Can you help me understand where I stand with an Invoice please?

[strongswans]

Sorry if this is a tad long. My son started ballet lessons at the end of November and agreed to 5 private lessons to be paid at each lesson, this was fine and all paid up. I do remember signing 1 piece of paper that had my sons details on ( I have memory issues so cannot remember details, this is awaiting diagnosis). We did not confirm any dates/lessons for the term starting this January. The Grade was mentioned in a "we are thinking Grade 2 but will decide at the end of the 5 weeks) Although my son very much enjoyed the lessons, due to the amount of other activities he does he found it to be to exhausting and he was poorly towards the end, he was also diagnosed with eye issues in this time which can be affected by dance. The school were made aware of this. To this date I have received no confirmation of what lessons would be this term, and so as the 5 weeks had ended I felt that was it, I was told at the beginning that it was a trial.
Today my son (12) received a letter, It was an invoice for £96 for this terms fees, I am shocked as there was no confirmation or indeed details, as well as asking if he would continue after the trial.
I do not feel I should pay when we weren't given any information about lessons, so how could he of attended.
I am unsure of where I go from this? Of course if it needs paying for I will do somehow, but of course this has not been budgeted for as no agreement was made.
Also the actual invoice was addressed to my son and not myself if this helps.
Any thoughts? Please note I will do whatever the right thing is but due to my health issues worsening I struggle to make sense of things?

You need to get a copy of what you signed.

It may be that they just didn't realise that you don't want to continue and so have invoiced you on the expectation that you will be coming. I would give them a call and check their understanding.

Unless the paper you signed was committing your son to lessons for this term they won't be able to enforce the invoice. I would ask them for a copy of that if they have it.

Son is not of contractible age so it is incorrectly addressed. It was a trial - so no further commitment, you were having private lessons and at no point (check the paperwork) agreed to following term.

My view would be they would have difficultly proving liability but they could be a pain - usual notice is a term in advance but I have rarely seen anyone held to that once they challenge it

It may be that they just didn't realise that you don't want to continue and so have invoiced you on the expectation that you will be coming. I would give them a call and check their understanding.
This ^^. If they're assuming he'll be continuing in the absence of being told otherwise they'll send an invoice out. All you have to do is let them know that he's not continuing and they'll cancel it.
If you have memory problems take copies of anything you sign - to be honest I'd recommend taking copies anyway if it involves contracts or anything else official.

Thank you for all the help. I wasn't given any paperwork at all so will request it. Nikephorus Thank you, I have started to take copies now, my memory hasn't been great for a while but worsened last Autumn. RB68 that what I was wondering with regards to his age.

One more question, If I did sign something with terms notice, how does this stand seeing as to this date we have never been told what lessons he would have, so there is no way he even could of attended?

You may have signed something saying you would inform them if you chose not to take it up after the trial or you would be billed? Did you tell them he was stopping?

I'm assuming the invoice had the term dates on.

The usual system for dance classes is for the teacher to assume a child is continuing afterca trial unless told otherwise. Some schools run school concurrent half terms/terms & some run in 6/8/10 week blocks.

Term dates are usually to be found on the website, notice board etc.

Some schools ask for a month or a half term notice & if you've signed to that effect that's what you give. The dance teacher has overheads etc.

With my child’s ballet class I had to give at least half a terms notice to leave or I would be billed for the next term regardless. This was on the contract I signed. You need to read what you signed

Thank you both, thats very helpful.