Payment

Payment and terms

On this page you can find details of:


How to pay for your lessons

The bottom of your invoice describes how it can be paid, including by direct bank transfer, cheque, cash and directly to my PayPal account.

You can also pay your invoice by PayPal, debit card or credit card, either in person or online.

If paying online, complete the form below and select your preferred payment method.

Debit / credit card and PayPal online payments

GBP

Terms and conditions

These terms and conditions form the contract between Martin Fairbairn Music and the pupil or the pupil’s parent or guardian.

Martin Fairbairn Music will:
  • teach the student according to a mutually drafted progress plan
  • give regular spoken or written reports of the student’s progress
  • be punctual in beginning and ending lessons
  • provide an appropriate teaching environment for students coming to the teacher for lessons
The Student (with parental support) will:
  • do the set homework
  • be punctual and bring the necessary books to lessons
  • not give performances or enter for exams without the consent of the teacher
  • provide an appropriate learning environment for a teacher visiting the student’s home and ensure a responsible adult is also on the premises
Fees and policy about missed lessons

The half-hourly fee is £18.00, with effect from 19th August 2024.

Lessons will be charged pro rata according to their length.

Missed lessons will be charged at the usual rate. The teacher may in some circumstances agree to re-schedule the lesson.

Fee rates are reviewed periodically (and at least annually before the beginning of each new academic year), taking account of inflation and market conditions. Increases in fee rates will be notified in advance of them being implemented.

Period of notice to terminate lessons is one week.

Payment schedule

Fees for the full term are to be paid at the beginning of each term. (Terms are: August to October; October to December; January to March; April to June ; and July / August.)

Contract termination

The contract can be cancelled by mutual agreement.


In person or by video conference

I prefer to conduct all piano lessons in-person. However, if you would prefer not to attend in person, I can still use Zoom, Skype etc.

Online piano and keyboard tuition

Have you got a mobile phone, a tablet or laptop, with a camera? Do you have a reasonable internet connection with wifi? If you can answer ‘yes’ to both of these questions, then you can learn piano or keyboard with remotely.

My preferred technology is Zoom, but I am happy to use any other video conferencing software. for example, Facebook Messenger, Skype, Google Meet.

For younger students, their parent or guardian will need to be in the room, and therefore they can also ‘manage’ the phone / tablet / laptop at the same time. For older students and adults, they will need to find a way to position their device so that I can see both them and the keyboard. A quick search on the internet for ‘stand to hold phone for video’ throws up a lot of relatively cheap options.

Most people admit that online teaching is more successful than they had anticipated. It also provides an incentive to practice: even some of the more committed pupils confess that knowing a lesson is only a few days away is a motivating factor that keeps them practising!


Protection of Vulnerable Groups (PVG)

I am a Disclosure Scotland PVG Scheme Member in respect of regulated work, and I’m therefore authorised to teach children and protected adults. Further information about the PVG Scheme is available on the Disclosure Scotland website. A copy of my current scheme membership statement is available below.