What do you think would be the minimum requirements to be able to teach out of your own home? I am a bit caught between the devil and the deep blue sea at the moment, as I don't think I really have the space to teach from home but because I am disabled there are all kinds of issues with doing visits, getting into other people houses, especially in a city composed mostly of flats and old buildings. I think that people who can afford music lessons will find my house somewhat on the inferior side compared to their own dwellings, I certainly don't have a spare room. The piano is in my daughter's bedroom, so I would have to teach in there to have use of the piano, but I don't think you can really ask people to come in a room with a bed in it. Or I can use the living room with no piano, but a rather "unprofessional" set of kids' toys that don't fit in her room. And no, we can't swap the toys for the piano as then it would be across the radiator. I cannot offer a waiting area for parents unless they want to watch the lesson or sit in the kitchen at the breakfast table!

I know there are all kinds of desirables, but what is the bare minimum that people teach from? Do all of you have a separate downstairs reception room for teaching?

What are you planning to teach, because as long as it is not the piano, I'm sure your current circumstances are ok. Don't worry about where other people live, they are visiting your home for a music lesson, not to judge it and if they do - their problem, not yours. Toys happen to be part of your life at the moment, they won't always be there and honestly, noone will object to them.

The only thing you really need is an area where there is space to teach and you won't be interrupted. For pieces that you need to accompany could you get a small digital piano? Easy access to toilet facilities is desirable but as long as they can get to it, not essential.

My daughters first violin teacher had a very small room, with a sofa, tv, digital piano and a chair, she kept all her music books in the boot of her car because she had no room in the house. That was her downstairs living room, she asked that you didn't knock until your lesson time as there was nowhere to wait, and to get to the room you passed through a very small kitchen, with a toilet off to the side. It was always a very welcoming home to visit, and she was an excellent teacher.

Good luck.

When I set about teaching a lot more pupils my husband (who is at home during the day) said fine, but the piano was going into our bedroom - which is at the end of the house - and so wouldn't disturb him!

It's a large room but obviously a double bed is very obvious. I throw a large white bed cover over to make it look as unobtrusive as possible but nobody has complained or made any comment. I teach mainly children (and three adult women) - maybe adult men would be a bit more problematic - but I don't think it's a deal-killer to teach out of a bedroom. (Obviously, if you feel uncomfortable, that's different problem). But as Digby says, if your house is modest, people will realise that your options are limited and they are there for lessons, not to do a Home and Garden photo shoot.

I teach eleven men. I don't think the bedroom would be a good place for them to concentrate.

No, I agree. I actually have a good digital keyboard in the main living room and when I had one man as a pupil we did the lesson there but for the kids it's definitely fine (and most women too).

Two things I don't think you should worry about ...

1) the fact you see your house as possibly inferior, and
2) the lack of waiting space.

No 1 others have commented and I agree.
No 2 is out of your control - I think parents will simply accept that there is no room for them.

Location of the piano is trickier. I agree teaching in a room with a bed in it is probably not ideal - unless it's on the ground floor and you can somehow disguise the fact that it's a bedroom (eg put a throw over the bed as Dolce@piano described). But maybe not ideal for your daughter, unless she is elsewhere when you are teaching.

I don't think it's necessary to have a room set aside. Most of us probably didn't start out that way! but one that is not going to be needed by anyone else for the duration of your lesson time is possibly what I would regard as necessary. Could you teach theory in your living room? Or do you have other instruments that you could teach, so making use of living space? I'd want to feel I had a small area that I could keep moderately tidy and so feel that, however tiny, it was giving a professional impression. Your teaching hours may well be a bit limited to start with. As your child/ren grow older it will probably become easier.

I am fortunate now in having a room which I can call my own, where I teach. It started out as a family sitting room though, which meant I borrowed it for teaching during the day or after school - this still worked alright as the kids would be in their own room or in the kitchen.

Speaking as a student, if you are taeching viola/violin I don't think you necessarily need access to the piano. Many years ago I had viola lessons in a very spacious music room with a grand piano, but it rarely got used. I had classical guitar lessons in a small converted back bedroom (no bed in it though) and oboe lessons in a student hall of residence bedroom ("cosy" but perfectly adequate). Neither of my oboe teachers have had a piano and if required the oboe would be used to play a bit of the piano part.

I think I would move the toys though - if only to ensure no-one trips over them.

I think the bed issue, may be more of an issue being a young childs room, (I'm assuming young here because of the mention of toys etc.) The problem with young children is they have a habit of growing and it is far less appropriate when it becomes a teenagers room, you will be constantly nagging her to keep it tidy because it is your work space which will add an extra problem to a difficult time in her life.

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I teach in a very narrow alcove that runs off the kitchen (means I have to keep the kitchen tidy!). There is space for a digital piano (for accompanying) and a book case but otherwise it's a case of 'backs to the wall'. If parents want to wait (on a first lesson) they have to stand in the kitchen and watch - they rarely do this more than once as they can see that there isn't any space. No one has complained so far...

I also worry about the inferiority issues (I really could do with a new kitchen floor and my husband leaves heaps of books and general clutter in the hall) but that's life... When we lived in a one-bedroom flat for 13 years, I didn't feel I could teach at home and did all my teaching as home visits (on the bus) so I consider my ex-council house to be a step up...

W

I've had lessons in all sorts of houses and rooms and they've never been a factor I've thought much about - the important thing is the quality of the teaching and the personality of the teacher.

Something positive to bear in mind is that some students may feel less intimidated by a more informal teaching environment. A teacher who works from a large house with a fully equipped music room might make a new or nervous student feel the weight of expectation and more domestic surroundings are perhaps less likely to put them under that pressure.

