Introduction
Über Tutors Ltd. is a limited company with a registration number in the United Kingdom. Über Tutors is a London-based private tutoring, mentoring, and advising service in education and early career needs. We undertake our tutoring and consultation services in London and online worldwide.
By confirming a placement, as either a Tutor/Consultant or a Client, you explicitly agree to Über Tutors’ Terms of Service. Our Terms of Service shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the United Kingdom.
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General
Uber Tutors reserves the right to reasonably alter these terms and conditions. Unless otherwise agreed in writing by a Director of Über Tutors, and with the exception of specific employment contracts, these terms and conditions shall prevail over any other terms of business or conditions put forward by the Client or the Tutor/Consultant.
Once a tutorial/session is confirmed, the Tutor/Consultant/Advisor, hereforth mentioned as the “Tutor” and the “Client” (the student, or the student’s parent/guardian) have entered into an explicit agreement as governed by Uber Tutors’ Service Agreement Documentation (provided on request). Uber Tutors acts as an agent on behalf of the freelance Tutor and the Client, unless the Tutor is in our direct employ. Uber Tutors is only responsible for finding students and matching them with an appropriate tutor for the specific subject/project. Responsibility for the content of lessons, professional conduct and the teaching methods employed, remain with the freelance tutor.
Uber Tutors has a zero tolerance policy on unethical academic practices including, but not limited to plagiarism and intellectual property violation. When matching a Tutor with a Client, it will always be made clear that any such unethical practices can result in the immediate cancellation of a tutorial and disciplinary action up to and including dismissal of the tutor. Uber Tutors accept no responsibility for any type of plagiarism, and full liability of any such issues and/or issues relating to their formal submission of their work lies with the Client only. A Client’s work should always be their own and in cases of ‘self-plagiarism’, the Client must adhere to their university’s specific practices.
Below are guidelines for the conduct of tuition. AsTutors are self-employed freelance professionals, all charges are subject to the discretion and best judgement of the Tutor matched for your needs, and administered through Uber Tutors. We offer the following as common practices in the industry, that should be expected unless otherwise specified by the Tutor.
Cancellation Policy
Cancellations of any of our service programmes, once it has reached the stage of invoicing will incur a fee of 20% of the invoice mentioned if there are cancellations. This is because our staff have undertaken extensive work and the payment is duly fair. Cancellations of lessons/education consultations are generally not allowed in order for tutors/staff to run programmes and sessions smoothly as per project agreements, however, in the instance of emergencies where cancellation can be applied, the Client and the Tutor should notify the other in advance, with a minimum of 24 hours notice prior to the arranged session start time (this includes any online submissions scheduled). An alternative date for full lesson time must be coordinated at the time of cancellation for the missed lesson, to be made up within 7 days. If a tutorial is cancelled by the Client within 24 hours of the arranged tutorial start time, and is not rescheduled within 24 hours, then the Client is liable for that tutorial time as scheduled. This amount will be handled by Uber Tutors on behalf of the Tutor and will be deducted from the total booking. If the Tutor cancels within 24 hours of the tutorial/session, and no rescheduling date is agreed upon, the Client is permitted to request another Tutor.
We ask both Clients and Tutors to arrange holidays in such a way as to not inconvenience regular programmes and if arranged during programme time, to give appropriate notice to each other and to Uber Tutors management in order to take required measures. Tutoring sessions must end by the agreed programme, with an allowance of 7 days to make up any missed times, given the Tutor and Client are mutually available to one another. Outside of this limit, all missed hours by the Client will be deducted for fairness purposes.
Placement Fees
There are currently no placement fees for registration or organisation of programmes. However, cancellations of any of our service programmes, once it has reached the stage of invoicing will incur a fee of 20% of the invoice mentioned if there are cancellations. This is because our staff have undertaken extensive work and the payment is duly fair.
Late Arrival Policy
If the Client arrives late, without sufficient prior notice in writing (ideally) and telephone call, and the Tutor cannot overrun past the allotted tutorial the same day or in future lessons, to make up for this missed time, then the missed time is billable to the Client. If the Tutor arrives late, without sufficient prior notice (again in writing ideally and telephone call), and the Client cannot arrange for the missed time that sesson or in the future, then the Client is not liable for the missed time.
For fairness to both parties, we ask that both Tutors and Clients behave with professionalism, clear communication, courtesy and consideration of both parties’ time each session, and agree mutually on fair arrangements for both parties, should sessions start late or if cancelled due to emergency or holiday reasons.
