Royal Academy for Music

Complaint: We are seeking a refund of [redacted] prepaid tuition. We have complied with all requirements and have tried to contact [redacted] but no response.My kids took Violin and Guitar in home private lessons with Instructors from Royal academy. I paid for lessons for 2 months and no lessons were conducted. Teacher didn't show up at the scheduled times. They called on the day of the lesson to reschedule and never came for make up.Full summary of payments and their receipt was provided to [redacted] and refund/ make up lessons were requested. He refused to pay the money and never gave the lessons as well. Service at the academy was so poor. No one is ever available on the desk to answer questions. [redacted] doesn't pick up his phone or responds to emails. Instructors that come home are left on their own with no responsibility. I will never ever recommend this school of music to anyone. Desired SettlementWe are seeking a refund of [redacted] prepaid tuition.Business Response I am very saddened to read this complaint and I will address it immediately to ensure the highest level of satisfaction to this customer.Please kindly ask the complainant to please reference the teacher she had at the academy and the correct spelling of her children's names. Respectfully, we have no student with the last name she referenced.Thank you,[redacted]Final Business Response I am not sure if this is the correct way to notify you. The case listed below has been resolved between the academy and the customer (Ms. [redacted]). After researching previous information about what occurred with our teachers and discussing this with her we came to a resolution. We did end up creditingMs. [redacted] the amount she requested. She is aware I am writing to you and we wish to dismiss or close this case. Youa re more than welcome to confrm this with her

We are seeking a refund of [redacted] prepaid tuition. We have complied with all requirements and have tried to contact [redacted] but no response.We appeared for regularly scheduled lesson then learned instructor was on vacation 4-5 weeks. When [redacted] returned, we received call asking about reschedule. For unrelated reasons, we had to cancel future lessons. [redacted] said she would advise [redacted] and he would be in touch. To date, I have left five phone message (1 live and 4 v/mails) and sent e-mail via the website but no response.Desired SettlementSeeking $178.00 refund for prepaid tuition that was not used due to instructor absence followed by our outright cancellation.Business Response Contact Name and Title: [redacted]Contact Phone: XXX-XXX-XXXXContact Email: [redacted]@aol.comI spoke with [redacted] on Friday [redacted] at around 2:30PM and assured him that we would be sending him a refund in the amount of [redacted] per lesson lesson). He was at first unsure if he was due 2 weeks or 3 weeks but said he believd it was 3 weeks. I told him we would credit him 3 weeks. A check was sent to him on [redacted],in the amount of $[redacted] and mailed to: [redacted], ** XXXXX. We assumed he received his check and have not heard anything from him since. I would be happy to either send him a replacement check or he is more than welcome to pick up a check at our [redacted] school. As you know we are an A+ Revdex.com Member and I hope this will have no reflection on our status as we did send this check to [redacted]. This was just before the holidays and if something happened to that check it was beyond our control. Once again, I am happy to send another one or he can pick one up at the school.Final Consumer Response (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)As of [redacted] we haven't received the refund check. Is it possible to have check reissued. Also, I was mistaken. The refund should have been in full [redacted] We brought that check the night that [redacted] had left for extended vacation and actually did not have any lessons after that. Thank you.Final Business Response Respectfully, The [redacted] paid for lessons in October of [redacted] for [redacted] Their instructor, ([redacted] was away from [redacted] through [redacted]. The [redacted]'s received a lesson on [redacted] from [redacted] (before [redacted] left) which left 3 weeks of make-up lessons upon **. [redacted] return, for the [redacted] and [redacted] The lesson duration was [redacted] per 45 minute lesson. [redacted] x 3 weeks is what was initially mentioned (out of good faith)for re-imbursement [redacted] to [redacted]. Secondly, the [redacted] was offered a substitute for lessons when [redacted] returned but he told me they'd rather wait for [redacted] to return on the [redacted] Per the registration form signed by [redacted], it states that "SELF RENEWING TUITION: Although the Royal Academy's tuition period is on a "month to month" basis, all tuition is self renewing on the 25th, of each month. This means, that, in the event you wish to discontinue lessons, you are required to notify (only) the Director, either in person, by phone, or in writing, before the 25th, of the current month, before the upcoming month begins. Please note that a student will continue to accumulate monthly fee's if their tuition is not up to date prior to/or after discontinuing. Telling your instructor you are discontinuing will not be an accepted form of discontinuing lessons." This is also clearly stated on our website at http://royalacademyarts.com/terms/. We were not notified that they were discontinuing lessons until [redacted] The 3 Lessons that were owed make-ups for in October were open to be made-up when the teacher returned. This policy on make-ups is also clearly stated on our registration form(signed by [redacted]) "TEACHER ABSENCE: All instructor absences will be offered a make-up lesson prior to, or after an instructor is absent. Tuition Credits are not given for an instructor absence. This type of make-up lesson is not counted against a student as one of the 3 (three) allowed make-up lessons per year. also stated on our website at"http://royalacademyarts.com/terms/. The [redacted]'s are owed 3 make-up lessons with **. [redacted], in addition, they did not cancel lessons with the academy until [redacted] when we contacted them to remind them that their teacher will be back the following week. Technically, the [redacted] family owes the school [redacted] for [redacted] and they are awed 3 make-up lessons with the instructor. In good faith we offered to re-imburse [redacted] the 3 weeks the teacher was away and waive November. [redacted].