Music lessons - is it usual to have a written contract like this?

[mamhaf]

Both dds have had instrumental lessons (different instruments, different teachers) for coming up for 10 years.

Last term, dd1's teacher sent her home with a written contract which we were supposed to fill in, sign and send back.

We forgot about it - not top priority - and the lessons continued as normal.

Dd says no-one else sent them back last time.

Now she's come home with another one.

It stipulates the number of lessons per term, that they have to be paid 1 week in hand and paid if missed through illness etc although no charge if the teacher has to cancel.

We've never encountered this before and I'm uncomfortable with paying upfront for lessons because I know how hard it is to get the money back if someone else cancels...I'm currently chasing money owed from two different sport coaches for tournaments for dd2 which were paid for and then cancelled by the coaches.

I'm inclined to ignore it again, keep paying weekly on the day of the lesson and see what happens.

We're currently spending a fortune on out-of-school activities for both dds, so looking at budgets carefully.

Is this usual with other music teachers though? We've never encountered it before.

Thanks.

Contrat has always been the case with us. We pay up front for a term and in theory miss out if your child is ill etc. However have always found teachers very accomodating and they will rearrrage as and when if they are absent/child is on school trip etc.

I suspect they have to do this to ensure their income. It will be a 'luxury' people will drop if they are skint and that's not fair on the teacher.

agree, with happystory - they are only protecting themselves. not any different to other professional services

We have a written 10-lesson contract (piano) - all paid in advance. Piano teacher (who's a great friend now and I trust him thoroughly - reliability itself) says it's his accountant's recommendation (poss even insistence) to do it that way.

We have a contract, and pay in advance (termly) DSs teacher is a friend and I know how much problems he has with people if he doesn't do it that way (he's still owed money from last summer and people seem to 'forget' to pay him if they don't turn up for a lesson for whatever reason) You might be really good at paying, but I bet a fair few of his other parents aren't.

We pay 10 weeks in advance.

Yes i pay up front for DS guitar and piano lessons

No contract though. Just a piece of paper saying they'll rearrange time if it's their fault lesson is cancelled, but not if child doesn't turn up (including illness)

we have a contract and pay in advance. Your professional music teacher is only doing what nearly all others do, and not unreasonably - must be really hard for them if folk only pay on the day, particulalry if they cancel late.

The professional ones all use contracts now.

I am an ISM Registered private music teacher and we are required to use contracts. I ask parents to pay for five lessons up front, and give me 48 hours' notice of cancellation. If someone is genuinely ill I usually waive the lesson fee for that week. If I cancel a lesson I do not charge for that week. Sometimes I rearrange the time to something else mutually convenient, and the usual charge applies.

Many parents ripped me off in the past before I started doing this. Usually the better-off ones.

Yes, it is usual. The music teacher will also have bills to pay (mortgage, etc!) and needs to ensure their income stream. You would be unpleasantly surprised at the number of last minute cancellations for spurious reasons which can cost quite a chunk out of the weekly salary.

I pay monthly in arrears with no contract - but would have no problem paying in advance with notice - after a break like the SUmmer holidays or would have to pay 2 months at once!

Thanks all, good to know it's commonplace.

We have her terms & conditions emailed to us, only pay on the day put it does stipulate that payment due for cancellation at short notice if the slot isn't filled.