same here

I'm with Stephen on this one, too. Given all the extras you throw in for free, it's more that people are buying a service than simply paying a fee per lesson - people don't ask BT and the gas board to refund them line rental/the standing charge if they go on holiday for a week. When I learned to drive, my instructor gave me a terms & conditions leaflet saying that he would charge for cancellations unless he could find someone else to have the lesson; I think it's reasonable for anyone who is self-employed to take steps to ensure financial security.

If I were to become a full-time piano teacher (something I'm occasionally drawn towards when life starts to depress me) I think the ideal would be to charge a monthly rate, irrespective of the number of lessons in that month; e.g. charge on the basis of 48 lessons per year at some nominal rate, and divide that by 12 for the monthly fee.

I have just written a letter to all parents about this very subject! Relevant parts quoted below: (no complaints and no one has left! Only asked about what happens if they go on holiday - to which my reply is that is exactly the point! I cannot resell that slot to some other person for just one or two weeks).


From September I shall be modifying the payment and cancellation procedure. As most of you know, teaching piano constitutes my primary income. As most of my students are of school age the times I can teach are largely limited to the 3½ hours after school each day during term time. There are only so many "slots" which means there is an upper bound on the number of lessons I can give (and the amount I am able to earn) each month. Demand for piano lessons is quite high and the number of prospective students generally exceeds the number of slots available. When I accept a new student I view it as a long term commitment and I reserve my time on a specific day for that person's lesson every week. In return I ask that every student does their best to attend every lesson so allocated. If a student misses a lesson I cannot, like a dentist for example, simply fit someone else into that slot, which means that every time someone misses a lesson - which happens a lot more regularly than one might expect - my income for that month is significantly eroded.

It is for these reasons that I have decided that from September I will no longer be able to refund lessons that are missed during term time (regardless of any notice received) and I hope that you will understand. If you are unable to attend a lesson please let me know and I will make every effort to offer a mutually convenient time during the same week for a make-up lesson. Please understand however that this might not always be possible.

To simplify the payment procedure, from September I will begin to issue formal invoices for lessons in advance of each half term rather than, as at present, each month. This will overcome the problem of keeping track of when payment is due and will allow you to keep a proper record of the lessons for which you have paid.

Baracolle sums it up for me. I like your letter a lot, I don't suppose you would mind terribly if I pinched some of the wording for future use?

I charge 4 weeks in advance for my younger pupils. When they come to their first lessons I send them home with a contract ( more an 'understanding') of sorts, it contains their name age and details so I can contact them, their previous experience and below has a couple of paragraphs stating they understand lessons are paid in advance, late or cancelled lessons after 24 hours are non-refundable except in the case of my illness/absence. I haven't really got a holiday policy yet (I just ask for a decent amount of notice) but would probably just rearrange the lesson at some other time. I do try to reinforce that I provide a service with training and expertise required, it's my primary job and hope guilt prevents them from messing me around.

I am fortunate of having a roof over my head as I still live at home but I don't see that as any reason for being lax. I want my own home soon and to be able to sustain it!

A good friend of mine was messed around by pupils in a school even though he had travelled 90 minutes to get there and would end up teaching one pupil that day because the others had cried off/not showed. the unrelieable ones were also the ones that hadn't got round to paying in advance so he never got the money. As it was he was making a real loss and gave up, writing off the lessons and never getting paid. I vowed that would not happen to me!

For my older pupils, I'm slightly less formal as they are there of their own will and want to be there. They are also more likely to understand where I'm coming from about needing the payment as they have jobs themselves. They pay on a week to week basis but still must sign the understanding about cancelling lessons. I did this with my piano tutor and it worked well. Even if I wasn't feeling great, he had made the effort to come to me and I would always honour that commitment. It all depends on your attitude I suppose....Being a private tutor, perhaps I should set a limit on the number of holidays that can be taken 'free' anytime during the year so I don't end up struggling too much? But then again I hate sounding too formal too soon in case I alienate parents and send out the wrong message. I love what I do but I do deserve some kind of security the same as anyone else.



Any thoughts?

Of course you can pinch some of my words (a friend's words actually - I ran it by him and he said the original was too emotional and so he tidied it up for me!). Like you I was worried about upsetting people - but as this friend pointed out the problem was my confidence in my abilities & worth rather than the policy being unreasonable. At the end of the day we have made a committment to teach people the piano. If we are to be able to do this properly we have to have a secure income - and that is what this agreement gives us. Without a secure income we have to find other sources that firstly we don't want to do! and secondly may clash with teaching. We don't need to convince ourselves and I don't think we really need to convince the parents. We just feel bad because music teaching is so personal unlike most other businesses. But it is a business just the same. I had a lesson today and almost walked out the door having forgot all about paying - just shows it is all just so much more than money.

Barcarolle, I think that's excellent, and very well put if I may say so !!

Thanks for posting it.

