DC activity suddenly asking for four weeks notice and pay if cancelled

[Ihearticecream]

DC has been doing an activity for three years. We pay termly. Due to other commitments we can no longer make the time of the activity. We looked at other times but with work we wouldn’t be able to make those either.
Now in the three years they have never once mentioned a ‘notice period’ it’s always just been if you no longer need your space let us know so we can inform people on our waiting list. I would just like to know how enforceable this is to suddenly say we have to pay for four weeks we won’t even be able to use? Thanks

Do you still have a copy of the registration documents from when you signed up? Do you have to re-register each term?
Is this what they've said, or is it official info on the website?

It sounds normal tbh. My DC's club is 6 months notice, music lessons are one full term to be given before term starts and her other sports club is one set of fees for the season (year).

Check any terms on paperwork you signed at the beginning. Do you mean they want you to pay for 4 more weeks beyond the term you’ve already paid for? If you’re finishing the final class as the term ends, I wouldn’t pay anything extra. Surely that’s the point of paying a term in advance.

I wrote that wrong, it's one month notice but can only be done every 6 months. So you can only leave as of 1st Jan or 1st July and have to give one full month notice in writing to the club office.

Most clubs will have a notice period, and it’s usually based on the frequency you pay e.g. termly give a whole term’s notice (notice in September that you’ll leave in December) or pay monthly give a month’s notice.

Check your paperwork.

Due to other commitments we can no longer make the time of the activity. We looked at other times but with work we wouldn’t be able to make those either.

When did the class times change so that you can no longer make it? Or did the class times stay the same and you’ve just committed to something else?

If you’d given notice at the beginning of the summer holidays that you wouldn’t be returning in September then they probably wouldn’t have charged you. If they changed the class times then they’re also likely to be more lenient.

But if you’ve waited til now and they didn’t make any changes, it’s honestly only fair you pay a cancellation fee.

Do you have a contract? They can't enforce retrospective terms.

I never signed anything. It was all done on email. I’ve checked my emails when we started and there is nothing about a notice period. Just when DC will be starting and payment for the termly fees. I expected DC to move to a different time but they’ve adapted their timetable and DC is staying at the same time. They only informed us of the times for this term last week.

A reasonable notice period, if you knew about it when you signed up. You need to check or think about what might happen if you call their bluff and just leave- will you ever need their service again (for another DC), are they likely to try to get the money back via a CCJ or small claims, for example.

If you’ve got nothing in writing I’d just decline and realistically there isn’t anything they can do.

If you didn't sign anything, then there is nothing official that they can enforce.

This happened to my DD and the activity swore I had signed an agreement which couldn't then be produced. I think it was because we started during all the COVID online stuff and the normal practices weren't in place, or explained ! Would never have agreed had I known !

I’ve got a range of notice periods for my daughter’s activities but a whole term of notice is in place for a few of them. 4 weeks seems a bit more reasonable tbh. The ones that are ‘pay the invoice if you still want the place’ bill much earlier eg I paid fees for September in July for one activity.

If there was no contract or no explicit agreement from you to follow their terms and conditions then there is no need for you to pay. One of my DC's activities does have a four week notice period, but they made that very clear when we signed up. As long as you are sure you won't want to sign up again in the future then there is no reason not to burn your bridges and refuse to pay.

How can you give notice 4 weeks in advance at the start of a term if they don't tell you the times in advance? That's not possible.

I was on the fence until I read they’ve changed their class time structure which means it no longer suits, plus there was no mention of a notice period in the registration docs. I assume there’s no link to their terms & conditions elsewhere?

Hence they will not be able to enforce this. I would politely write an email saying this.

If it was mid term I'd say pay notice but at start of new term I'd say no on grounds the new hrs are unsuitable

@Bunnycat101 This is how they used to do it but seem to send the notification later and later and now all of a sudden there’s a notice period put on their notification. I’ve checked and it’s not been there before.

Just reply to the message and say that you were expecting DC to move time and unfortunately the new scheduling doesn't work for you.

It's highly unlikely they'll chase you for money, you are making this way bigger than it needs to be.

Ds's piano lessons were like this - I had totally forgotten when we tried to end the lessons, I just paid up for the remaining time, as things had shifted so we couldn't do the slot anymore, like you OP.

Former lawyer.

just reply saying you were never told about that notice period, you never agreed to it and in any event you are only withdrawing now because they have changed their class structure on one week’s notice.

close with you are sure that they understand for these reasons you will not be paying this additional charge.

they have no case here and anyway are not going to bother suing you for this!

@NOTANUM Thank you. Yes I’ve looked on their website and nowhere does it say about a notice period. The only thing I can find is that it says that you must inform the club in writing if your child no longer wishes to participate in the classes.

They can’t enforce it. It’s not part of your contract with them. Do as golden gorilla says, above and Do not apologise.

@GoldenGorilla Thank you!

Just to be sure are you saying your child has been going on X day X time and this is going to continue but for some reason you thought the times were going to change but they did not? If so just pay notice period. Have you checked their website?

For those saying just pay it’s £50! Would you pay £50 for nothing in exchange? When in three years there’s been no communication whatsoever about this and a week before term starts they’ve just decided this!