Page 3 | AIBU to not want to pay for a missed lesson?

FluffyCushion123 · 2021-12-20T10:54:06+00:00

Dd is 17 and has a lesson twice a week on set days. The teacher asked her to switch days this week and she agreed. However, dd didn’t know that plans to visit family were being made. She’s now going to miss her lesson and I’ll have to pay, despite the fact that she’s available for her usual slot. AIBU to think that this is a bit unfair considering she was trying to fit in with the teacher’s schedule when agreeing to the change?

melj1213 · 20/12/2021 13:08

YABU

Your daughter agreed to a change in the lesson time and then later realised the clash, that is not the instructor's fault. If your DD had said no immediately then the instructor may have offered to hold over the class or rearrange for another time but once the lesson was agreed then your DD has to pay for that lesson time regardless of the usual arrangement.

It's like if I arrange a shift swap at work - once it has been agreed then the shift is the other person's responsibility ... if they then can't do it, it is on them to find a replacement or make it work even though it is normally my shift.

Clymene · 20/12/2021 13:16

If anyone should pay it's your DD. She should have checked with you given you're picking up the tab

Squeezita · 20/12/2021 13:18

Could she have two lessons in one week to make up for the missed lesson?

Or a bumper lesson?

Mufasa1118 · 20/12/2021 13:31

I don't think you should have to pay.
Did you explain the situation to him?

Say to him exactly what has happened. That the teacher suggested the change, but you asna family can't do it

You should not have to pay

IncyWincyGrownUp · 20/12/2021 13:32

You’re unreasonable, sorry. The teacher is available, the lesson was agreed. It’s not the teacher’s issue that your family scheduling was a bit up in the air, and it would be rude to expect the teacher to lose the pay for the lesson time to facilitate that.

IWentAwayIStayedAway · 20/12/2021 13:37

Can the lesson be done over zoom?

Ohmybod · 20/12/2021 13:45

She is 17 and should be responsible enough to know not to have agreed without checking with you first. It’s worth asking the tutor if you can swap to a more suitable date, but if not just pay and tell your daughter if it happens again, she pays next time.

LostForIdeas · 20/12/2021 13:50

As a self employed person, if someone agrees to a slot and then calls me less than 24 hours before telling me they can’t make it, I would not make them pay.

I mean it’s pretty normal for things to change. Like happens. What is NOT ok is to nit turn up or cancel with less than 24 hours notice.
Telling me that you’ve made a mistake and organising a different time/day IS normal when running a business like this.

Having said that, I think that your approach of asking the terms and condition re cancellation/rearranging a slot is the minimum. It should have been made extremely clear right at the start (to your dd!)

LostForIdeas · 20/12/2021 13:53

To the people who say it’s normal, your dd agreed to it etc…

Would you be happy to be made to pay like this of you go and see your hairdresser but have to change the appointment? Or of you were going to see a physio? I mean they could also have fill that slot after-all…..
However, no one of those self employed people do. Because they all recognise that things happen and sometimes you need to change appointments. I mean if anything the driving instructor should be able to recognise that when THEY couldn’t manage to be there for the appointment they agreed on….

icedcoffees · 20/12/2021 14:06

As a self employed person, if someone agrees to a slot and then calls me less than 24 hours before telling me they can’t make it, I would not make them pay.

I'm also self-employed and I would charge, because if I let everyone get away with cancelling for free, I wouldn't be able to stay in business.

Would you be happy to be made to pay like this of you go and see your hairdresser but have to change the appointment? Or of you were going to see a physio? I mean they could also have fill that slot after-all…..

If I agreed to change my appointment, I would agree to pay for it if I then cancelled within the terms of the contract, yes.

Bubblty · 20/12/2021 14:12

She agreed the swap.
And then couldn't attend the swapped lesson.
Not the tutors fault so you'll have to pay up.

Derbee · 20/12/2021 14:13

I think you need to pay for the lesson, and have a conversation with your DD about not confirming changes until she knows what her diary is like, and she’s definitely free (even if that’s texting her mum to ask, for now!). She’s old enough to manage her time, and not double book herself, and it’s an important life skill. Annoying that it’s cost you £60 though.

melj1213 · 20/12/2021 14:16

Would you be happy to be made to pay like this of you go and see your hairdresser but have to change the appointment? Or of you were going to see a physio? I mean they could also have fill that slot after-all…..

I have a standing appointment with my physio every 4 weeks - it is always at 10am on Friday. If the physio asked me to change my next appointment to Saturday at 12pm instead then it would be my responsibility to ensure I was available before confirming the change. If I booked the Saturday appointment and then realised later that I couldn't make it, I would be subject to the physio's cancellation policy.

My physio requires a deposit on booking, if you cancel more than 48hrs before the appointment then they will return your deposit (or let you rebook for a different day/time); if you give them less than 48hrs but more than 24hrs notice then you forfeit your deposit but don't gave to pay the whole session cost; if you cancel with less than 24hrs notice then they will keep your deposit and you will also be billed for the full session charge. Obviously they reserve the right to waive the charge at their discretion (eg if you had a positive LFT test two days before your appointment but were waiting on a PCR result or some sort of accident/emergency) but their policy is clear and available for any client to access on their website as well as being part of the contract everyone signs up to when they become a client.

Notmenotme · 20/12/2021 14:21

Sorry but if I was the teacher I’d be rescheduling the lesson - doing it online or some other way at a time the child can do or I’d be doing a double lesson in January to make up for it!!

I appreciate it’s her time etc, but I do think this is unreasonable!

I say this as a music teacjer

Notmenotme · 20/12/2021 14:22

Teacher……..

Clymene · 20/12/2021 15:28

@LostForIdeas

As a self employed person, if someone agrees to a slot and then calls me less than 24 hours before telling me they can’t make it, I would not make them pay.

I mean it’s pretty normal for things to change. Like happens. What is NOT ok is to nit turn up or cancel with less than 24 hours notice.
Telling me that you’ve made a mistake and organising a different time/day IS normal when running a business like this.

Having said that, I think that your approach of asking the terms and condition re cancellation/rearranging a slot is the minimum. It should have been made extremely clear right at the start (to your dd!)

That's really poor business practice if you don't mind me saying so - you're much more likely to get last minute cancellations.

The OP knew it was a 48 hour cancellation policy, as did her DD. Getting her DD to stump up will mean she's likely to have a bit more respect for other people's time and money in future.

LostForIdeas · 20/12/2021 17:25

@Clymene I actually don’t.The only people who are cancelling at the last minute atm are those who have covid/are contact/have child with covid. (And tbh I’m glad they do!!)

I have a cancellation policy etc… too.

But my understanding is that the OP wanted to change the slot 24 hours after agreeing to it, NOT 24 hours before it.
Changing an appointment 24 hours after taking it is ok. Cancelling 24 before the appointment isn’t.