I see from your signature that you're planning to teach violin/viola - good luck with your new practice!

Thanks, yes sorry it is violin/viola I am planning to teach. I had my first lessons in a disused toilet, and few of my teachers, when we eventually upgraded to a music room, ever used the piano for anything more than placing instrument cases on.

I'm not planning to "make a living" doing this, it's just some extra money, so I can manage with students just while my daughter is at nursery. I live next to 3 schools, 2 primary and one high school, so I am hoping it will pan out that the smallest kids will come straight from their finish time, the older primary kids will come at the end of their school day and the high school kids will come at the end of their day (which finishes later again), so that's all the teaching done and dusted before dad gets home with the little one. We'll see how well that plan fits in with other people's ideas!

It's also worth having Public Liability Insurance in case any of the pupils have an accident in the house. EPTA or ISM probably include this in their membership.

... so does the musicians' union (up to 10mio.), plus free instrument-insurance up to £2000 (you can top this up if you need to), maternity grants and free accident-cover. not to mention legal and contractual advice, free workshops etc.
all these unions and societies are very good, it is just down to which one individually suits you best.

I teach in a through lounge - but it means that I keep on top of the cleaning!!

Am looking for a new house now though, and a separate room for teaching is on my wish list!

Teaching in a through lounge means that parents can sit on the sofa to watch/wait - but also means that boyf/lodger have to make themselves scarce. Boyf doesn't live with me yet, but we're looking for house together, which is why we'll need a separate room.

My teacher teaches in his living room where there is space for the stand and 2 people, and equioment such as cases.

When he visits me I use a room which i a balcony room/dining room/living room where there is more than enough space.

All you need is a room with enough space, the living room is usually suitable. Make sure you have all the correct cover for people coming to your property.

I remember my teacher taught in her bedsit, with her piano in the same room as her kitchenette and her bed etc. I thought it unusual on my very first visit but then when you're sat at the piano you're there to focus on the music not the decor or the fact there's a bed in the room...

I never judged the surroundings and fully appreciated the teacher rather than the room.

I think I'd feel awkward being taught in someone's bedroom. It's their personal space and when your daughter gets a little older I'm sure she will let you know just that in no uncertain terms. But worse than that for me was a lady I went to for lessons in keyboard harmony. She had a living room full of bird cages and birds and I really mean full! Now when I do like birds, trying to work through all the twittering and singing was weird to say the least of it. I'm sure the birds made better harmony than I ever did! Thankfully it wasn't for long. Good luck with you're teaching. I'm sure you'll work out something to suit you and I think that's what is important, whatever you are happy with, not what other people think.

I've taught in my bedroom before, but it was a large bedroom and had a full size stage piano in it (as well as double bed, desk etc !). I wasn't teaching adult males, and agree I wouldn't teach men in my room, however neither parents, nor pupils complained at the time. I lived near a large supermarket, so parents combined their shopping with lessons! Now, though, it's impossible really to teach in my room for a variety of reasons and I travel to pupils houses.

Yes, another hurdle I am trying to get over. The fees are reasonable if you are working full time, but if you are working 2-4 hours a week (about the max that my health will stretch to) you make a loss on going to work.

Not health but by choice I only teach part time. Not TOO bad if I ever get to my maximum of 8-10 students but while I only have 3 or 4 my MU subscription is over 10% of my gross income since they dropped the lower earning bracket and kept that level of subs for students only.

as far as i'm aware, there is still a lower earning bracket - i only pay £36 quarterly. have to check ...

just checked their webpage: the lower earning bracket (under £16.000) still exists, although the rate went up 50p a month, it is £12.50 instead of £12 now.

Yes, that IS the lower bracket..... That's for earning up to about £15,000 isn't it?
Sometimes feels a bit steep on (gross) earnings nearer £1,000.
There used to be a lower one for up to about ?4,000 I think.

true of course if the earnings are that low. one has to think closely then if the advantages are worth dishing out the money. with 3 very valuable insurances, i find they are, but i also teach more hours ...

I need to chase up the instrument insurance again.
I filled out all the details online but the paperwork never arrived.
The trouble is that the MU site is really awful to navigate and it takes forever to accidentally find the right link.

And your home insurance - not the same thing - will probably need to change too as most insurers won't cover you if you are having 'visitors' regularly to the house.

My insurers (house insurers) weren't bothered that I have occasional students in (currently 5 per week). They said that I just wasn't covered for damage done by the pupils...or theft while I'm in the property etc.

The most important aspect of insurance is to inform your insurers of the changes to your circumstances. They may or may not cover you, or increase your premiums, but they are experts at not paying out if you have withheld any material information.

EPTA include Public Liability Insurance in their membership which is £60ish a year.

Re: the insurance, yes your home address would then become a business premise, which could also possibly incur a different rate of tax (not just council tax but business rates too)

Can anyone who teaches from home let me know if they have to pay business rates?

I phoned the tax helpline thing when I was starting out, who were really helpful, and they never mentioned business rates to me?

icklechick, don't let yourself be confused: What Lorraine writes is usually not true in the case of private tutoring. It, if at all, only applies where you use a substantial part of your house/flat for business purpose ONLY, which is usually never the case - even a music room can still be used as a private study when you are not teaching, neither does a living room become a business premise just because you teach in it. You would have to use a substantial part of your house/flat for teaching exclusively. It is enough if you use a music room for private purposes at the weekend or evenings to not be a business premise.

You can of course voluntarily decide to do this, but the cases where this would make sense are rather limited I would say ...

Phew, thanks!