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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Issues with missed private music lessons - AIBU??

76 replies

Marvololo · 17/02/2022 00:21

Hello all,

I started having private music lessons last September and the teacher said I'd have to pay a half term upfront. I didn't sign a contract and no written terms and conditions were provided. I didn't have an issue with paying half a term upfront and I had to miss a couple of lessons due to my work commitments. However, on January, I contracted COVID at the start of the new term. I had to cancel my lessons whilst I was testing positive (2 in total). I then developed bronchitis and was very unwell. I asked the teacher if I could pause my lessons and start after the February half term because I needed time to recover. The teacher said I have to give half a term's notice to stop lessons so I owe her for all the lessons for this half term. I've also discovered that the teacher has been offering virtual lessons during the pandemic, however this was never offered to me when I couldn't attend.
I've had experience with a music teacher charging a late cancellation fee but I've never had such onerous terms as this. I don't feel it's right to be paying for half a term's lessons that I've not even received, especially with no written contract. In any event, I feel that the relationship with the teacher has broken down and I'm now receiving "robust" messages and emails demanding payment.
Am I being unreas

TIA

OP posts:

Totalwasteofpaper · 17/02/2022 00:22

If there's no contract she has no recourse.

Original poster

Marvololo · 17/02/2022 00:23

*am I being unreasonable if I refuse to pay for the lessons missed where I was self isolating by law, but offer as a gesture of goodwill to pay for the remainder of the lessons?

OP posts:

HerRoyalNotness · 17/02/2022 00:26

No contract, no payment.

One of our teachers only charges when the lesson is attended.
The other will do makeup lessons if possible. Otherwise I pay the month up front and too bad for me if we miss and can’t makeup

EmbarrassedAllOver · 17/02/2022 00:27

YABU.

The reason you're not receiving the lessons is because YOU can't make them.

She is saving your timeslot so she needs paying. If you want to release it, ie not go back, let her know and pay the notice period.

She's been sloppy not to provide a contract though so legally you don't suppose you need to pay.

I'm a member of a gym. If I stop going I still need to pay until the 12 months is up, after which time I need to give 3 month's notice. It's pretty common place to pay a notice fee.

EmbarrassedAllOver · 17/02/2022 00:28

It doesn't matter why you couldn't attend. Covid or not, you chose to sign up to lessons with them knowing that would be a risk.

nancy75 · 17/02/2022 00:30

So you wanted to pause your lessons & pick back up when you were ready?
Meaning she couldn’t fill your space by taking on a new person as she would only be able to offer them a few weeks because you would want to return.
Is it fair to expect her to have reduced earning for a few weeks when she is available to do the lessons?

alexdgr8 · 17/02/2022 00:34

a contract is an agreement. it doesn't have to be written down. you accepted the terms and she is not willing to budge on them.
it's up to you if you pay, or offer her less, and it's up to her if she sues.

Clymene · 17/02/2022 00:36

@HerRoyalNotness

No contract, no payment.

One of our teachers only charges when the lesson is attended.
The other will do makeup lessons if possible. Otherwise I pay the month up front and too bad for me if we miss and can’t makeup

Wrong. A contract can be verbal. The teacher told the OP her teens and she accepted them. She has no recourse for a refund.

HeddaGarbled · 17/02/2022 00:42

I think you should pay. It’s the sort of job that you’d struggle to make a living wage out of, and she’s likely turned someone else away to make space for you. No doubt she’s been stung by flaky clients in the past, hence the conditions. She could need that money desperately.

Holskey · 17/02/2022 00:44

You have to pay for lessons you missed.

You don't have to give half a term's notice without first agreeing that. Unless by that you simply mean the remainder of the half term you're currently in?

How do you owe money if you pay upfront?

nancy75 · 17/02/2022 00:55

I’m guessing Feb half term is now due, op wants to take the lessons she missed rather than paying for this h/t & teacher is probably saying no

nancy75 · 17/02/2022 00:56

Also if half a term notice is required teacher will be wanting money even if op doesn’t want anymore lessons

christingle2 · 17/02/2022 00:59

Contracts can be verbal but was op aware before purchase of the t&cs? Or did the practitioner just tell her after the fact?

nancy75 · 17/02/2022 01:04

In my experience (work got a sports teacher) people don’t see those who teach fun stuff like music or sports as having real jobs, they can’t understand why the teacher would not be happy to go unpaid because of something they can do nothing about. I’m sure they wouldn’t accept it as part of their own employment.

HeddaGarbled · 17/02/2022 01:13

Indeed. In order to make this sort of job work, you have to fill your week. If there are unpaid gaps in your week, you’re in trouble.

Youcansaythatagainandagain · 17/02/2022 01:15

General rule of thumb
If you miss a private class you pay.
If the tutor misses a class, she makes up the class.

oviraptor21 · 17/02/2022 01:19

Most peripatetic music teachers in schools have exactly the same Ts&Cs or worse, require a term's notice.
As PP said a verbal contract is still a verbal contract and with this being a fairly standard arrangement the teacher may well be able to persuade the money claims court of that.

APerfectlyGoodName · 17/02/2022 01:27

I pay music lessons & swimming lessons by the term, upfront. No refund for missing lessons. I've never heard of a written contract (maybe there was once, in some activity ) but it verbal & no refund if we miss is understood.
You only missed 2 lessons due to Covid, so the 'law' excuse is a bit thin for a half term. YABU & a bit mean.

Marvellousmadness · 17/02/2022 01:34

No contract so no obligations. YaNBu

thirdfiddle · 17/02/2022 01:42

Paying up front and having a notice period is very standard for music lessons. You booked the slot, whether you turned up or not she couldn't book another pupil in, you do owe her for it.

Would she actually take it to small claims? Maybe, maybe not. It would be the right thing to do to pay what you owe her though.

Clymene · 17/02/2022 07:42

@Marvellousmadness

No contract so no obligations. YaNBu

Why do people persist in this notion? It's bollocks!

They have a verbal contract

Duracellbunnywannabe · 17/02/2022 07:45

Of course you need to pay.

nordica · 17/02/2022 07:49

A verbal contract is enough.
This is normal for any private lessons/sessions of this type and absolutely right too - the slot is held for you so why should the teacher not get paid because you're ill or otherwise busy?

fairylightsandwaxmelts · 17/02/2022 07:51

@Totalwasteofpaper

If there's no contract she has no recourse.

She does have a contract - it doesn't need to be written down to exist.

OP - YABU.

She's reserved a slot for you and has taken payment accordingly. If she's booked to teach you, she can't take on anyone else, so why on earth do you think it's okay not to pay her?

daisypond · 17/02/2022 07:53

Of course you need to pay. It’s a no brainer.

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