today's lesson but that they've only just realised that the text didn't send.

I have a 24 hour cancellation policy, so if my students cancel without 24 hours' notice or don't turn up to my lessons, I charge them for the lesson.

Considering the family tried to send me a text message to cancel the lesson today, WIBU to charge them for the lesson?

OP posts:
leghoul · 28/05/2016 21:10

it sounds like you weren't booked for the session and therefore cannot charge them - also would be loss of goodwill
if they do it again then it's different - but really, I may enquire if someone is free on a certain date, but unless a session is a regular one, or is booked and agreed by both sides, it wasn't booked at all.

BoneyBackJefferson · 28/05/2016 21:12

I have a meeting provisionally booked for later this week. As far as I am concerned it will go ahead unless the other person cancels.

IMHO you are right to charge them the full amount.

LobsterQuadrille · 28/05/2016 21:14

I'd wait for their reply and reaction. If they accept that they should have checked that their text was sent to you and that they are therefore liable for the charge, they will presumably book another lesson, at which point I'd invoice them for both lessons at the same time. If they are annoyed that they'll have to pay and dispute what you've said for whatever reason, invoice them.

purplefox · 28/05/2016 21:15

Don't say "I hope this is okay" at the end of the message, its just giving them the opportunity to argue.

LobsterQuadrille · 28/05/2016 21:16

ps. Do you ever charge upfront for blocks of lessons, say five or 10, with the same notice period of 24 hours? Might be a way round it for the future.

Tanith · 28/05/2016 21:25

I think you should charge in full.

It's the impression you give of someone that takes herself and her lessons seriously and whose time is important to her.

Waiving the fee for goodwill without even being asked gives the impression that you are unimportant and can be messed about now and in the future.

joangray38 · 28/05/2016 21:26

Several of my friends do private tuition. They charge for a block of lessons that are paid for in advance. If the lesson is cancelled there's is no need to ask a parent to pay up ((most wouldn't even think about paying if they missed) as it is just taken from the block.

Cagliostro · 28/05/2016 21:33

You've reminded me I need to figure out a cancellation policy as well.

I'm a tutor and do PAYG lessons, as I need to be flexible for my own sake as well (I have a chronic illness so sometimes I have to cancel).

I think I'd charge if I'd travelled to someone's house and they weren't there! It's not happened to me (all but one of my pupils come to my house anyway)

Cagliostro · 28/05/2016 21:35

I don't know what you'd do to prove they didn't actually try to tell you. It sounds like BS to me - at least on my (pretty basic) phone if a text hasn't sent properly it stays red in my messages folder, you really can't miss it. BUT you can't really prove it I guess. :(

BigChocFrenzy · 28/05/2016 22:47

The OP doesn't have to prove it. It is the responsibility of the person texting to make sure that they actually do send a text.

Original poster
RangeTesKopeks · 28/05/2016 22:57

I've just received a message back from the family. They've explained that they don't think that it's fair for them to pay because it was a provisional session and because they "sent a message but it didn't deliver". Fair enough that it was a provisional session - I do understand. But the "message not delivering". Pfft. That's actually hacked me off. If you want to cancel, make sure the bloody message gets delivered!!! Hmm

OP posts:
PurpleDaisies · 28/05/2016 23:00

I'd send back that while you appreciate that you can't force them to pay you're disappointed in their attitude and (if you're anything like me at the moment) your time is incredible limited and valuable at the moment so you could have arranged to send another pupil. Perhaps you should part company? If you back down now you've asked them to pay you risk then doing the same again.

Floggingmolly · 28/05/2016 23:02

If it was provisional, why did they send the message to cancel? Whether it was delivered or not is irrelevant, really. They clearly admit there was an arrangement which had to be cancelled.

leelu66 · 28/05/2016 23:03

Purple 's reply is spot on. Bastards. Call them up on it.

ceeveebee · 28/05/2016 23:05

It would depend on how much you need to keep them as a customer whether you want to give them the benefit of the doubt

Original poster
RangeTesKopeks · 28/05/2016 23:10

In the same message they sent me a few minutes ago, they've decided not to continue the sessions because they "don't think it's working out". I have no idea where to go from now really. Feels like I haven't got a leg to stand on even though I know I'm not in the wrong Sad It's the principle of it really - they're making me feel guilty even though I've done nothing wrong. I would never ever do this to someone I was receiving lessons from. Help Sad

OP posts:
leelu66 · 28/05/2016 23:13

Were you introduced by an agency? Do you have a contract?

If not, I think you're going to have to chalk this one up to experience.

Could you charge for a month's lessons in advance next time?

PurpleDaisies · 28/05/2016 23:15

Chalk it up to experience and try not to take it personally (which is hard). Some people just have unrealistic expectations. It isn't you.

I had a telling off from an arsehole dad once who was very disappointed with his daughter's test results, even though I'd been telling him constantly that she wasn't doing any work and was going to fail. It doesn't sound like your pupil here was very committed anyway. The positive spin is you have space for another. Smile

tanukiton · 28/05/2016 23:15

I did some private tuition. This is the best scheduled that worked for me. It was 3x a month/4weeks x 4 payments a year.. You can arrange via the bank. This means if they skip, can t be bothered to attend, run late, then the money still goes into the account. I also had a 24hr cancellation policy. In that they could reschedule with the same month. This usually worked well with regards to sick days and school holidays. It also meant that the flow of money was good too.

tanukiton · 28/05/2016 23:23

I used to get flaky students/parents too. It sounds like they want to have their cake and eat it. The parents are the easiest tend to be the ones that have used private tutors before. They understood my rules . I found those that had no experience of private tutors took a bit of time. I explained that I had had non payment before. I also offered a discount if they paid quarterly.

TendonQueen · 28/05/2016 23:25

I'd reply 'I agree that it's not working out and that it's best not to continue' and back this one up as a learning experience. You'll be best off out of this one. The block payments setup sounds good.

Frrrrrrippery · 28/05/2016 23:30

I'd be tempted to reply that as you didn't actually receive the text you will still have to charge for the missed lesson. I don't see that you have anything to loose. I'd keep it short.

honeyroar · 28/05/2016 23:34

You did the right thing. You probably won't get the money from them though. I'd text back and say that fine, if that's how they feel, but you suggest that they actually ring people in future to cancel arrangement so that nobody gets messed around if a text doesn't send and they don't notice. Then wish their child well with their French.

RubbleBubble00 · 28/05/2016 23:42

I would email invoice for the missed lesson - stating no notification of cancelling the lesson was received therefor here is the invoice.

RubbleBubble00 · 28/05/2016 23:43

They r just trying to push their luck so they don't have to pay

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