Can I ask your opinions about paying for music lessons?

[Tokelau]

I'm interested in opinions from private music teachers and parents of children who go to these lessons.

I am a music teacher. I work part time, I would like to work more hours, but only have enough pupils to be part time. I am thinking of advertising, as all my pupils have come to me through word of mouth so far.

This is the problem. Most of my pupils and their families are nice people, dependable, they pay each week with no problem, turn up on time, and if they need to cancel, they let me know in advance and we rearrange for another day. However, a few are not like this at all. They cancel last minute, or forget to come, and then I don't get paid. I know that sometimes things happen, and that can't be avoided, but it's the same people all the time.

For example, one pupil forgot to come the week before half term. I texted the parents who said that they had something on that night and had forgotten to let me know. I didn't see them over half term, that's fine. This week, they didn't turn up so I texted the parents and had no reply. I was told by another pupil that the first pupil has gone on holiday for two weeks. They didn't let me know, and obviously won't be here next week either. That's three lessons where I was expecting them to come and now haven't been paid for. The parents are actually nice, but very disorganised I think.

I have another pupil whose parent has just texted me to say that they only got back from their holiday yesterday, so they want to cancel the lesson tonight as the child is tired. The child is in secondary school, so not a very young child.

I have a good relationship with most of my pupils, and if they cancel occasionally, I don't charge them for the lesson. It annoys me though when people mess me around regularly and I don't get paid. Would I be unreasonable to tell all my pupils that from now on, they have to pay for four weeks in advance? If they can't make a lesson, I will rearrange it if possible, but otherwise they will lose the money, not me.

What would you think about this? From a parent's point of view, or from a teacher's point of view? What do other teachers do in your experience?

I feel that it's unfair to do this to the reasonable pupils, but can't implement this to some and not others, as a lot of them know each other!

AIBU or should I just suck it up that I am not employed, and it's the nature of the job that if a pupil doesn't turn up, I don't get paid?

We pay monthly in advance for music lessons, also dance. Only one of our, old fashioned, dance schools still requests termly in advance.

We pay for private piano lessons 4 weeks in advance.

We can say at the 4 week payment time that we do not want to meet on one of the next 4, and then we don't pay for that week, but cancelling on the fly we pay for.

If the teacher cancels then he just adds a week before payment is due for the next one.

It works very well because the rules are clear.

You need to sort out paymebt in advance. Personally I would still charge parents for missed lessons (where they go on holiday or just don't turn up), unless yheu give plenty of notice and you can rearrange a time which is convenient to you as well as them.

I think you will find that people will not skip lessons if they have to pay for thrm regardless. They are treating your work as casual and unimportant and if you don't charge in advance and make them pay for missed lessons then you are allowing them to treat you this way.

Most kids clubs, swimming lessons etc charge in blocks and if you miss one, then it's tough luck.
You have bills to pay too and you need to send the message that your time is valuable.

we have music lessons through the local music service, and because the council no longer subsides this, it's actually almost the same cost as private tuition locally.

we pay regardless of whether the DC turn up or not - it's a termly fee. I'd happily agree private tuition on the same terms.

We pay termly in advance (private, after school). If for any reason the teacher has to miss, we get a credit next term.

Lessons are in term time only so DC not likely to miss due to holidays.

Two of my dc, between them, rack up 4x instrument tuition, plus LAMDA lessons and a stage school thing. Oh, and ballet.

All are paid upfront, whether lessons happen in school or out of school.

The music lessons happen at school, but we pay the teacher independently. We pay for 3x 10 music lessons. The deal is that we will receive 30 lessons over the school year - it may be 11, 9, then 10 rather than 10 each term, it 30 lessons will be timetabled.

If we cannot attend (illness, exam clash e.g.) then if we notice (timetable published weekly) and notify the teacher ahead of the lessson, then the lesson may be swapped or made up. If the teacher misses a lesson, it will be made up (or refunded if too close to end of year). If pupil misses a lesson, then tough.

External lessons (LAMDA, ballet, stage school) are also all paid termly/in blocks, but no ability to reschedule - if we miss it, then we miss it, and that's that.

You can't keep going on weekly payment - you need to know who's turning up, and how much you are likely to earn, regularly, to ensure it is viable.

Oh, and for everything, aside from the stage school, we have to give a terms notice of stopping, or pay a term in lieu.

The stage school thing runs by scheduled performance - e.g. dd has been rehearsing since January for a performance in July. Then will have the summer off, and may or may not choose to take part in the show which starts rehearsing in September. If she does, we pay upfront in blocks of 10. If not, she skips it until the next show starts rehearsing.

