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?

YANBU - if you can fill their space with another client then do. You owe them nothing.

To deal with late payers, bump your prices up and then discount for those that pay before the first of the month. Include that late non-payment means termination of the contract - basically line new client up and ditch them.

I always prioritise paying the SE people so the rare occasion I forgot they knew was genuine and I always apologised profusely.

You simply need to follow the contract you’ve both agreed to. Just let them know if they’re terminating the contract that’s fine (if within the terms of the contract) and if you have space in September then you’ll have them back but you’ll have to fill your slots from June so you can’t guarantee you’ll have space. The only way to guarantee a slot is to keep the contract (and payment) running.

OP,

If you don't value the service you provide, by being very firm and business like, you cannot expect others to.

You have had excellent advice.

Up your prices.
Make it clear that people cannot expect to pick you back up in September.
Lay out your T&C's for the coming year in email form, to ALL clients.
Put a late payment clause into your T&C's too.

Stop being a pushover.

It would be usual to change price in September. Just give notice in advance that your rate will increase, in time for them to cancel and you refill the space if needs be. Maybe offer a discount for paying by dd or in advance. It sounds as if your contracts need rewriting to cover this and cancellation/termination terms.

@selfemployedwwyd
Have a review of your contract and how you structure your fees. Maybe have a retention fee that provides for months that the client misses. Not the full amount but a sum that holds the place for them. There are different ways you can do this, it can be a line item in the standard fee every month (almost like a membership fee) or it can be something that's only charged on months the client gives advance notice that they won't be needing your services. You need to think about how much notice they need to give to avoid having to pay the full-fee for a missed month.

But you also need to think about the month you choose to take off. Can you charge for a month when you're not available? - even if your four weeks is straddled across a month end, it's the equivalent of a month that you withdraw your services for. I am self-employed and have a similar work-holiday pattern to yours and have always charged based on an 11 month year to allow for the 4 week block I take off in summer.

And definitely look at your prices if you have a client you took on five years ago and they're still paying the same fee. Under-charging is a very common problem when self-employed. It took me years to have the confidence to charge the rates I could see my peers charging.

While you are reconsidering your T&Cs, can I suggest you add in a late payment charge.

you don’t have to charge it for a first late payment, but if you have repeat offenders, you can get something back from them.

I would word it that any late payment can incur the charge, but you can waive it as a concession for a first offence!

Could you do some group or paired tutoring? That way they pay a lower price but you get a bigger price per hour and can build the summer into it. To be honest, around here, it's taken for granted that tutoring is term time mainly.

Commiserations op, FWIW I always found as both an employee and being self-employed that it was always and only the very wealthy clients who (were stingy) queried every (very) reasonable invoice…

for the tutor it was in the contract and i fully agreed with it

for the childminder she asked how to handle it and i suggested it, we also gave her a small bonus at Christmas (depending on how high my bonus was)

they were both very much in demand

Although a slightly different context as it was nursery not tutoring, we were allowed two weeks holiday per year to take, at half price, but any other sessions missed due to holidays were at full price.

You could include a new clause in the contract under a heading ‘Holidays’ and put in the terms you wish to stick to.

I'd personally not take them back come September. Their behaviour is disgusting. If my own child had a tutor (too young and has learning disabilities, so in all honesty it could happen in future) then I would be more than happy to continue paying throughout the summer whether I intended to continue the tutoring throughout the summer or not. People pay nurseries to place hold, it's no different. I find education important so to me you're not being unreasonable at all expecting to be paid if they want to hold their place. To send you away and say they will take you back in September is absolutely disgusting and cheeky fuckery of the highest order.

I suggest you offer two contracts: a 12 month one and a 10month one which is priced 20% higher per hour. So if they choose not to use you over the summer that’s fine, but you don’t lose out.

A long term observer of tutoring here and I have to say it’s very rare to have tutoring over the summer. Every tutor I’ve ever known directly or indirectly works 10/10.5 months a year. The exception may be the 11+ (Sept) but even then it tends to be group holiday type camps which people opt into.

If you don’t feel able to charge more for 10 months, then at least consider if the business model will need to change. Covid changed many things and staying ahead of the game in terms of evolving a business is no bad thing. It may be that people have got selfish or value traveling more but if it’s more than one parent and has suddenly started happening it might be a trend.

Tell them if they give up their space you will fill it from someone on your waiting list and if they want your services in September they will go back on the waiting list and you will let them know when a space becomes available.

I do some work as a tutor, due to the nature of the work it is generally all day in the last 2 years I have increased my day rate by 50% and added mileage, I have not lost any existing clients and new clients are happy to pay the rate.

during the last couple of years I get more clients asking if they could do a half day, yes but you have to pay for the day! some do some won't. the awkward ones are asking for 2 hours of my time whenever it suits me, which is never!

