Mum told me on the day of tutoring that there is no more tutoring

[Thatyachtmusicsong]

Can anyone help please?

I do private tutoring and have tutored one student twice per week for three years.
She has had some health issues and we changed from tutoring at her home to online 6 or so months ago.
We tutored over summer until the last few weeks of August when she said she was taking a breaj for summer and would tutor again as always in September.
Today I messaged in the morning checking that all was okay for tutoring in the evening and the mum told me that they decided to take her out of school and have signed up to an online school.
The mum said she doesn't know about the future and how things will go and she would take a pause for our tutoring as it may be too much for her.
I feel sad for her and understand the situation, but this has come as a real shock to me as we rely on those lessons financially. I had done tje planning for September and feel shocked they only let me know on the day of tutoring, which leaves me no time to find something else.

Stupidly, I don't have a contract.

What would you do about this situation?

Would it be fair to ask for a months payment since I had no notice etc?

Feel like I've really been left in the lurch

It's too late to try to put a clause into a non-existent contract I mean. Not that it's too late to go back and negotiate.

No harm in asking but legally you don’t have a leg to stand on, unfortunately. Lesson learned for next time at least.

I would. I would never put someone out of a job two hours before they were due to come, after they'd texted me first to check all was ok for the lesson. If I hadn't, she probably wouldn't have even told me today

If you don’t ask you don’t get.
so ask
It’s worth a try.

No, I know that. I suppose i'd just be going on goodwill and someone's character.
Money aside, the way its been done has made me feel not great or very valued

How many other students do you have? I am a tutor. I had 3 spaces when the GCSE students finished. I filled two of them straight away. I have one space left. That will likely go by then end of September or mid October at the latest.
What subject are you that you are concerned you won't fill the space? Is it a niche subject?
Where do you find your students? I have a social media page but a fair bit of my work comes from word of mouth. Friends/ cousins/ siblings etc
Also get yourself on google business if you're not already on there. I get lots of enquiries that start with. " I found your number on google..."
Best of luck filling the space. Take payment upfront next time

It would have been nice if she’d given you some notice but you were foolish not to have a contract I’m afraid 😞

Fellow tutor here. I rely on my income from tutoring as a single adult household.

Always, always put a contract in place no matter how nice clients are. It keeps the relationship professional and it clarifies expectations on both sides.

Always insist on payment per month in advance. No payment, no guarantee of availability and never put a slot on hold without a retainer.

It sounds harsh, but it's necessary. 99% of clients are lovely. The 1% who do mess you around will use 99% of your time and energy doing so.

Repeat what everyone has said about contracts (and a retainer in July to hold a space in September if they want to pause over the summer).

I think you are within your rights to say you would appreciate the fee for the lesson cancelled on the day as you had completed all the prep and planned around it.

I run a home care company and I am completely clear that all cancellations within 7 days (inc for hospital admission) are fully payable and beyond 7 days it’s 50% to keep the slot open. It lets me hire and keep good carers as I don’t have to keep cutting their hours randomly. About 50% of people still claim to be an exception when it comes around but I’m firm and consistent as otherwise I wouldn’t have a business. You have to set out sustainable terms and then it’s up to them if they use your services or not. But this time, you haven’t done that in advance.

The way they've treated you is no reflection of your worth.

If you value yourself, get yourself a contract for all future arrangements.

Sorry you have been let down, and for the financial impact.

I think in mums eyes she hadn't booked for September, I would have messaged her last week to check Wednesday at x time was still a good time, then you would have got more notice.

I think instead of asking for payment for September (you could fill the slot next week) i would ask her to give you a good review for your advertising.

You can ask but it seems a bit desperate and awkward. Would you not be better asking her to write you a fantastic reference you can use or asking her to share something like a Facebook post recommending you? Maybe she is incredibly rich but it also sounds as though she’s having a shit time too if her DC isn’t going back to school.

And yes, in the future get a contract with a notice period- especially if you depend on the income.

I am a tutor. Why did you only contact them on the day tutoring was supposed to start? Is this your only student? Without a contract what do you do about no shows/ cancellations inside 24 hours etc?

And no, you can't send a begging email. Another poster was correct, when parents say they want to 'pause tutoring', that is code for ending it. It is a new academic year now, perfect time to pick up new students with some advertising. Also, draw up a contract. Good luck!

You can ask but they can say no, and probably will. Sorry to say but this is on you - you need to get contracts sorted asap.

Don’t take it personally BTW I suspect in the Mums eyes she assumed the tutoring was over when she didn’t contact you and you didn’t contact her. I’m sure she’s really grateful for your work.

You're right. Lesson truly learned

I honestly wouldn't take it personally. As a PP said, the fact that the mum has had to remove the child from school and that she doesn't know what the future holds likely means that they're in a fair bit of stress and likely holding on by a thread.

She probably doesn't have the headspace to think about how to properly/politely end the tutoring relationship.

I'm sure they're really appreciative of everything you've done for them.

I was in a similar position a couple of years ago with my DD. She was going through ASD burnout and struggling with EBSA. Tutoring was honestly the last thing on my mind. Our tutor also didn't have a contract, though I paid for the last couple of sessions DD didn't attend.

In a contract you would normally ask them to pay upfront by this stage.

I wouldn't tutor for them again.

I’m so sorry OP, this is bad behaviour from the mother. Unfortunately without a contract there’s not much you can do. You could explain the predicament it has left you in and ask for their goodwill /offer additional lessons when she needs but they are within their rights to say no.

No. I wouldn’t ask. They were not under any obligation to come back . You should not have assumed that they were or planned around it. Just make a note to yourself to be more businesslike in future. And let them know that any further work with you will require a deposit, prepay, etc…

It's always like this, she's very disorganised, but I was shocked by this

You can't do anything about it, but don't beat yourself up about not having a contract. Because how you are going to enforce it? Even if, say, it was a contract breach? Not worth your nerves.

When did you last tutor the child?

Was there a break between the last lesson and today? I don't understand why you didn't contact her to confirm today's lesson? Every tutor I've used has done this.

She was absolutely letting you down gently by saying she may re-assess in the future. I've said this myself in the past.

Sorry guys, you are all saying - ah, no contract. But even if she had a contract - if the mum digs her heels in, what is the tutor going to do? (If there is no payment in advance for a whole block?) Please explain.

She hasn’t put you out of a job. She is not your employer - you could have decided to stop the arrangement and so could she. She has.