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Extra-curricular activities

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Original poster

Paying for unattended lessons

32 replies

LynetteScavo · 09/11/2021 07:09

I was just wondering what's expected - DD has weekly music lesson, she only started with this teacher in September, and there's no contract - teacher has said I can either transfer money weekly, or monthly, or she'll just let me know how much I owe at the end of each half term. I've been transferring money weekly.

Last week DD missed a lesson because she had an injury and couple play- today I have Covid and can't take her (I'll be able to take her next week) and also I don't think DD should be in a confined space with the teacher.

So, what is usual- I was going to transfer money to the teacher anyway as I feel bad about missing two lessons. I don't think the teacher will expect payment - she's tagged DDs lesson on to the end of her teaching as a favour after I begged I think she's quite happy to finish work half an hour earlier.

Should I just ask her? If I did a sensible thing like that MN wouldn't exist

OP posts:
girlmom21 · 09/11/2021 07:11

I'd pay for the lessons. She expected the income.

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 09/11/2021 07:11

I'd expect to pay.

honkytonkheroe · 09/11/2021 07:15

It is normal to pay for private lessons that you don’t attend unless giving adequate notice - usually about 24 - 48 hours.

WholeClassKeptIn · 09/11/2021 07:16

We pay for half a term up front . However if there is a clash she is really good about rearranging. I think this is because we are usually there.

We have an 11+ tutor group and as long as we say in advance we arent coming he does knock that weeks off the next month.

Original poster
LynetteScavo · 09/11/2021 07:22

That's a good point about short notice - DD also missed a lesson as she needed to be somewhere else, but we were able to give lots of notice, and the teacher didn't expect payment for that. Last week I cancelled after DD had got home in the evening as I hadn't taken on board how bad the injury was (DD tends to be over dramatic). I'll pay for this week and last with out asking. But then it's awkward about the week I have lots of notice? Confused

OP posts:
LadyGAgain · 09/11/2021 07:29

If you've committed then you pay. I'd even pay if there's a week I can't do even with lots of notice. She's unlikely to be able to fill that slot adhoc.

Original poster
LynetteScavo · 09/11/2021 08:31

If any music teachers are reading this - it would be really helpful to have some sort of written expectations up front. TBH I'd ideally like to pay monthly up front (termly is a bit painful lol!)

OP posts:
girlmom21 · 09/11/2021 08:41

Well have you asked her if you can pay upfront?

BabyBunnyMama · 09/11/2021 08:48

Slightly different as I pay fees upfront, but for my daughter's ballet we pay regardless of attending unless it's the teacher who cancels (covid outbreak etc) and she will credit the lessons for future. I wouldn't expect her to refund a lesson if my DD was sick, so think the principal is the same and you should still pay unless the teacher states otherwise? I would personally ask what her expectation is regarding this if you're not sure!

Original poster
LynetteScavo · 09/11/2021 09:09

@girlmom21

Well have you asked her if you can pay upfront?
Yes, I asked how she liked to be paid. She replied some people paid weekly, but with most people she lets them know how much they owe at the end of every half term.

So maybe I should just relax and wait for her to bill me at Christmas. She takes about 3 weeks to reply to every message. She's obviously a lot more relaxed than me!

OP posts:
Comefromaway · 09/11/2021 13:43

With 1:1 lessons I pay unless I have given reasonable notice (usually 24 hours or his teacher re-arranges).

However his piano teacher is a bit more casual. He works in a school and has occasionally cancelled last minute if he has a staff meeting.

Madcats · 09/11/2021 14:17

OP, how experienced is your DD?

It might be worth contacting your teacher about today to see whether she can have a "remote lesson" on Zoom/Teams.

I'd pay up (but I get billed by the term and teacher only reschedules if SHE has to cancel).

nancy75 · 09/11/2021 14:40

Not music, sport but the same principle.

Private lessons payment required unless 48 hours notice given.

Group lessons paid in advance, refunded if we cancel but not refunded if your child can’t attend (unless it’s a long period of injury)

We will try to offer make up sessions if your child is ill/you go on holiday but we don’t promise this & sometimes it’s not possible.

We are very clear about our terms - it makes no difference, I am frequently asked for a refund because child is going to miss lessons as they are going on holiday for 2 weeks or going to a birthday party.

If you cancel it’s unlikely that the teacher/coach will be able to fill your space just for one of two weeks, so they are out of pocket.

RedskyThisNight · 09/11/2021 14:44

We have a tutor for DS and only pay for the lessons we attend. So we wouldn't pay in this situation.
But ... the tutor is as likely to cancel the lessons as we are. So I guess he is happy to have the flexibility.

budgiegirl · 09/11/2021 23:43

I'd just ask her, each teacher will have their own expectations.
My DM is a piano teacher, she invoices at the beginning of term, and missed lessons are paid for. She will try to make up the time if they are missed due to illness of the student if she can, but there's no actual requirement to do this. She doesn't make up the time for holidays or short notice cancellations for reasons other than illness. If DM is ill/away then she will either make up the time, or deduct from the next terms invoice.

