Terms and Conditions

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Terms and Conditions

Your enrolment in any of Piano Tutor ‘s activities confirms your acceptance of the following music studio Terms & Conditions, policy and our privacy notice.
Throughout this document, “you” and “your” refer to parent(s), guardian(s) and student(s), and “we” and “our” refer to Piano Tutor .
Please read and follow the below mentioned policies carefully before registration.

Contents

1. Registration Forms
2. Payment Plans & Policies
3. Late Fees & Delinquency in Payments
4. Refunds & Transfers
5. Trial Lessons
6. Cooling-off Period Policy
7. Schedule for Lesson
8. Online Lessons
9. Missed Lessons / Cancellation
10. Make-up / Rescheduled Lesson
11. Learning Material & Media Files
12. Photographs & Videos
13. Discounts on Tuition & Music Material
14. Bursaries & Music Fund
15. Safety & Health
16. Force Majeure
17. Policy Revisions

Registration Forms

All students must submit completed registration forms before beginning music lessons.

• Each student must pay an annual registration fee of £15 along with tuition fees and other payments in advance. Returning students pay this registration fee every autumn term, while new students pay it when they register, regardless of the term during which they enrol. A one-time deposit of £45 is required for all new students.
• A re-registration form will be sent to you in the Summer term or before the new academic year starts, in which you will be able to review your details and confirm your enrollment for the new academic year. However, lessons roll on from term-to-term, month-to-month, and week-to-week, as students don’t need to re-enrol within an academic year.
• We reserve the right, in the event that registration forms and advance fees are not submitted, to suspend or discontinue our services at any time.
• It is the responsibility of the student, the parent or the guardian to keep track of their payment plan and due date. In addition, it is essential to be aware of when classes resume after breaks or holidays.
• We reserve the right to charge for unattended lessons for any reason before or/and after the break when the scheduled term resumes. In addition, we reserve the right to charge for any missed lessons not covered by our cancellation policy unless proper notice of cancellation is given in advance.
• Strictly follow the registration rules and pay on time.  Failure to do so could result in disciplinary action, including but not limited to warnings, suspension or termination of service.

Payment Plans & Policies

There will be a variation in the invoiced amount based on the different grade/levels, the duration of lessons, the number of lessons, and the type of payment plan.
We currently offer three different payment plans:

1. Rate per term
   You acknowledge that by registering at this term rate, you are committing to register and pay for the entire academic term, starting from the date of registration until the end of the academic term (a cooling-off period ONLY apply to new students).
   There are three terms per academic year, with 38 music lessons offered:

• Autumn Term: September to December (14 weeks)
• Spring Term: January to April (12 weeks)
• Summer Term: April to July (12 weeks)

New students joining after the start of the academic term will only be registered until the end of that term. Tuition invoices are sent each term. Tuition fees must be paid by the first lesson of each term or on the invoice due date. Term-paying students secure a regular weekly lesson time slot for that term registered. All paid lessons must be completed by the end of the term. Lessons won’t be credited term-by-term, so there will be no outstanding lessons at the end of the term. In general, the same lesson time slot is reserved and continuous term-to-term until made otherwise known, on a first-come-first-served basis, with returning term students given priority.
Tuition is continuous from term to term throughout the remainder of the academic year until a written notice in advance to us before withdrawing from lessons.

In the event that tuition is not paid before or on the second lesson of each term, the lessons will be suspended. Please note that we reserve the right to suspend your lessons or reallocate your time slot to another student. If you are two or more weeks behind in tuition payments, it will result in lesson termination.

2. Rate per month
   In this plan, you will be charged a monthly fee or a fee based on four or five teaching weeks.
   Students register for full weeks of lessons until the end of the month. Those who join after the month has begun will only register for the remaining weeks of that month.
   A monthly-paying student secures a regular lesson time slot only for that month. All paid lessons must be taken by the end of the month; no outstanding lessons are offered after the month ends. Lesson rescheduling for the new month is on a first-come-first-served basis, with returning term or monthly students being given priority.
   Each month, tuition fees must be paid by the first lesson booked. In the event that payment is not received before or on the first booked lesson of the month, the lesson will be terminated.
3. Pay-as-you-go Rate
   We also provide a pay-as-you-go option under this plan to make things easier for you. However, lesson booked without payment will be automatically cancelled if it is not paid 24 hours before it begins or it will be terminated otherwise. Under the Pay-as-you-go plan, Lessons are pre-booked based on availability as regular weekly slots are not guaranteed and there is no long-term commitment.

A non-payment or non-contact situation will result in music tuition cancellation without any refund.
All payments should be made by bank transfer; however, on-the-spot payments can only be made in cash.

