Swimming lesson refund

gerbiljo

Hi any opinions on this.
My daughter was due to renew her swimming lesson term and it had to be 'paid' by Dec 4th. I paid last Friday. The plan was she was going up a class but she's slightly younger than the official group starting age, which would mean swapping day to keep the same teacher, which I wanted to do although they will not guarantee this.
Yesterday they said she's not allowed to move up until half term but the teacher I currently have is no longer working Fridays so I wanted to swap to a Thursday but I think as lots of people like her the Thursday class is full so I have to go on a waiting list. And we wouldn't know what class we got until between Xmas and new year when they sort all the classes out.
I had been in two minds to swap to another local pool which my other daughter attends because u can pay monthly and there's more changing rooms and it's generally nicer but I held off as I thought she was going to start going in on her own quicker and if I can escape the pool now I'd be quite happy. Because she wasn't going up and I would probably be swapping to another teacher I thought I'd try another pool and by luck they had a place on Thursday, usually it's hard to get in there so I booked. I knew I might struggle to get a refund...
Anyway my husband called up yesterday within an hour of getting home from the lesson to say as we were prob changing teachers etc we would like to cancel, to which they said it's not their policy to give refunds and he would have to talk to an owner and he'd call back and he never did. We sent an email requesting they call today so we can have a refund again they never did.
I presume we would be eligible for a refund? We still have a receipt and have not received the service, the lessons aren't due to start until 6th January. Also the payment deadline to keep your slot is 4dec which it isn't yet so we need not of even paid yet, I just like to be organised 😬. Was paid on credit card but price was £70. Any opinions would be great. Just to add they have a waiting list so I don't think they will even struggle to fill the place.
Thanks

bris

You need to read their terms but I would say teachers come and go and it's not up to you who teaches the lessons unless you stipulated in the contract who your teacher was to be.


They can however re sell the place, if they do that then you are entitled to a refund, this is of course if they sell to capacity.

susancs

bris wrote: »

You need to read their terms but I would say teachers come and go and it's not up to you who teaches the lessons unless you stipulated in the contract who your teacher was to be.


They can however re sell the place, if they do that then you are entitled to a refund, this is of course if they sell to capacity.

I totally agree with Bris. It does not matter that the deadline for booking an paying was a few days after that that the classes have not started, if you have paid for the classes and there is no refund built into the terms and conditions then you would not be entitled to a refund. That would also seem fair if they have turned away clients because you have booked and paid for the place. However if as you say they have a waiting list then they can mitigate their losses by offering that place to someone else. I would email them and ask that they offer the place to someone on their waiting list to mitigate any losses and if they do, you will expect a refund.

gerbiljo

Thanks guys. As far as terms and conditions go I am not sure, I mean I just usually get a paper receipt hand written so there is no official contract as such. I guess if the worse comes to worse I will see if I can get a credit note as my sister still goes there. Obviously if I don't get a refund she will just get two swimming lessons a week as they won't be keeping the money and not giving me lessons so I guess they can help someone on their waiting list who might stay there or i will keep the place I just might not be able to go every week!

gerbiljo

Also I meant to say, I paid for the preschool classes rather than the toddler classes, which are cheaper so to stay in my current class I haven't actually paid the full balance