yoga payment problem

[Guest guest]

Looking for guidance on how to handle a dispute with my teacher over payments.

I urged my boyfriend to take up ashtanga, and he very much wants to do it

seriously. I urged him to take advantage of a 30-classes-for-$300 special at

our local studio. He never used most of the classes and, according to the

studio, they have now expired. He is furious, both at me for urging him to buy

them & at the studio for basically saying that his money is now lost. He wants

me to either sort it out with the studio that he can use the classes once his

school term ends or pay him back myself. I am completely broke; can't usually

pay my rent from month-to-month. No way I can (or would) pay him back. I would

like for him to be able to use the classes -- it doesn't make any sense that

they expire after a certain number of months/years, but I don't want to damage

my relationship w/this yoga studio. If I didn't care, I'd bring out the big

guns (his father is a lawyer) but I don't want to create any hostility with the

studio or my teachers there. My dad (a devoted ashtangi) thinks we should just

swallow the money to preserve the relationship but we are both grad students and

can't be wasting money like this. It is a significant amount of money to us. I

don't feel right going there & shelling out more money for classes when there is

money that has already been paid but can't be used. I've avoided going back to

the studio for several weeks now because of this. I actually went somewhere

else to take a few classes instead because the situation is just too awkward but

I do want to go back there as I really like the owner & it is the best ashtanga

place around.

 

Amanda in NYC

 

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[Guest guest]

I also was surprised to learn that classes at a local studio had an

expiration date, but it was clearly stated on my class "punch card"

and in their policy statement. Many places have this policy in place,

and it's not out of line to enforce it, whether students think it is

fair or not. I "lost" several classes at one studio as well due to my

inattention, but I guess the lesson is that it was up to me as a

student to check class policies prior to payment.An expensive lesson,

but I'll always check thoroughly henceforth.

 

G.

[Guest guest]

Hi,

My studio (www.SantoshaYoga.net)

Has a very balanced expiration policy.

 

If your card expires, you lose the classes that were in excess of the

single class price. So, for instance, if you buy 10 classes for $100,

and it expires, your card is still good for 7 classes total (7 X $14

~= $100)

 

This is a great compromise, as the student still gets classes, but at

the one class price, and the studio doesn't lose a student over it.

 

Sometimes people go away for months at a time, or just drop practice.

I've seen how happy they are when they come back, see the big expiry

notice on their card, but then learn that they still have a few

classes to get back into the rhythm. Maybe next time they buy a

smaller card.

 

So ask your teacher if this could be worked out in your situation,

just be honest and let them know that it means a lot to you, and you'd

like to continue at the studio.

 

All the best,

 

Chris