Late Fees & Delinquency in Payments

Your term fee must be paid on time in order to avoid a fine or termination of your account.
Those who fail to pay their fees on time may be charged a late fee, which can add up quickly. Furthermore, if you fail to pay your fee on time, your account may be terminated, and you will not be able to access any of the resources or services.
Therefore, it is imperative that you pay your term fee in a timely manner to avoid any penalties.

• You will be charged a late payment fee of £6 for every additional week the payment is late. This fee will be charged either after the first lesson or on the invoice’s due date.
• Re-instating lessons after suspension due to the repayment period will incur a £25.00 administration fee.
• Furthermore, due to delinquency in tuition & fees, we reserves the right to stop providing lessons until the student’s account is cleared.

We reserve the right to take legal action if you do not pay your fees or if your payment is late.
If further action or hiring an outside collection agency is required to recover outstanding debts, additional charges will be added. You will be responsible for the collection costs, legal fees, attorney fees and court costs associated with such services.

Refunds & Transfers

Please keep in mind that all paid fees are strictly non-refundable under any circumstance (missed, cancelled, unused or outstanding lessons), except when a student is ill or a teacher is absent from the class.

Under certain circumstances, we may make credit transfer and lessons suspension until the students are ready to resume their lessons.
The one-time deposit will be refunded until student’s account is paid if full within proper notice given before the end of term/month/day registered.

• For term plan, 30-day official notice is required before the term ends.
• For monthly plan ,30-day official notice is required before the month’s end.
• For pay-as-you-go plan 14-day official notice is required before the last date of the lesson.

Furthermore, if lessons are terminated with sufficient notice, students may attend any/all lessons they have already paid for during the notice period.  After termination notice, there will be no refund for any unattended lessons. Following the notice period, tuition fees will be charged until the end of the notice period. The remaining fee will be refunded once all required documents or evidence are received.

Please note that we still reserve the right to transfer or suspend credits and lessons at our sole discretion and on a case-by-case basis.

Refunds/Withdrawals requests related to medical reasons must be accompanied by a written letter from a physician or other medical professional.

A written termination notice must be sent to admin@piano-tutor.co.uk, stating the student’s full name, type of lessons, and reason for leaving. Notifying the tutor verbally or not attending lessons does not qualify as a formal withdrawal notice.

We reserve the right to suspend students and terminate lessons for poor attendance, any unreasonable conduct or repeatedly breach of this contract. If this occurs, no refunds will be available even for any unattended lesson paid in advance.

Trial Lessons

Trial lessons are available for all students to meet the teacher and experience lessons.
The trial lesson policy at our studio allows you to attend two lessons on a trial basis without having to register beforehand. This means you do not have to pay a deposit, registration fee, or blocked tuition fee in advance. The first trial lesson is discounted and limited to a one-time session of 30 minutes for a fee of £20. As a follow-up to the first trial lesson, if the student desires to take two more trial lessons, normal tuition fees will apply.

The trial lesson fee must be paid at the start of the lesson. Parents/guardians/carers of younger students are encouraged to attend the entire trial lesson and if necessary, they can attend the first 3 lessons.

Note: Following the trial lesson, you are required to complete a registration form and choose between term, monthly, or pay-as-you-go lessons.

Cooling-Off Period Policy

Under the Cooling-off Period Policy New Students have the right to cancel the Contract, without reason, for a period of two weeks from the date on which it is entered into. This cancellation period (cooling-off period) applies to only new students at the term rate, starts on the first lesson, and lasts for 14 calendar days.

In order to exercise your right to cancel, you must send an email to admin@piano-tutor.co.uk before the cooling-off period has expired in order to do so.

If the student or parents/guardians have paid in advance for lessons that they have not taken, the fees will be refunded.

Please note that according to our Cooling-off Period Policy, No refunds will be given after the expiration date of the cooling-off period strictly.

If the student gives their express consent and cancels the contract within the 2 week cooling off period, he or she will have to pay for any lessons provided by the teacher. During those two weeks, if the teacher does not obtain this express consent, the student may cancel the contract and receive a full refund of monies paid to the teacher (regardless of whether lessons have actually been delivered).

Schedule for Lessons

Music lessons offered by Piano Tutor Music Studio either face-to-face or via live virtual connections continue most of the year, with the exception of New Year’s Day – Jan 1, Good Friday, and Christmas 23-27. Please Note:  Bank holiday- Monday students will have music lessons when there is no school or reschedule with your teacher if needed.

Typically, music lessons last 30 minutes, 45 minutes, or 60 minutes, and are given once a week. However, Lessons may be offered at different lengths based on the agreement between the teacher and the student.

Students and teachers can schedule extra lessons any time during term or holiday periods by mutual agreement at a cost that is mutually agreed upon.

