Parent won't pay fees due- help! Options

[singingmum]

Help!!! I'm not sure what to do as I haven't been in this position before. I have several private pupils (I am also a class music teacher in schools) and my pupils (parents) all pay in 4 weekly, invoiced, blocks. So far so good. However I have been teaching the daughter of a family who live in my street, who are neighbours of good friends of mine, who I have know vaguely for over 10 years. I took the daughter on for piano lessons last August and somehow or other they ended up paying me from August to December in one payment, around christmas. This year it has happened again - I have given the girl an invoice every 4 weeks, have reminded her to give it to her dad (she is in 4th year and I got her through Standard Grade on piano). I eventually was given a blank cheque and asked to pay myself from January to May. Then I got an email asking me not to use that cheque as 'something had happened to the account'. So I returned the cheque and issued a printed statement of lessons from January to May. I gave another reminder in June. I finished teaching the week before the term finished and asked the girl to let her dad know I would like payments all finalised by the end of term. I then emailed the dad on the last day of term to remind him that fees are due. I printed out another statement, this time from january - june, and my husband put it through their door on monday. I still haven't heard from them. I don't know what to do, I'm not in musicians union so don't have a leg to stand on legally I assume. They owe me for 14 lessons which I was relying on this summer. I am in overdraft with daily fees, my husband just had to pay almost ?1,000- to get the car repaired and through it's MOT yesterday and we still have to get his car repaired as it also failed it's MOT last week. We are totally strapped. I was relying on this money for me and the children this summer, I don't teach during the summer holiday and I am a supply teacher only 1 day a week. I am really stressed about this and I'm not sure how to handle it. I don't want to start a feud with people in the street, I'm not quite sure how to word my next letter. I have asked for payment to be made within 2 weeks. Sorry for this, maybe a bit over the top but I am panicking a bit about money and I wasn't sure where else to ask!

[lou24]

Sorry hear about this situation, I guess everyone gets a problem payer now and then. I am afraid I don't have any pearls of wisdom for you but thought I would reply quickly to let you know that there is sure to be someone who can help you out on this site soon. Hang on in there. My only advice would be that in future this family pay up front or you get rid of them. Would they expect to get their shopping for the last 6 months without paying so why should music lessons be any different. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif)
I hope someone can give you some proper advice soon.

[ExpressYourself]

I don't think you need to be in the MU to have a leg to stand on. There's always citizen's advice.

But if I were you if you haven't heard anything by this Monday, put another letter through their door explaining in a business fashion that the fees outstanding need to be paid within 7 calender days or you will be forced to take legal action. If still no joy then tell them you have started court proceedings. I'm assuming your last letter didn't have a deadline. If it did then you can perhaps skip the first part and go straight to informing them of the court proceedings.

Here is a good website
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBen...tcy/DG_10023133

If you like you can explain that their lack of payment has resulted in overdraft fees but really that information is private to you and it doesn't matter if you're rich or on the breadline, overdue debts must be paid.

This family's behaviour is totally unacceptable and I would personally refuse to teach the girl in September but if you do then you need the get money up front and not in arrears. No fee = no lesson

They know it's unacceptable. They're taking you for a ride and you don't have to put up with it. x

[ma non troppo]

They are taking you for a ride, but in a way, you have let it get this far. I don't mean that unkindly, but I don't personally know any teacher who would allow a situation to get so far. Most charge in advance for lessons. I charge for ten lessons in advance and if they don't pay on time, there is no lesson. We are not a charity, and you have been far too nice. Be assertive - even if they pay up, I would then say no more lessons until they pay for ten in advance. Four weekly billing in advance is fine if people pay on time or have a direct debit set up, (this doesn't work for some teachers - I have never done it) but tell them that they have lost the priviledge of this.

[Norway]

I'd withdraw the service with immediate effect and get advice from the CAB as they will be able to give you all the options and will reduce your anxiety level. It's business, not personal - don't worry about what the other people on the street think - it's not their concern. I hope the parents pay up. In future, I would avoid teaching friends and neighbours, as they all too often want something for nothing! I've had similar experiences in a different context (selling cakes for charity) and there really are some dishonourable people out there - you really need to defend yourself with some hard and fast rules.