Refund Policy
If as Client, you are not happy with your Tutor/Advisor, you must inform Uber Tutors’ management team immediately after the first lesson so that we can change the Tutor for you based on your feedback. If we do not have another suitable Tutor for your programme, we will refund the remainder of your booking package. In cases of a one off booking, if you are unhappy with the Tutor, you must leave the lesson before its finish time and contact us at that time, ideally in writing – if the Client has not contacted us at that time, Uber Tutors cannot guarantee a refund for this one off booking, as the payment may already be with the Tutor. In the case of the Client wanting a refund for a one off past tuition, when payment has been made to the Tutor already, a Director will speak to the Tutor on the Client’s behalf to better understand the reason for the refund. Uber Tutors cannot guarantee a refund in this instance and accept no liability for any consequences that arise from the tuition.
Damages
Uber Tutors do not accept any liability for any claims by the Client arising out of, or related to, Tuition and/or sessions undertaken by our free lance Tutors/Advisors/Consultants. By accepting these terms and conditions you agree to indemnify Uber Tutors, without limit, in respect of any such claims.
Approval
Acceptance of and payment for of our services is an explicit agreement to these Terms and Conditions.
Clients
Uber Tutors is a bespoke education consultancy and it undertakes all reasonable measures to hire, vet and protocol train all its free lance Tutors/Consultants on professional conduct, however, when matching Tutors and Consultants with Clients, it acts as agent on behalf of the self-employed tutor (Tutor) and will introduce the Tutor to the client (Client) and follow up to check on progress. Uber Tutors is only responsible for finding and matching students with an appropriate teacher or advisors for the specific subject or need, and is not responsible for the content of lessons nor the teaching methods of the tutor, nor does Uber Tutors accept any liability for the consequences of such tuition, including, but not limited to, exam results, students’ plagiarism, formal and timely submission of work and results received.
Fees and Payment
The billing process will be under the control of Uber Tutors for the convenience of all parties. All bookings of our tutors and payments for any of our services is to be undertaken only through direct booking and payment to Uber Tutors management staff. All payments and fees are to remain confidential between the Tutor/Advisor/Consultant and our Client due to our equity based financial system which makes private tutoring/advising accessible to students of diverse income backgrounds, including those of lower income status. Tutors are not paid based on commission fees but according to a rate agreed with the Tutor in advance.
Payment is undertaken by bank transfer to our account details from a client or through Direct Debit using the GoCardless system. Authorisation allows the amount invoiced each week to be taken directly from The Client’s bank account. For non-UK accounts, a Stripe invoice, or PayPal invoice can be sent with a PayPal surcharge of 5.1% + 20p, or for bulk payments, a bank account transfer can be arranged.
Only by making payment, or authorising Direct Debit, will the programme requested be confirmed. The Tutor will then be contacted to inform them that the booking has taken place and advised to proceed with the tuition.
After the tuition is carried out, The Tutor will add their completed hours to their schedule in our feedback form sent after each session to the Client and to our staff, and/or in the future, in a time management software called Tutor Cruncher.
Payment can be made either via electronic bank transfer, cheque, via PayPal, or any other method specified by Uber Tutors, but must be agreed upon before payment is made. Payments made via PayPal will be charged 3.4% + 20p for UK placements, and 5.1% + 20p for payments coming from outside the UK.
Cash/Direct Payments
Uber Tutors advises that payment is never made directly to the Tutor/Consultant. Uber Tutors cannot guarantee that such payments will be verified, and accepts to responsibility in the case of a dispute arising from such a payment.
Late Payment
If payment has not be received for tuition within 5 (calendar) days of the invoice date, the sessions cannot start and your booking will be cancelled. However, if the Client wishes to continue with booking and our Tutor has the possibility of restarting Uber Tutors will be entitled to charge a £20 Late Payment Administrative Fee. If payment has not been received within 30 days of the invoice date, and our Tutor has already provided service, Uber Tutors reserves the right to take legal action against The Client to reclaim any outstanding debts on behalf of the Tutor, for the full amount due, plus any legal expenses incurred during the process. Failure to attend a court date will likely lead to a Country Court judgement against the Client. Late payments and late payment fees will be administered through Stripe for speed and convenience.
Expenses
The Tutor may wish to charge additional expenses such as text books and travel expenses to the Client, but these must be agreed upon before each tutorial with the Client, and a manager at Uber Tutors must be informed in writing of such an agreement if the Tutor wishes to charge such expenses through our invoicing system. These expenses will not be included in the invoice unless stated by the Tutor. We recommend that the Client buys on their own any material for the lessons (recommended by the Tutor).
Group Tutorials
In the case of group tutorials, a discounted rate per person will be offered. If one or more of the Clients do not attend the tutorial, the tutorial will be charged at the standard hourly rate of the tutor.
Liability
Uber Tutors do not accept any liability for any claims by the Client arising out of, or related to, the carrying out of the tutoring/consulting by a Tutor/Consultant introduced by Uber Tutors.