Attendance at lessons should be regular and punctual. At the agreed time, students should arrive on time and not more than 5 minutes early. Late students will only use the time left in their lesson as the lesson time cannot be extended. However, if a teacher is late, time will be made up at an agreed-upon time.
When registering, students, parents and guardians must agree that in-person students must take online live lessons and make-up lessons and, in certain circumstances, will be required to switch to online classes.

Students who attend classes online will be subject to the same terms and conditions as those who attend in-person classes.

Online Lessons

Live virtual learning can be a highly effective way to deliver music education, although it is not the same as face-to-face music lessons and activities. It is still very effective for learning and helps students to enjoy very different benefits for its flexibility, for the use of make-up lessons, save travel time, unexpected urgent matters, and during social distancing.

This online learning platform will only be used for the purpose of studying music within these term and conditions under the direction of your tutor.
Online applications and lessons will be monitored and logged.

For online learning, use a student or parent/guardian/career email and a teacher email. Neither we nor anyone else will have access to your password or personal information. It is important that a parent/carer is present/visible with the younger child at the beginning and end of the lesson for safety and practical help, as well as within earshot during it and the students must be dressed appropriately when they are in class
The level of adult involvement will depend on the student’s age. Younger children need some help to stay focused and feel safe. Older children may feel shy with too much adult involvement.When using online technology, students are responsible for their behaviour and actions, including how they access resources and what they say. Communicate respectfully and interact patiently with the teacher in a sensible manner.
As with face-to-face lessons, under these terms and conditions, your lesson will be forfeited if you miss the booking time slot.
Without my teacher’s permission, students will not make large downloads or uploads that might increase internet capacity and prevent other users from doing their work.

It is prohibited to take photos and record of pupils, teachers, or others in any medium during online face-to-face lessons & activities, record any of the online lessons, to upload, download, forward or access any material that may be considered offensive or illegal, which may cause harm or distress to others in the future.

Furthermore, it is not permitted to download, record, reproduce or distribute copies of the aforementioned works without prior written permission.

Parents must not share teaching resources of any kind from Piano Tutor with other interested parties such as other music tutors understanding that they are for the sole use of your child.

Students must promptly report any illegal, inappropriate, or harmful information (i.e. bullying, harassment, threats, abuse, pornography, personal issues, or upset anyone) to a Piano Tutor, parent/guardian/career.

It is also Piano Tutor’s right to take action against students involved in inappropriate behavior, which is covered in this agreement. The term includes incidents that occur during lessons, during remote learning, and when online applications are used in the incident.

If students violate these Terms & Conditions, they may be barred from using Piano Tutor, terminated from lessons, reported to the Governors or the Local Authority, or the police may be involved.

Missed Lessons / Cancellation

If a lesson has been booked or a fee has been paid, cancellation must be made at least 24 hours in advance.

If a student misses a lesson without notice or cancels without 24 hours’ notice, the lesson fee is forfeited, and this lesson cannot be made-up or credited.

In the event that you miss 2 weeks of lessons in a row or more without giving notice, we reserve the right to reallocate your timeslot to another student and terminate your lessons without a refund.

Please note that as a general rule, for all paid lessons, students are expected to attend and the refunds will not be allowed unless a medical reason is provided.

Likewise, if a teacher is absent, ill, or unavailable, the lesson will be rescheduled at a mutually convenient time. However, if a student cannot attend a make-up lesson or online lesson, or does not have alternative availability, Piano Tutor will credit their lesson for future use or refund them. (Note: Refunds are subject to the sole discretion of Piano-Tutor)

In the event that the usual teacher is unable to teach a student’s lessons, Piano Tutor reserves the right to provide a substitute teacher.

Make-up / Rescheduled Lesson

Make-up lessons are only available if you cancel less than 24 hours before the student’s scheduled lesson. However, it is not possible to make up a lesson without notice, within 24 hours of the lesson, or after the lesson begins. A make-up lesson cannot be rescheduled a second time if you do not show up for the first one.
It is not the teacher’s responsibility to remind you about the make-up lesson. In case you do not show up for your make-up lesson (even without any reminder), you will not be able to reschedule.
In the event that the in-person lesson cannot be rescheduled within 10 days after the date of the missed lesson, the lesson will be automatically transferred to online.

As a top priority, we provide a make-up lesson online if a in-person face-to-face lesson is missed; the teacher has the final say on what can be done.

Moreover, It is important to note that all make-up lessons will expire once the course has been terminated on the last lesson date of your payment plan (Term/Month/Pay-as-you-go).

Term Plan students can take a maximum of two make-up lessons every term. Make-up lessons must be taken before the end of the registered term in order to qualify for credit.

