Would it be fairer to be paid for these days?

[Neitherherenortherehey]

I’m a teacher and currently doing private tutoring. I’ve taught one student for around a year. I was asked to help with a specific subject they struggle with, but it soon became about helping with homework and prepping for school tests, which is fine.
My issue is, that sometimes, the parent will message me and say their dc says they have no tests or homework so there’s nothing to do, so no lesson. I’m also expecting because it’s due to be Easter holidays that I will receive a similar message soon. Is this fair? It means I’ll miss out on two weeks of pay.
I often have others asking for tutoring, but don’t have space due to devoting my hours to this student.
I don’t mind them not wanting some holidays or some days if there isn’t much work to do, but should I be paid for these?

Depends what terms you set out at the start.
Our tutor doesn't do school holidays....she will offer extra sessions but the regular sessions stop in school holidays or bank holidays.
She also allows us to say in advance if we are not available. If I give enough notice she doesn't charge.
If we cancel at short notice she charges for half or full session depending on circumstances.

@Mumof2teens79 Does she not do school holidays because you don’t want/need her to or is it her choice?

You essentially need to start from scratch here, with a proper set of agreed upon terms & conditions, and which outlines the terms of your agreement.

As is currently it doesn’t sound as though this is actually a “cancellation”, it’s just that you’re not needed, and because there’s no contract or terms agreed to then no you can’t expect to be paid when you’re not needed as essentially it’s just adhoc at the moment. A bit like getting your nails done, if I book an appointment then cancel it I’d be charged, but if I just decided that actually I don’t need them done for 2 weeks I wouldn’t be charged because no appointment was booked and I’ve never signed/agreed anything to say I WILL be there every X days/weeks.

She works at a university. She tells us when her regular sessions start and end which tends to tie in with the local school holidays because her sessions are linked to what they are doing in school and although she is free she recognises the kids need a break and parents don't want those sessions.
Then she will let everyone know if she is available for extra sessions at different times over the holidays on an optional basis.

I probably would not have agreed to pay for school holidays. Our session is after school. In school holidays we are rarely available at that time.

With my DC music teacher we book and pay in 8 week blocks. So if we want to keep the slot on Tuesdays at 4 pm we pay for it 8 weeks in advance.
If tutor has to cancel she will offer us another time that week or add the lesson on to the end of the block.
If we can't make it on a particular week she will try to accompany at another time but if we were to go off on holiday for 2 weeks we would lose those lessons

@Mrsttcno1 But my sessions are not ad hoc, they’re on set days and with set times.

We have a tutor. She doesn’t do school holidays either . I would only pay if I cancelled on the day, but we have a flexible arrangement which suits us both. I’ve always said to her if she ever needs to miss a week it’s fine.

Would people say it’s fair to expect payment or that I should only be paid for hours worked?

I remember you (or someone with a very similar set up) posting about this before and the advice was to curb up your contract with her. You’re available at X time every week and will hold this session for tutoring which needs to be paid for on a monthly basis in advance. Additional tutoring support can be provided with X notice at an hourly rate of Y (with that hourly rate being set to include your prep time for the session. Cancellations within X amount of time are charged at full rate.

That’s pretty much the contract I have with my DC tutor. We don’t have tutoring over the holidays, and I don’t pay for holidays. If I cancel within 48 hours I pay the full fee, if she cancels within 48 hours the fee for that session is carried over to the next months bill.

You really need a more formal arrangement not least so you know when you’ll be working and what your income will be. If she isn’t happy with that tutors are in high demand, you’ll easily find other students. All that aside surely as the tutor you have a programme of work to support her child’s progress, why is mum or the child telling you there’s nothing to be done.

@Jellycatspyjamas I suspect it’s the Dd deciding as in saying she’s tired or doesn’t have anything to do, then the mum will contact me, she’s often quite sheepish about it.

I only pay my daughter's language tutor for the hours she worked, but I usually reschedule lessons rather than cancel completely. She's absolutely amazing and cares about my daughter actually learning rather than just charging me money for nothing. This is why we love her and will continue to use her in years to come. I would cancel any money-grabbing tutors with inflexible cancellation policies. 🤷‍♀️

Edited to clarify: I actually pay in advance for a block of 5 lessons.

@Jellycatspyjamas As in, nothing to do for school-homework or test prep. I’ve explained that she needs to do work consistently, but it tends to be her DD’s decision if she’s tired or wants a break.

That’s fine if mum wants to be led by her daughter (I wouldn’t, tutoring is a commitment on both sides and tired or not my kids go and do the work with good grace and decent effort), however she still needs to pay you for the prep work and time you’ve set aside. I imagine mum would be less happy with her daughters can’t be arsed attitude if she was out £50 every time.

I'm a tutor. My T&F states that cancellation with less than 24 hours notice will be charged. I tend to be flexible once a term if they really can't make it (ill, stuck in traffic etc) but I don't allow that often as I found some took the piss.

I treat school holidays separately. I tell all my parents the hours I will be working (usually mornings only) and ask if they'd like to book in. Most don't but some like to do a few slots over the week as an intensive catch up.

It's not perfect but it works for me and with the fact that I have children at home in the holidays

How old is the student?

But in business terms they are adhoc in that you have no contract or agreement in place, therefore when you’re needed you’re paid, if you’re not needed you’re not paid.

If you want to be paid when not working then you must get a contract in place to establish that.

As another poster suggested maybe do something like block bookings, e.g. 8 weeks for £X, give a 24/48 hour period for cancellations or rearranging perhaps, but that’s your options.

As of right now you have no contract at all in place with these people, so they are not going to pay you for doing nothing.

We've used a lot of tutors. The cancellation is either 24/48hrs.

DS's English tutor has just asked if we'll need her over Easter. Maybe that's what you need to do - pre-empt a later cancellation and then you can fill iot with others.

I have employed tutors and they had a cancellation policy whereby I had to give at least 3 days notice.

In your shoes I would ask if she wanted a term time only contract and raise my prices to compensate.

The tutors I used were fine with term time only contracts as they did school holiday intensive group courses instead.

@BoohooWoohoo Would it be justified in raising it due to it being term time only?

I would say it is fair not to pay you for certain occasions if given x amount of notice e.g. 6 weeks.

I would say you've been asked to take on a new student and as such your creating a new business model - new financial year and all.

At the end of the day you may have one main client but if then someone wanted help over the Easter break you would have been able to promote your availability for this had you had enough notice

@Station11 But I can’t just fill the holidays with other parents, as these parents have asked for days term time too (which I do with this student)

@XelaM I care a great deal also and have been v flexible indeed, they know this and we have a good relationship, but I also have my own dc and have to earn a living.

If this is your only source of income then I can see why you want a regular income from it. Most tutors I know do it as a sideline, so it’s not a big deal if they don’t work in the holidays. You need to lay out the t & c prior to taking on new clients.

@LIZS Almost 13

Exactly. Whether it's fair doesn't enter into it. You need to put a contract in place with clear terms and conditions and a cancellation policy. And enforce payment in advance of sessions as well.