I also have a rule where after 2 cancellations I won't be available to help them, mostly as I block their contact details so they can't get in touch.

Great advice from everyone thank you.

I have been feeling somewhat used. My tutoring is in demand and I've tried to keep my prices reasonable. In addition to what I've mentioned, I have tutored 3 of my regulars to 11+ tutoring/private school as no additional price (which I only found out was 'cheap' when the successful pupils parents mentioned they'd' saved 'loads' because the 'specialist' tutors were charging £60 an hour)

I'm a qualified teacher and I still do the odd ad hoc supply work so I'm up to date. A lot of the tutors nearby advertising aren't even qualified!

Given my own car payment is £280 a month, it does seem 'cheap' now to offer tutoring for £120 a month (couple of clients on old prices) - and ironically they're the ones messing me about. A child's education is worth more than a car.

I definitely think all of this is of my own making.

I have amazing reviews and I know I've been life changing over the years to numerous pupils - I don't just teach my subject, I have worked with all of them to build a relationship and grow them into confident, aspirational human beings.

Two contracts could be the way forward - a 12 month one and a term only time one. I also think charging per term for those term time ones (rather than monthly) would be better.

So much to consider - thank you.

You're over thinking this.

They're essentially giving you 4 weeks notice, so if they then say they will call you again in September then just say that's fine, but you have a waiting list so you can't guarantee you'll have availability at a later date.

As soon as they give notice, advertise the space.

You need to decide if these clients are worth waiting for or whether you'd be better off taking other clients on.

I basically charge for 4 lessons a month - so 48 weeks of the year. The other 4 weeks are then essentially unpaid. I know childminders expect clients to pay for their holidays. Again, thought I was being reasonable, but the more I read through my own thread, I realise I've created a lot of my own problems by being too accommodating and not firm enough around money and payments.

I hear you but it's not like I'm a nail technician with lots and lots of clients on the books.

I have 15 pupils on average, sometimes it's less, sometimes I squeeze in one or two more. They come weekly and I know the families, their siblings, their work etc.

The one specifically who wants to cancel for the holidays told me she was taking a holiday of a lifetime and then asked where I was taking my kids abroad this year. She surely can't be that stupid not to realise that if I've got people cancelling I certainly won't have the money to take my own kids on holiday!

They're not worth waiting for. It's the break of trust for me. Without outing myself, i've got above and beyond for this particular client completely changing the future path of their child. For the sake of £200 odd quid whilst they spend a fortune on their fancy holiday, they'll be undoing the work as the child is going to still need me come Sept (not academically bright and has to work for every progression - it's been hard work for me too) and out of principle now (or just stubbornness) I'll be unavailable.

Either that, or as people have suggested, they'll find they're suddenly paying an extra £80 a month.

I think term time only contract is the way to go - with the expense built in.

• noticed the auto correct mistake but it's early and I haven't got my glasses on! I don't teach English before someone comments!

I used to do some instrumental teaching. All I said was that I required 24 hours notice of a cancelled lesson on the pupils part (unless there were genuinely unforeseen circumstances such as severe weather, sudden illness of the pupil or parent who had to bring them) or I charged. Payment was in advance. I’m not saying that you should do this but just providing context and I’m sure you’ll agree that it was a fairly relaxed policy.
I still got parents who repeatedly failed to give give notice of absences. One was particularly bad - I would phone her about half way through the lesson time to be told “We’re having a party” “He’s on a school trip abroad for two weeks”. She then quibbled over payment and started calling into question my qualifications (I do hold one of the standard qualifications for instrumental teachers). She didn’t seem to appreciate that she was paying for my time as much as anything else. I don’t remember exactly how the relationship ended but, like you, I had a waiting list and was virtually never without as many pupils as I wanted,
The point is you must be clear about what your policy is and stick to in. You’re a person who only had 24 hours in the day just like anyone else, not a session vending machine that they can put money into when they fancy some tutoring!

When you pick up new clients, increase the cost over the weeks they are having a service, so it covers the time you are closed, without them thinking they are paying for nothing.

You can't compare one random thing with another. People assign different values to different things. A car would be far more important to some people than tutoring. Your clients might spend £500 a month on wine for instance. Always remember too that you're running a business. People will mess you about/drop you/go elsewhere at the drop of a hat. Never take it personally...just always keep it at the forefront of your mind and run your business accordingly. Don't do favours or you will end up feeling resentful.

I would just say that if they don’t wish to continue your service for the 2 months they will have to reapply on their return. That you cannot afford 2 months of non payment, and would have to take on another client. If they want your service in September they have to pay while they are on holiday to save their place.
The rich stay rich for a reason… tight gits!