To tell clients to just leave

[selfemployedwwyd]

I"m self employed with clients who pay monthly. I work 12 months of the year and take 4 weeks a year holiday which are unpaid - this is all explained upfront.

This year I've had an unprecedented number of clients who've informed me that they're not prepared to pay for my services over the summer as they're 'going on fancy holidays' and won't get the use of my services.

But they want me to take them back on in September once the summer holidays are over and the children are back in school.

AIBU to tell them they're free to go in June but I won't be giving them their space back in September?

I simply cannot afford to not be paid for 2 months. When I go on holiday (unpaid and only UK) I still pay all of my monthly bills (swimming, nursery etc)

I realise the cost of living affects even the wealthy, but it's the wealthiest clients who are doing this to me! For context, last year I earned £15k if that matters. I can't afford to take my children abroad (not that that's their fault I might add, but it does irk!)

AIBU to feel really pissed off and a little bit used/undervalued?

OP, your personal circumstances don't really come into this. You need to regard this as a business proposition ie you set your terms, clients agree or not

I'd suggest you decide your new terms, give plenty of notice, get everyone signed up and stick to it. Agree with PP's that (1) charging too little is counterproductive and (2) many people don't want to study during school holidays

I'd suggest perhaps increase the hourly rate, charge term time only, ask everybody to re-register and pay by 2 weeks before end of term to reserve slot for next term. If they don't pay on time, their slot is available first come first served, so they may or may not get back in

Fundamentally, you need people to know and understand that if they don't re-register, then they risk losing their slot

selfemployedwwyd Having done home Tuition a couple of times in my life and one morning a week in a Private School seeing pupils individually for an hour, for which their parents paid me directly, I have a bit of experience but not recent. I admire your hard work and definitely understand that the wealthiest parents are the ones who begrudge paying anything to help their child's education but will spend a lot on holidays. I did see one boy and gave up charging for two years because I felt so sorry for the child. His father, quite simply, was a terrible bully and the boy's problems were due to home-life being so frightening. I was by then a Psychology Counsellor and just knew this boy's bit of peace for an hour with me was good for him. Plus I gave him a banana and yogurt for breakfast as he had not had any. I think of him so often. He must be 38 now.....

I tried to read everything and understand it all but forgive me if I didn't see something. My eyes aren't great right now.

I just thought that perhaps now might be a good time to do a kind of audit of your business as it's around the financial year time - I'm no business person but my P60s are arriving. You could send out letters to all Clients saying that there will be a new payment and bookings arrangement coming in to force from the Autumn Term. It will not affect current Pupils' tuition times. Tuition charges will be reviewed annually.
Then get a Solicitor to advise you on how to construct a Contract for your Clients. After the summer holidays, start your times and charges aligned to the School terms, as you have suggested. Make it part of the contract that payment is due by the first lesson and payments not received by the second week of term will result in the termination of the contract. Warn people that you have a Waiting List and if a pupil is withdrawn for any reason, it cannot be guaranteed that their place will be free immediately if they want to start again.

My daughters did ballet classes long ago and the Teacher used to charge termly and kept to school terms. But when they had exams she gave them a few extra lessons and charged for these per lesson accordingly. I think their piano Teacher did the same actually. Oh, so did their riding (pony) teacher! And the Riding School had courses in the school holidays we could sign up for. I just said that as examples, like the ones you gave. It surely would be quite reasonable for the parents to pay termly? You could create holiday courses and classes and charge for these separately.

You are inspiring me to do this! I am a qualified Teacher but I had a second career so am out of date. Anyway, I have a health problem and daren't take anything on in case I let people down.

Meanwhile, selfemployedwwyd unfortunately you'll always find people who are rude, unreasonable and poor at paying. But I hope the new contract will make this happen less often. Wishing you lots of success. I think you really deserve it!

I’m confused at some people’s replies.

clearly the cost of living crisis is not affecting the family who are going on a massive expensive holiday and want to argue over £200? CFers.

I scrape £500 every month for my daughters childcare, myself and my husband work our arses off and we managed a little local break away last week for our family. We won’t be able to go abroad for a few years at least. I still paid my childminder!!! Surely it goes without saying???

It would be an idea to build an extra 2 months worth of wages into your fees, so clients can take 2 months off without you losing out - any more and they have to pay as per the contract they will sign with you.

OP, you sound very lovely. I'm now worried that you've put too much identifiable personal info on this thread!!

Get thee to a solicitor's to sort out your contract.

The contract should be for one year renewable annually unless X months/weeks notice given in advance of the renewal date. So they always sign up for one year at a time - notice is to be given NOT to sign up for a subsequent year. That’s how annual contracts work.

@selfemployedwwyd if you're charging as much as you think the local clientele will pay, maybe look at extending your online/Zoom reach to areas where the going rate is, say, 80+ as mentioned by a pp much earlier in the thread. You'll be better off with fewer clients that are paying more, no travel costs (you really should be charging mileage/travel time too).