I am often quite amused/bemused by the somments I see on the forum regarding awful parents and other teaching situations! I really cannont believe the nerve of some people!
I have issues with cancelled lessons too - some pupils pay for several in advance, and so if they give less than 24hours notice then I charge. Its a bit more difficult for those who pay on the day...... I too am a bit soft when it comes to money issues (see fee increase thread!).

I am not a teacher myself but would like to teach in the future & I don't think I could bring myself to charge someone for a cancelling a lesson especially if I was quite close to the pupil. I can see everyone's point that they were probably expecting the money that particular day but isn't one of the disadvantages of being a teacher that you're not always going to have a steady income? I have an illness so have to cancel now & again due to my health as I am not always up to lessons & my teacher has been extremely supportive. She says she understands that I may not always be feeling well enough & that I can phone & cancel anytime. There was a period where I was in hospital for a while & obviously could not have lessons during that time & she really understood & told me to concentrate on getting better rather than worrying about cancelling on her. I guess it all depends on if your only income is teaching & you are counting on that money to pay for bills etc. Also I suppose you would have to be strong enough to be able to ask for a cancellation fine/fee & I am definitely not that brave!

[I guess it all depends on if your only income is teaching & you are counting on that money to pay for bills etc. Also I suppose you would have to be strong enough to be able to ask for a cancellation fine/fee & I am definitely not that brave!

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Yep it's a problem alright. I'm finding my pupils are arriving late for lessons, and because the majority of my pupils are on seperate days (as I'm only starting out) I'm being really soft about the 'full fee' thing and compensating for their lateness by going over the appointed finish time (up to half an hour) because I haven't anyone else banging on the door for their lesson and I want to them to leave without feeling shortchanged.

And yet when I arrived late for a weekend Latino course becasue I got lost, I never dreamed of wanting the tutor to go overtime because of my tardiness!It was the same concept as it was a private course that I paid for myself, so why am I letting it slide here? Perhaps I'm too green and wanting to create a good impression.

Maybe if I worked as a peri in school I'd be tighter...

I used to cancel lessons on the day and my teacher never charged for them. In theory I should have known and told her much sooner, but usually just forgot to, mind caught up in other things. Was she just a softy, or is this the reasonable thing to do?

Maybe if I worked as a peri in school I'd be tighter...

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You've got a point there-when you've got a packed day with 20 or so pupils one after the other, they know they can't afford to be late. It's the same with private lessons at home-once you're doing back-to back teaching, apart from the inconvenience to me of running late, parents have tight schedules too, and might not be able to stay late because the previous person overan, and I wouldn't dream of expecting them too. I agree it's difficult when you're in the early stages of building up goodwill-I think once you take on more students and the latecomers see you finishing on time because the next person is knocking on the door, they'll soon get the message. All the same, I'd have a tactful word with them now-5 minutes late sometimes is one thing, but half an hour is inconsiderate. You could have a word along the lines of saying that you're sorting out the timetable now for the next term, and need to find a suitable slot that is more convenient for them, as you'll be taking on more students in the future.
On the subject of illness and cancellations, I always offer my students a make up lesson in the holidays if they're away through no fault of their own, which gets round the problem-I couldn't afford to not charge them if they're absent., and also gives them the benefit of an extra lesson in the holidays.

I wondered how people's cancellation/rearrangement thing works when you, the teacher, rearrange. I'm just curious really.

I have piano lessons on a fortnightly basis. My teacher is also a friend, and is very understanding on the rare occasions when I have to cancel a lesson with short notice - I think it's probably happened about twice over the year and a little bit that I've had lessons with him. I know it's quite different when it's a friend teaching a friend, but basically he has never asked me to pay for lessons he has not given, and on the other hand I have never complained when he has had to cancel or rearrange a lesson for his convenience. Now this works for me and MY teacher, but then we know each other well/I am not taking up an afternoon slot which would otherwise be used by a schoolchild (if he doesn't teach me, he basically has that time off, and at present no one else is asking for that slot), but it's not the usual situation, and I'm curious how you guys deal with times when YOU have to cancel a lesson... obviously, you won't charge for that lesson, (well I assume not!) but how long do you think is a reasonable notice for YOU to give, and how flexible are you to rearrange when it is YOU who have cancelled?

I don't teach full time so am able to be a bit more flexible generally.
If it is something planned then usually I am able to give up to a months notice.
I wouldn't generally let myself get booked to do something on my teaching days at short notice. If I am ill then of course that if different and can't be planned for in advance.
If I do need to cancel I usually offer to rearrange if the student wants to.
So far I have had a pretty good relationship with my students and their families so the question of rearranging occasionally is a two way thing really... they don't mind too much when I have a problem and I try to accomodate them in the same way. Works well so long as neither party takes advantage.

I'm paid a month in advance. Depending on the circumstances I charge for missed lessons accordingly to my terms of tuition.

However, a pupil cancelled at short notice due to illness of a relative...bowel cancer...my Dad died of prostate cancer/bone cancer...I will not charge for this and will reschedule....