Swimming class refund

Moray99

Hi - my children attended an intensive swimming class during the October holidays. They were meant to have 1:2 teaching every day. However on the last day the boiler in the pool was broken so the class couldn't go ahead. The swimming class company is now refusing to give me my money back. They have offered a credit for future intensive swimming classes or for their normal weekly swimming classes. However, my children do weekly classes elsewhere and I feel that they are forcing me to spend more money with them in order to get back the money I am owed. What are my rights - surely they are obliged to refund if they have provided what I paid for?

Thank you

Moray99

browneyedbazzi

So you paid for lessons, most of which your children received. One lesson has had to be postponed because of a problem at the pool.

How is that forcing you to spend more money? They're still going to provide the lesson, just on a different date, aren't they?

McKneff

How much are we talking about here.

LilElvis

browneyedbazzi wrote: »

So you paid for lessons, most of which your children received. One lesson has had to be postponed because of a problem at the pool.

How is that forcing you to spend more money? They're still going to provide the lesson, just on a different date, aren't they?

They haven't offered to provide the outstanding lesson, but a credit towards a future booking. As swimming classes are generally provided by booking a course the OP would, therefore, have to spend additional money in order to utilise the credit - something she doesn't wish to do. It's perfectly reasonable that the OP should be refunded the cost of the missed lesson.

My daughter has been having lessons with Waterbabies for the last 4 years and a couple of lessons get cancelled each year due to the pool not being warm enough or a baby pooping in the pool. They endeavour to reschedule the lesson, but if this can't be done then they always refund rather than carry it forward as a credit towards the next course of lessons. Obviously Waterbabies treat their clients better than the swimming company the OP used.

McKneff

Im just curious, but why would anyone need swimming lessons for FOUR years.


Surely, once you can swim, you can swim, like once you learn to ride a bike, you can ride....??

browneyedbazzi

LilElvis wrote: »

They haven't offered to provide the outstanding lesson, but a credit towards a future booking. As swimming classes are generally provided by booking a course the OP would, therefore, have to spend additional money in order to utilise the credit - something she doesn't wish to do. It's perfectly reasonable that the OP should be refunded the cost of the missed lesson.

If that is the case then I would agree - it's reasonable to expect a refund for the missed class. I thought the credit would be to do the class that was missed at a future date. Since they are 1:2 classes (the OP's 2 children and an instructor I thought??) rather than a group lesson I don't see why they can't just do the class on a different date.

As for the question above about doing swimming lessons for several years -I think that is perfectly reasonable. It takes more than one set of lessons to be a confident swimmer and some people want to learn more than just 'survival' swimming but want to be good or even competitive which requires a lot of tuition.

LilElvis

McKneff wrote: »

Im just curious, but why would anyone need swimming lessons for FOUR years.


Surely, once you can swim, you can swim, like once you learn to ride a bike, you can ride....??

....... the clue is in the name - Waterbabies

Our daughter started at age 3 months and it takes a very, very long time and a serious commitment, not to mention a serious amount of money - £150 for a 'term' of 10 lessons, 4 terms a year, been going for 4 years. She can now swim over 10m unaided - got her swimming badge and certificate in the post this morning so I'm a very proud Mummy :T

Moray99

browneyedbazzi wrote: »

If that is the case then I would agree - it's reasonable to expect a refund for the missed class. I thought the credit would be to do the class that was missed at a future date. Since they are 1:2 classes (the OP's 2 children and an instructor I thought??) rather than a group lesson I don't see why they can't just do the class on a different date.

As for the question above about doing swimming lessons for several years -I think that is perfectly reasonable. It takes more than one set of lessons to be a confident swimmer and some people want to learn more than just 'survival' swimming but want to be good or even competitive which requires a lot of tuition.

Thanks for your reply (and others). That is almost the scenario - except my children have different swimming level abilities and so were in different groups with different instructors. The point of the classes is that the teacher gets to know your child during the week of intensive classes and his/her ability so they can improve rapidly. If they were to have a one off class it would be with a teacher who hadn't taught at least one of them previously and much of the half hour class would probably be taken up with just assessing their ability. Having said that, if they were to offer me that then it is a compromise and I think I would probably go with that.

And I agree about wanting to be able to do more than just swim. I'm a lousy swimmer and still pretty scared of water, so it is important to me that the children are confident and able swimmers.