Aibu waterbabies automatic rebooking

[Sunland]

My son was booked for waterbabies lessons which we have been going too since pools reopened. We are coming towards the end of term now and found an email from the waterbabies in my inbox from last week ( I havent checked my mail in a little while) that said they would automatically rebook lessons for us unless they hear otherwise by a given date. The date given had already passed and was only 5 days from the email sent. They then debited 180 £ from my card. In order to get the money back you pay a fine of £50. Luckily my card didn't go through because I got a new one recently but aibu in thinking this is terribly unethical way of running a business.

I bet it's in the terms and conditions you signed when you joined up. Pretty standard I'd say

I don't think this is "pretty standard" but if it's in the terms and conditions there would probably have been nothing you could do.

That's probably true but the terms and conditions for most things are so bloody long and busy mums haven't always the patience to read them. The instructor never mentioned anything in lessons to warn us.

It isn’t their fault you didn’t check your email though. They gave you notice and time to cancel.

Yeah that’s pretty harsh I’d say. 5 days isn’t very long.

Being a ‘busy mum’ does not mean that terms and conditions do not apply to you. Ridiculous.

I consider that a scam putting that in the terms and conditions.

It would be in the Ts and Cs and you should have checked your email

I run a similar business and require 4weeks notice of cancellation or fees are payable in lieu. People sign up to it happily enough, but then think its unreasonable that they are charged when they don't gibe correct notice . By the way just because your card didn't work, it does not mean they wont still pursue you for this debt

A decent business would send out a reminder of this condition and wouldn't expect people to have poured over the T&C's.

The only time I came across this was swimming lessons and they always sent a reminder.

I know Waterbabies is franchised so all a bit different but we swim with them and get constant emails and text reminding us of the deadline so we know, it's usually more than 5 days notice though.

busy mums haven't always the patience to read them

Plenty of people are busy. Scan for the relevant bits.

No it's not unethical. In order for them to use your card in this way you will have had to agree at the time of giving your details. You failed to look into what you were signing up for and didn't read your emails, that is entirely on you.

They told us this over the phone when we registered for the first session so we were aware of it. It's a standard procedure for them.

It does feel like they're taking advantage of busy parents forgetting that they need to opt out of the next session.

I put it as a separate clause they have to read and agree separately to

They sent you an email. Not their fault “you’re too busy” to read your emails

YAB (highly) U

I would have far rather had that than the stress of trying to get to the leisure centre on a specific day, in time to rebook my dds onto a first come first served over popular course, which is how it worked 20 years ago for us.

I always thought business had to give you a certain notice period before taking a recurring payment and I'm pretty sure 5 days is not it.

Oh I like that they do this (because I’m a busy mum!) I think it’s up to you to check your emails, especially over a 5 day period. If you had been planning to not go the next term I’d have been looking to tell them that by that point, since it’s such an oversubscribed class.

I stand corrected, they only have to give you notice if they are changing the date - so no get haven't done s anything legally wrong but morally, I agree 5 days notice is shit.

A quick Google tells you that continuous payment authorities are mainly used by unscrupulous companies........

This is pretty standard for a lot of kids' activities and I'm actually grateful for it as it means that, in the run up to the end of a course, I know it will carry on without me doing anything. The alternative is to remember to re-book and potentially miss out on your preferred time/teacher etc. Most of the activities my primary age DC do need a half term's notice and that has to be given by a specific date (eg before half term to take effect at the end of that term).
I have also found that, certainly for popular courses, ithere is often some flexibility about whether they charge you if you do give notice at a later date.

This is how kids lessons mostly work, you'll have to get used to it.

I really appreciate that my Water Babies class automatically re-books me onto my preferred class.

It’s pretty standard. It’s not their fault you didn’t read your emails.

Our instructor always told us booking emails were due out soon so to check emails. We also get a text after it’s been sent.

I also appreciate the auto booking, to be honest most people just carry on, not many cancel (I have a c17 graduate and a c7 swimmer, so have been doing this a while!). Ours are/were sought after time slots and we’d probably had to have stopped if we weren’t auto rebooked.

The flip side of this is “I only had 5 days to renew my slot with Waterbabies, and now we’ve lost our place. I’m too busy to renew every term, why can’t it be automatic renewal unless I opt out?”.

Neither system will suit all the people, all the time.
Consider this to be a lesson learnt, and always check the Ts and Cs of child activities. You are only going to get busier!