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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Parking for tutor

78 replies

ughseniorschool · 19/04/2019 10:49

Aibu? Need a sanity check. I have engaged a speciality tutor to work with my son for 3 sessions (not cheap ... >£200 for the 3 sessions). I have just received an email following on from 3 previous texts to discuss her parking arrangements. My husband and I don’t drive and do not have a car. Our street is residential in London and there are typically several spaces available during the day. She just emailed to tell me she is cancelling our session if I cannot provide a parking pass for her. She lives locally. Aibu to be annoyed or should I make parking provisions for her? It seems really diva-ish to me — but I don’t drive so maybe I am missing something?

OP posts:

Caselgarcia · 19/04/2019 10:51

As she lives locally could you suggest she walks?

PrincessDanae · 19/04/2019 10:53

Clearly she's been stung before, driving around for ages trying to find a parking space (perhaps unsuccessfully) so is being careful about it.

TheInvestigator · 19/04/2019 10:57

You say parking pass... so is your street and surrounding area permit only?

If it's permit only then I agree with her; you need to ensure she can actually park and get to your home. She can't just walk because that would take more time and she may have other lessons right after you she needs to drive straight to. And she shouldn't risk a ticket if you can't give her a permit.

claireblueskies · 19/04/2019 10:58

I thought providing a parking permit for contractors in London was normal. I hadn't thought about how it extended to tutors... but I guess it's not unreasonable, especially if she's bringing books etc with her.

TidyDancer · 19/04/2019 10:58

Why would she need a parking pass if there are usually several spaces available? Where does she want to park? Has she had trouble parking near you before?

TheInvestigator · 19/04/2019 10:59

There could be 100 spaces available but they're no use to her if it's permit holders only.

bonzo77 · 19/04/2019 10:59

As someone who used to do house calls, troublesome parking was a major PITA. If I couldn’t park I couldn’t work. If I had limited time to get between jobs then looking for parking would make me late. I didn’t earn enough to subsidise parking penalties. I could add the cost of paid for parking to me fee. I had heavy equipment so really needed it to be walking with it further than necessary. So I think your tutor is being reasonable.

ScreamScreamIceCream · 19/04/2019 10:59

Even if you don't drive as long as you pay council tax then get residents parking permits for visitors.

I tend to give mine to tradesmen rather than visitors because I want them to come back if I need them again.

Some tradesmen delibrately add £10 or more per day to your bill so it is cheaper to sort out your own permits.

bonzo77 · 19/04/2019 11:00

*couldn’t add the cost of parking to my fee.

flumpybear · 19/04/2019 11:01

Don't you have a visitors permit?!

BikeRunSki · 19/04/2019 11:01

Is your street residents parking only OP?

HomeMadeMadness · 19/04/2019 11:05

I do tutoring and ask about parking (I'm awful at parking so always hope there's an easy option). I would never cancel an appointment unless it was really unmanageable. I imagine there's a high demand for her services and she's able to cancel appointments knowing there'll be others soon. She probably wants to go straight to the next appointment so not use public transport and in London it's possible in the past she's found it impossible to park but I do tend to agree she's being a bit of a diva.

Bluntness100 · 19/04/2019 11:05

Is there something missing here? Is it permit parking only? Because if so then yes she'd likely get a ticket so needs a pass.

HomeMadeMadness · 19/04/2019 11:06

Oh if a parking permit is required then yes you absolutely should provide her with one - my mum's street is like that and she always provides a permit to anyone coming to do work at her house.

TidyDancer · 19/04/2019 11:10

Ah if your street is permit parking only then you absolutely should provide a permit.

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 19/04/2019 11:11

I think this is one of those things that you don't really appreciate as a non driver until you've driven found the block for the umpteenth time looking for a place to park. Saying that it's a but odd as so many people don't drive in London as PT is so good- is she lugging equipment round with her which makes PT not an option?

Original poster

ughseniorschool · 19/04/2019 11:12

Thanks everyone for the comments. Much appreciated. I actually don’t have any visitor permits because believe it or not after living here for 7 years, this is the first time it has been an issue - even with many tradesmen in and out over the years! I guess I will look into it. Thanks everyone!

OP posts:

sonjadog · 19/04/2019 11:15

Yeah, it probably is that. We have residents only where I live and I have a couple of visitor´s passes that I can give out when people come to visit me. She's probably worried that she will end up with a fine if she parks without a permit.

Betty777 · 19/04/2019 11:17

I live in a similar London situation (though there are a couple of paid spaces at one end of the street so not identical) Tradesmen usually ask but ive never had one insist, that sounds v rude to me.

Ours also cost about £8 each and the council sometimes takes ages to post them, so it's annoying when i'm running out and only have one or two left (it's also annoying when people are then only here for 30 mins and they've wasted a day's permit, when they could have parked for £2 at one of the meters)

She may have other students nearby to fit in but if she lives locally (how locally?) she may well be able to push her schedule slightly so she can leave the car at home and get herself to yours. I have had plenty of trainers & babysitters around here travel by bicycle for this very reason.

(Also if she's brought this up in a rude way I would be inclined to cancel her anyway, but that's me)

Original poster

ughseniorschool · 19/04/2019 11:19

Sorry - meant to add - it’s not resident only parking. Her request would seem more reasonable if it were.

OP posts:

Holidayshopping · 19/04/2019 11:20

So is it permit holders only, @ughseniorschool?

Holidayshopping · 19/04/2019 11:21

Sorry, cross-posted there!

endofthelinefinally · 19/04/2019 11:21

If you live in a CPZ of course you should obtain a visitors pass for people you book to come to your house.
I use PT whenever I can, but, consider how many visits someone could do in a day on PT. Probably half the number they could do driving between clients. That is a big hit to income. Also, getting a ticket in a CPZ is going to cost around £40 - £80.
I think the tutor is being reasonable.

endofthelinefinally · 19/04/2019 11:22

Oh. Xpost. If not CPZ then you can't guarantee anything.

Holidayshopping · 19/04/2019 11:23

If it’s not permit holders only, you won’t be able to access visitors passes, surely?

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