Is it cheeky to ask to be paid over the holidays?

[Dogswimmingcompetition]

I work as a tutor. I work for three different families.
Over the summer holidays, one family like me to keep working, one family don’t have tutoring at all over the summer, but pay me year round. The final family is the family I work with the most, I’ve taught their child for almost three years. For the first year it was year round, last year they went away last minute for summer (I didn’t realise this was the plan) and I wasn’t paid all summer. I get the majority of my income from them and found it a real struggle for a couple of months.
Their child finishes their exams in a couple of weeks and mentioned something about our last lesson being in a couple of weeks (much earlier than I expected) This will leave me without pay for 3 months, which will set me back a lot.
I’m unable to commit to other families who have asked for tutoring as they would want all the time, not just in the holidays.
Would it be cheeky to put this to the father and ask if there’s any way they can pay me over the holidays and explain the situation?
I enjoy working with this family and would rather stay with them if possible, I know that i’m valued there also as the mum has told me in the past that they’re keen to keep me/continue with me.

This.
And write it into any future contracts.

Because there is a big difference between being a tutor that is an addition to school teaching and a tutor/teacher that is used to home school children, who will each have between 6 & 10 hours a week of 121 teaching.

With 2 or 3 children in a family, that can add up to 25/30 hours a week of work. However, there ARE other forms of work that tutors can take on in the holidays, but it does need forward planning.

You need a standard contract which says how many weeks of holiday are allowed. So, for eg, within the 52 weeks, 4 weeks for holidays and then you put your rate up so it covers the 4 weeks holiday anyway. This is pretty standard.

If you haven't got a contract, I would discuss a retainer for this period with the father and then let them know that the next academic year will be with the new contract.

Why would you assume that?

First off, message the parents and ask them to confirm what tutoring they will be booking you for after half term. If they say not over the summer, then you know.

Then you need to start looking for other placements, are you working with home schooled kids? I’d start trying to find someone else to fill those slots and price slightly higher to cover summer.

if you aren’t able to fit that original family back into your schedule in September, so be it.

(many tutors in this area offer week long intensive tutoring courses over the summer to cover this income gap, worth looking into for next year?)

Agreed, this is the only logical answer.

@Dogswimmingcompetition is this your first year tutoring?

Yeah, it's odd to assume she'd still want tutoring after her exams finish.

I wouldn’t be paying a tutor once exams are done.

You should include an amount towards holiday/sick pay when deciding your hourly/session rate.

Surely they don’t need a tutor if they’ve finished exams? You need a contract and to be clearer of what your terms are, as they are not clear

This is part of being a self employed tutor OP- you don’t get the benefits or perks of employees like paid holidays.

You can’t ask them to pay you when you’re not providing a service, you sound like a cheeky fuck. What you can do is say you’ll be offering their slot out over the summer and you may not be able to fit them back in come September.

Not Gcse’s, just end of year tests

This is like paying your cleaner when you go on holiday. The majority of people do pay their cleaner or offer alternative hours.

If you have been taking a break every major holiday then you may have to suck this one up or put down new terms and conditions that from x date going forward they will need to pay to retain their slot.

For how many years will this family still need you?

They will be in various other countries all summer

You just need to plan better. Talk to your customers about their requirements and then balance things out. If your income is seasonal you need to manage your money accordingly to keep savings to keep you going through the quiet times.

It isn’t GCSE’s, I help with homework and test revision, there will still be homework and a book project and so on.

Rethink your contract so that next year is for a minimum number of weeks.

Meanwhile explain that if they want to keep their slot open, they'll need to pay until the end of term.

If they want to continue online, that's an option.

You haven’t answered what your contract states? I’m assuming you didn’t bother with the retainer in the contract, nor did you price the job accordingly. So you’ll have to give them
notice, and if they want your services in the future will have to agree your new terms.

No

I'm confused and surprised by this. I'm also a tutor, I'm self-employed so I only get paid for whatever hours I teach my students. Most of them stop the moment their exams are over. Most like to continue over the shorter holidays and others prefer to take a break. Very few continue through the summer.
I don't make much in July and August but my income is very stable and sufficient September-June and I have bumper months in March, April and May.

I would assume that by default tutoring is only during term time, and in the case of end of year exams that the tutoring ends after the exams even if school is still on for a few weeks afterwards.
Every time we had a tutor, they have been proactive in confirming dates in advance. But never was I asked to pay for a retainer over the summer - this part is cheeky, especially is not agreed in advance, as most people don’t want tutoring during this period.

Nice language….!

first reply nails it, what is in your contract?

If you want people to pay you a retainer over the summer, then it needs to be in your contract. You should also have a notice period in the contract.

Another reply also nails it - you are self employed, so you should be charging enough to cover the 13 weeks of school holidays.

What are the T&Cs in your contract though?