[chraze1]

I can really feel your stress reading your post. I'm really sorry for your situation.
Is there any possibility that they could be away on holiday and they haven't received the letter your husband posted?
I just feel its particularly rude especially when you have known them for such a long time.
What is their lifestyle like, do you have reason to believe they are struggling financially?
I have a parent forwhom money is not an issue and they are actually pretty scatterbrained, they say to me, just tell me what i've to pay and when and they always do, but it seems like they don't keep on top of payments because it doesnt appear to be a problem.
I suppose I'm trying to think your situation through as it is so extreme.
I would letter every parent you have, including the one you have posted about, include terms and conditions and word your letter to say in light of an exceptionally unpleasant situation regarding unpaid fees, you have to make sure yours t&c's are signed and up to date to avoid this ever happening again. If the word is out between all the parents that someone hasn't been paying, I would like to think the embarassment of it would be enoughto make them cough up!

Good luck and please let us know the outcome!

[Aquarelle]

On my invoices I have the date by which lessons must be paid for (in advance) and a second date around 2 or 3 weeks later depending on the term, stating that if I have not received payment by that date lessons will cease until paid for.

So far no one has fallen foul of the second date - though I have had to remind a couple. But I am determined to enforce the rule should it happen. If a child were to turn up unaccompanied for a lesson after the "pay by" date I would keep them until the end of the lesson to be sure they are not wandering around un supervised but they would not get any tuition.

I don't know if this idea would help you in future.

[Jane S]

All good advice from the previous posters. Definitely follow up with a letter giving them a deadline to pay, or else! You can issue proceedings through the County Court. You don't need to be represented, but the Clerk of the Court can explain the procedure to you. I would have no hesitation following such a large bill up in court. Just make sure you can back up everything with copies of letters, schedules etc.

They are stealing from you. I had a horrendous family, who managed to not pay for two months, so I got rid of them, once they'd paid up. Draw up some terms and conditions, about payments, cancellations and so on, then you really have to stick to them. I had a bit of a sticky time, with one really good student who thought she knew my T&Cs better than I did, and she went to the extent of giving notice. I calmed her down, and she is back on track, but she is very stressed out for health reasons. You have to look upon this as being your job and income, not pin money. Do not feel embarrassed to ask for what is owed to you.

Personally, I would not take them back in September, unless you feel you want to or need to, as you can bet your bottom dollar they will mess you around again.

[Czerny]

I think first of all you have to divorce your worries about MOT payments and overdrafts from the fact that you are owed outstanding fees. Your financial concerns are clearly contributing to your stress - understandably so - but are essentially irrelevant to this situation.

As others have said, you do not have to belong to the MU or ISM to have the right to be paid for a service that you have provided. I would write a very clear letter to the parent outlining what is owed and when you expect to receive payment (this is important), but do not mention your own financial situation as the family involved does not need to know this, nor do they have any right to be party to this information. It also - perhaps unfairly - weakens your position by making you look less business-like.

If this fails, try the CAB, or join the MU / ISM as they offer good advice. Ultimately your best course of action may be to pursue the fee through the small claims court which is quite simple and not too expensive. If you think you may have to resort to this, start collecting all evidence of monies owed (invoices, previous correspondence, etc.).

Good luck!

[Norway]

Make sure that when sending any letters, you get them signed for - then they can't say that they didn't receive them (and it's pretty obvious that you are preparing evidence for possible court action).

[Czerny]

Make sure that when sending any letters, you get them signed for - then they can't say that they didn't receive them (and it's pretty obvious that you are preparing evidence for possible court action).

Good point.

[miffy]

Send a signed delivery letter giving them x amount of days for you to receive payment (7 or 14) and that you will take legal action in small claims if you haven't received it by then. It's perfectly legal and valid for you to do that with or without the MU, ISM or a contract and you have all the paperwork to prove what you do. Then wait 4 days further before you actually start the claim. I had a difficult parent who purposely sent the cheque 2 days late hoping I'd already paid to start a small claim - I hadn't, I figured she'd do this (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

[ma non troppo]

Here's another thing - don't worry what other people will think. I have only had one payment issue, years ago (never again!) when I stopped the lessons because they hadn't paid, and it was very late. There was also an issue that the parent said the child (aged 17) was now paying for the lessons - I think not! I was worried about what two other families who knew these people concerned would think when they found out. Actually, both mothers from these families approached me and told me they were pretty disgusted with the family concerned -they had tried to bad mouth me but it had back-fired on them. People generally see what is right and what is wrong, so don't worry.

[miffy]

Here's another thing - don't worry what other people will think. I have only had one payment issue, years ago (never again!) when I stopped the lessons because they hadn't paid, and it was very late. There was also an issue that the parent said the child (aged 17) was now paying for the lessons - I think not! I was worried about what two other families who knew these people concerned would think when they found out. Actually, both mothers from these families approached me and told me they were pretty disgusted with the family concerned -they had tried to bad mouth me but it had back-fired on them. People generally see what is right and what is wrong, so don't worry.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)

[Pixie*Porsche]

File a court summons.