Our piano teacher charges for 10 lessons up front. If you cancel with one day's notice she will let you off (e.g illness).

If less notice you forfeit the lesson unless she is able to squeeze you in another day that week but that is only out of her kindness not any entitlement.

She is strict about it because people have messed her around in the past.

Paying a half term in advance is what I expect for all music lessons and other activities.

5foot5, to answer your question upthread, yes I'm afraid it is unreasonable to expect not to pay if you are missing a class due to your holiday.With Anything that is done on an ongoing basis is it almost impossible to fill the space that you miss while on holiday. Your teacher is unlikely to have someone who just wants to have 3 lessons at times that coincide with the lessons you are missing. Most people book in to things for a term or on a long term basis, not many people will be looking for just 3 weeks of lessons

Definitely charge a term at a time (maybe half terms if cash flow is possibly an issue) and allow for one or two missed classes to be caught up if you can fit them in. Perfectly reasonable!

I pay every half term by bank transfer. I get an invoice, I pay. If I don't turn up that's my problem. If the teacher cant do a lesson we rearrange and she makes it up.

Actually they normally make it up if it's my fault (child is ill or I forgot).

I teach at one of the music colleges- both my kids are learning instruments too. I think you should ask parents to sign something when you take on their child that clearly sets out what you expect of them- including a cancellation policy, notice period, how you would like to be paid ( direct debit etc). One of my friends does this and includes a sentence or two regarding a commitment to small amounts of regular practice. It only makes you look professional and hopefully they will be less inclined to take advantage. Also the MU and the ISM have lots of good advice on this kind of thing. It's really worth joining if you are not already a member.

I pay termly in advance for every activity my DCs do.
If we can't make it one week, we don't usually get the chance to rearrange the lesson - it's just lost.
If the teacher can't make it, the student either gets a refund or if possible, rearrange for a different time.

I wouldn't offer to rearrange lessons to suit your students as a general rule - you may find you are constantly being messed around.

I would be happy to pay in advance, either monthly or termly etc.

I also think a policy / written agreement stating cancellation terms would be fine and actually helpful.

Agree with everyone else. Payment in advance. We pay twice a year for piano & it runs same weeks as school year. That way we get all school holidays to do other things with the option to book in some extra lessons in the holidays if I'm around & she is.

Your business your rules! Goodluck! Nothing worse than being messed around & not getting payment your counting on!

You need terms and conditions and payment in advance. There has been a lot of good advice here already.
Go over to the ABRSM forum and search for threads there or ask people about their terms and conditions. There are endless discussions about this sort of thing with lots of good ideas about how to organize it.
If you are not strict people will take a lend but it is your income.
People messing about not turning up and not paying means you couldn't sell that time slot to someone else so you have lost money while you wait about twiddling your thumbs.

Well, I go and teach for a few hours and come back to loads of responses!

Thank you for your opinions, it seems unanimous that I should ask for payment in advance. I agree with a poster above that I am too soft!

I will tell my pupils' parents that from September I am changing the way I run my lessons. Lessons are to be paid in four week blocks, and if anyone cancels then they lose the money, although I will rearrange if I can. I will run lessons to fit in with local school terms, so they don't have to come in half terms or school holidays. Some of my pupils want to come during school holidays, and that is fine with me. Now I need to word a letter nicely and send it to the parents.

We have lessons both school and at home and both are paid for term by term, in advance. I honestly wouldn't expect anything else! Don't give flakey types the opportunity to mess you around without paying for it ...

Whoops - missed the bus ...

I would change it sooner than that TBH. I would also ditch pupils who continually cancel.

I pay in blocks of 5 lessons. Our piano teacher is lovely and flexible (if we need to change a date, or are away) and we try to be flexible too, when necessary. I would expect to pay if we forgot a lesson, and rearrange if he or ds was ill.

we paid half-termly - felt fair... and if we needed to cancel, she was very understanding and would offer us other times... usually we could make one and when we couldn't we felt it was very fair to pay....

Normal arrangement - you can't use that time for anyone else!

I would charge half termly blocks not just four weeks at a time. You can vary according to the length of each half term. Also a minimum notice period to stop lessons would be sensible so you can fill the slot.

It's absolutely not acceptable for parents to not turn up and not pay you, notice or no notice. You rely on this income and anyone who will not conform to the new rules is not a good client and you should find a new client who accepts the rules from day 1.

I think it is fairly standard to have cancellation policies and advance payments. Most activities my kids do have this. For my dd's guitar lessons we pay in blocks of five lessons, we can rearrange a lesson with more than 24 hours notice. Most other activities we have paid in blocks and if they've missed a session, we've lost the money. I don't begrudge it as I know they need to make a living.