Monthly Plan students can take only one make-up lesson every month, and the make-up lesson must be taken before the end of the month registered for.

Pay-as-you-go Plan students can take a make-up lesson only within the 10 days of absence.

Make-up lesson can be rearranged for that same week, at an alternate time/day within the week, or added after/before the original lesson time, in-person and live online but this solely subject to the tutor’s availability.

With proper notice given, if your missed lesson on the last date of your payment plan, you missed lesson must be rearranged within 10 days after the date of that missed lesson. Lessons that are not used within 10 days of the absence will be forfeited. The 10-day period will start on the missed day the date you missed in the last lesson of plan payment.

Make-up lessons are not available for additional absences for any reason. Including, but not limited to, sports, short-term illness, clubs, parties, activities, forgetfulness, tiredness, not practicing, workload, poor student internet connection or a student’s faulty device, etc. In case of additional missed lessons within 24 hours, we will not reschedule them unless in an exceptional circumstance (e.g. medical reason, family emergency, funeral).

Furthermore, in the case of pre-planned events, such as school breaks, exam, visits, trips, religious and statutory holidays, please notify the teacher as soon as possible or when booking/paying the lessons.

Learning Material & Media Files

Students or parents/guardians are responsible for paying for all music educational materials provided by the teacher (books, accessories, supplementary lessons).

These materials once purchased are strictly non-refundable. This may be due to the fact that the purchaser will have access to the files and material forever, even if they are not satisfied with their purchase. It is important for you to be aware of this before making a purchase.
Other music-related events and entry fees, such as concerts, festivals, competitions, examinations, and other performance opportunities, are not covered by tuition fees. There must be a separate payment for each.

Photographs & Videos

Except where specifically requested in writing, Piano Tutor is permitted to take and use photographs and videos of students during lessons, concerts, and events for promotional purposes, including advertisements, social media posts, and websites created by Piano-Tutor.

The right to copy and use digital media provided by students or their parents/guardians belongs to us.

During the performance, any photos, audio, and video you take are strictly for your personal use and public consumption of such material is strictly prohibited. Do not upload or post them on any public internet sites, including social media sites.

Discounts on Tuition & Music Material

If a student enrolls in 2 or more 60-minute private music lessons, they will receive a 5% discount. The discount will be taken from the less expensive tuition(s).

Families with 2 or more members taking 2 or more 60-minute individual lessons within a family will receive a 5% discount. The discount will be taken from the less expensive tuition(s).

We offer 10% off ABRSM and OUP music publications to our students who purchase them through our Piano Tutor service.

Bursaries & Music Fund

Bursaries are funds specifically designed to support children in need of financial assistance in order to continue their music lessons. The administration at Piano Tutor is happy to discuss the specifics of these bursaries with any interested parents. Also, few funders make financial support available for learners to achieve their musical potential, demonstrate their enthusiasm, and demonstrate their dedication to learning an instrument. Although these funds can only be granted at their sole discretion, we can only help present your case to them. In general, the bursaries are offered on a case-by-case basis, taking into account each child’s individual needs and circumstances. The goal of the bursary Programme is to ensure that no talented young musician is denied the opportunity to learn and grow through music education due to financial constraints. The Music Fund or certain funders will cover some fees even if the student is not outstanding.

Safety & Health

Music teachers are responsible for the safety of students only while their lesson time in the studio under the teacher’s supervision.

Parents, guardians, or caregivers should accompany their children to the lesson and collect them promptly after the lesson has ended.

Students, parents/guardians/careers might be charged if they willfully damage music studio equipment.

Any medical or other condition that may affect the student’s learning experience and interaction should be disclosed to the Teacher in the interests of the student’s wellbeing.

Force Majeure

The music studio cannot be liable if a lesson is cancelled due to Force Majeure. This is because Force Majeure is an unforeseen event that is out of the studio’s control.

Force Majeure includes but is not limited to a war, civil war, armed conflict, terrorist attack, government action, fire, flood, inclement weather, lock down, pandemic (including Covid-19) or epidemic or any other matter that is beyond our control.

By registering, you agree that all students enrolled in in-person lessons will be required to switch to online classes in the case of force majeure. Whenever possible, we will strive to resume our face-to-face lessons as soon as possible.

Policy Revisions

It is pertinent to note that Piano Tutor reserves the right to modify any published program, policy, requirement, rule, or regulation, as well as associated fees, charges from time to time and without prior notice.

If You do not agree to such provisions, you must stop using the service with immediate effect. Your continuous use of the service will be deemed to signify Your acceptance of the amended provisions of the Agreement. To keep up-to-date with the changes in our Terms & Conditions, we recommend that you visit our webpage periodically so you can be sure you are aware of any changes.

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