How do your clients find you? Is it word of mouth or do you advertise somewhere? If word of mouth, one happy client in an area where you can charge more should result in more clients.

Think about introducing a flexible pricing structure e.g.

1. pay as you go - 4 weeks notice to cancel no guarantee place available if want to return
2. Book a set number of weekly sessions eg 12 payable in advance
3. annual contract - renewable annually unless X weeks notice given in advance of annual renewal date

The pricing should be set accordingly with Pay as you go most expensive and annual contract least expensive per session. With 1 & 2 pricing set to cover gaps in income ie if you charge £10 a week £520 should be the annual cost but, £11 per week for a block of 12 weeks (term), £13 a week for pay as you go .

You could also consider introducing a small ‘one off’ admin or registrations fee. That would be re-incurred if the contract is terminated then reinstated again.

The above structure ( or something similar) gives your clients the flexibility they may desire - but mitigates any risk to in providing that flexibility.

Put their fees up in September for sure as they will do it next year too

Just a thought OP but can you advertise zoom lessons to families in the South? I pay £95 an hour for math tuition at A level. The teacher is amazing and really engages pupils, results are stellar so it’s definitely value for money.

Its fair for them to give you notice, but it's not fair for them to expect you to keep their space, advertise right now for when your contract with them ends. So go find yourself some new clients and make sure in new contracts you cover this eventuality 😉

Time to start putting a late payment fee in also

Somebody mentioned 'Zoom' which would solve everybody's problem. What do you reckon.

You don’t need to.

if they give you notice that they don’t need you over the summer you reply with something like:

”that’s no problem. I have a waiting list so I’m sure you understand I cannot keep your slot open. If you would like me to put you on the waiting list for a new spot let me know. Have a lovely holiday”.

I’ve just seen you’re a tutor.

we have 3 tutor for my daughter and all have the same policy.

I can take 5 weeks a year, no more than 2 weeks in succession and they won’t charge me for that as long as I give 4 weeks notice. Typically I don’t, 2 weeks in the summer and then all the other times I would ask for time off the tutor is away anyway. So it all works out fine.

Opting out for 7 weeks comes with risk, everyone knows that. They’re trying it on.

But you're self-employed? That means no holiday or sickness pay.

@Soapyspuds I think I have just fallen in love!!

I needed to sort something out - quite different to this but you have UNLOCKED it!!

Thank you. 😘

Assuming you are a nanny working full time? You shouldn’t be self employed then - they should be registered as your employers, and give holiday, sick pay, pension contribution etc. Find new clients who will agree to do this!

There’s a lot of over complication on this thread. You’re earning £15k pa. You do not need to spend money on a solicitor to draw you up a contract. That’s just ridiculous.

I am slightly confused though as one minute you say you’re fully over subscribed and the next you talk about “quiet” months.

It comes down to some simple facts. Can you afford to lose these clients or not?! If no, you can threaten what you want but they’ll know you are just calling their bluff. If you have a queue out the door, send the revised terms, up your rates and stick to your guns. It’s not rocket science!

I'm already said myself I'm not business savvy - why are people pointing out the obvious! That's why I came on here for advice.

But you do yourself a massive diservice. You have set up a business that you enjoy, that works for you and your family.

SO TAKE THAT BACK!😁

Seems like you have an aspect of the business that you now need to refine.

Also - might be a good idea to advertise yourself for some tutoring down south? Bet they will pay more!

Sure you can dump them. Just explain how your system works as below ans tell them you aren’t able to hold the space as you have a waiting list that can fill it.

Spell it out on the contact - you are paying for X hours, payments are divided into 12 monthly payments. Or going forward just charge more for the actual hours.

Your Ts ans Cs aren't working for you. Just update your Ts and Cs to reflect your business needs and send to all clients. Clients on old rates is bizarre, I've never known anyone to work like this. It must make accounting a nightmare if you have different clients on different rates.

@selfemployedwwyd just give yourself a good talking to. Would any man who was working as a tutor put up with being emotionally manipulated or feel guilty for dropping clients? No and CFers wouldn’t even try.

You are in demand so your fees should cover 12 months or charge more by the hour. As well as signing contracts, be very clear to any clients that you do have a waiting list and if they let their contract expire (by refusing to pay for the summer) you will be taking on a new client and retuning families will go to the bottom of the waiting list. Never apologize for this.

I have been very firm with my daughters who are 22 & 19, not to let themselves be emotionally manipulated by employers and that includes parents when they work as Nannies part time (they are both at uni here in the US). Sure enough people try and take advantage and I give them a pep talk on how to say “NO” politely but with no apologies. Clients and employers are much more likely to try and take the Michael with women and it really gets my goat.

Also don’t forget to out your rates up every year with inflation, especially if you are in demand.

I’d say that they are free to cancel however, you cannot guarantee that you will have availability in September as you do not hold places open.