My DD goes to a different piano teacher, and she's much more 'pay as you go', and if you miss a week for whatever reason, she doesn't charge. However, she regularly cancels at short notice too, so I guess she likes the flexibility.

AmyDeirdre · 09/11/2021 23:50

I pay monthly upfront. If we miss any lessons, she tries to reschedule for next summer! This is her fulltime job, yours sounds more casual.

WeAllHaveWings · 09/11/2021 23:55

Any appointment we have where we have booked someones time and have to cancel we offer to pay - dog walker, barber/hairdresser, PT, driving lesson, dentist, tutor etc.

It is someones income that they are expecting and they shouldnt be out of pocket because of me. Regularly, because we offer first, they will say not to worry or will rearrange with us.

honkytonkheroe · 10/11/2021 06:58

I've paid for countless private music lessons over the years (probably about 12 teachers minimum) and I've never had a music teacher who would expect payment of a lesson where adequate notice is given. Anything in groups is a different thing and you'd totally expect to pay regardless. That's because the event went on with or without you. OP as there seem to be no hard and fast rules then I'd work on the basis that you give 48 hours notice and pay for anything where you haven't. My son currently has piano, singing and private dance lessons and all require 48 hours notice or payment is expected.

horseymum · 10/11/2021 17:01

We pay weekly after the lesson but don't pay if we give plenty of notice of cancellation. This works for us because the teacher is a professional musician so sometimes has to cancel due to gigs so we are both happy with this arrangement but it was pre-agreed. Sometimes we do a longer lesson to make up and would probably do zoom if covid involved but we were well enough.

thirdfiddle · 10/11/2021 17:23

We've had really varied arrangements. I am very happy to pay for missed lessons but teachers have had different approaches. Two charge up front for the term, but have been very kind about rearranging where mutually possible. One had very strict and complicated T&C's about what would happen, which I never really worked out and just paid whatever she billed us. The other two I have on multiple occasions encouraged to bill us where we missed a lesson but they won't.

If your teacher does it it's really worth getting set up with a zoom option. Since lockdowns that has been incredibly useful what with both sides getting 'someone in family had a cough need to test/isolate' weeks.

inflatableseahorses · 10/11/2021 17:35

I usually work on the theory that, if they are offering the service and I am not using it, I pay. However, after DS' tutor made it clear how unusual it was and how she really didn't mind, I moved to paying her 50% if I gave her less than a week's notice.

lanthanum · 12/11/2021 20:07

My daughter's piano teacher is very flexible, so sometimes she's had an extra lesson after the end of term to make up for a missed one - which means her teacher doesn't lose out on the income but we're not paying for nothing. We've done the same if her teacher has been ill.

Two of her brass teachers had contracts which said missed lessons had to be paid for, but one didn't charge us if we gave good notice, and the other was extremely relaxed about it and didn't charge when DD had a wobbly and bottled a zoom lesson with no notice. I think contracts are a good idea, but very often a teacher will waive their own rules if you're not messing them around too much. They need the rules there for the people who think it's okay to skip half the lessons and not pay.

OhCrumbsWhereNow · 13/11/2021 22:09

DD has a whole load of different classes and everyone is different.

Group class - paid up front for whole term months in advance. If we miss a class for whatever reason, then we don't get a refund or anything like that.

1:1 piano - I transfer every month in advance. I think if I cancel will notice then I just get the "Fees Due" text a week later. If it's late notice then I expect to lose it.

1:1 singing - I pay after each lesson. We confirm the next week at each lesson, but if something comes up last minute then that is fine for both parties. If we miss one, I'll always try and work it back in on another day, or we'll move to online if possible.

1:1 singing through school - pay in advance each term. If you aren't able to attend and can't manage online then you don't get a refund.

Generally, I'd expect to have to pay unless I had given 48 hours notice, and if it's a class where they are stuck there regardless (school, group etc) I wouldn't expect a refund.

Skysblue · 13/11/2021 22:34

Every music teacher I’ve had has said at the beginning thst it’s half a term’s notice to quit. And leasons paid in advance.

Dunno if that helps but yes I would pay.

mibbelucieachwell · 13/11/2021 23:00

I'm a music teacher. My pupils pay me by the method they find most convenient. I mean, if it's good enough for retailers it's fine for me. Some pay cash weekly, some bank transfer on the day of the lesson, some at the end of the month. Nobody pays upfront.
I don't expect payment for missed lessons but I usually offer an alternative day if I can (though obviously not if the pupil is ill). Some pupils miss lessons quite lightly, which annoys me, but I don't say that. However I'm less likely to go the extra mile with putting myself out for those pupils who often miss lessons for trivial reasons.
I work mostly from home and don't rely on my income (thankfully) so it's easy for me to be generous with my policies. But from a business POV it probably has some benefits because I have a high retention rate of pupils, possibly down to the fact that I try to make the whole lessons-with-mibbelucieachwell -experience non pressured and recognise that my customers have busy family lives with their own pressures.

When it's possible, I encourage pupils to have a few extra lessons in the run up to exams and charge according to the family's circumstances.

I wouldn't be so generous if I was renting premises or going to the pupil's home. And on the rare occasion that I want to cancel lessons I feel able to.