Tutors/Consultants/Advisors
We supply all of our Tutors with training in person or online on our professional protocols, documents, confidentiality issues, and advice on how to undertake lessons, developed from our own and other tutors’ experiences. We expect all work undertaken through Uber Tutors to be conducted in an absolutely appropriate and professional, organised and confidential manner. Where it is not, we reserve the right to terminate our relationship with the Tutor/Consultant in question.
The following arrangements are understood and agreed by both parties:
Self Employment
All new tutors/advisors/consultants working with Uber Tutors have Self-Employment status in the UK and are responsible for their conduct with Clients organised through Uber Tutors. They are also fully responsible for their own tax affairs, unless they have a specific employment contract with us. Tutors are free to work with other employers, and Uber Tutors only ask for absolute confidentiality regarding all information and documents shared by Uber Tutors with the Tutor/Consultant regarding Clients, payments and other information related to our practices. We also ask that they consider the effect of other commitments on their work with Clients introduced through Uber Tutors. Uber Tutors reserves the right to request National Insurance and Unique Tax Payer References on behalf of HRMC if asked to do so.
Right to Work
Please note that students on Tier 4 Student Visa cannot be Self Employed and so cannot work for Uber Tutors without an employment contract. Please check your Visa before applying for work through Uber Tutors. By accepting work with Uber Tutors, you are agreeing that you have the right to be self employed, and must let a Director know if this is not the case. This will terminate your work with Uber Tutors and could violate your right to remain in the UK.
Private Arrangements
In consideration of Uber Tutors introducing you to Clients, we ask that you do not make private arrangements or enter into private agreements with Clients without first consulting the Director or a manager at Uber Tutors. Such introductions could damage Uber Tutors brand name, and we must monitor the quality of all tutors/advisors/consultants that are introduced through our service. Uber Tutors are happy to negotiate your fee or rate of pay for new clients referred to you, as well as reasonable expenses incurred, and Uber Tutors will process the billing. In appropriate circumstances, a self-employed tutor may subcontract such work, through introduction of another Tutor to Uber Tutors, but must first consult with a Director. A Tutor must make it clear in their job bid if they do not intend to personally undertake the work.
Environment & Scheduling
The Tutor and the Client are responsible for finding and agreeing upon a suitable environment in which tuition/sessions can take place. For students younger than 18 years of age, home tutoring as organised and agreed by the student’s guardian or parents must be undertaken. Tutors/Consultants take full responsibility for organising and conducting their own tutorials. Please call a director for advice if you are unsure of where to meet. It is your responsibility as a professional tutor/advisor to find a safe and suitable working space in which to conduct your tuition. You are also expected as a professional tutor to understand the highest standard of professionalism, punctuality, sense of organisation and scheduling, and how to conduct your lessons in a highly satisfactory fashion which will compliment Uber Tutors reputation.
Payment
Uber Tutors will set a tutor’s pay rate for each tutoring project. The rate paid to you as the Tutor is based on various factors taken into consideration. Uber Tutors does not operate or charge based on commission fees, as our fees are unique to our approach as a bespoke education consultancy (not a standard agency), and our sliding scale financial system, which makes private tutoring and our services affordable and accessible to students of diverse income background.
Tutorials must be added to your Uber Tutors Feedback Report (which highlights date/duration/hours left of undertaken lesson), to be sent to the Client and the manager in charge of booking via email immediately after each lesson. This may be done in the future through theTutorCruncher calendar for invoicing. You must keep a record of all lessons taught (or cancelled with less than 24hrs notice) as well as expenses incurred on behalf of the client. We must see your feedback report as sent to the Client after each lesson within 24 hours or lesson of the lesson/session, as reasonable. We highly recommend sending the feedback forms immediately after the lessons – they must include all instructions in the feedback form. If a client disputes hours that are stated in a late feedback form, OR if the hours used are not as per initial agreement of booking/lessons (in the Client’s Assessment Form or other communication agreed to), we will unlikely be able to pay Tutors/Consultants of hours disputed. Uber Tutors can issue you with time sheets and we advise that these be signed after each tutorial.
You are advised not to accept payments to Uber Tutors from the Client and to direct the Client to Uber Tutors’ management staff – this is because our payment rates for students of diverse backgrounds are kept confidential and we cannot verify if the correct amount has been paid, and therefore runs the risk of false payment claims by Clients. Uber Tutors sends an invoice to the client on behalf of our self employed Tutors and Consultants. You will not be entitled to receive your fee until Uber Tutors has received payment from the Client – however, we normally request payments in advance of requesting your commitment. If Uber Tutors does not receive payment in a reasonable time period, Tutors may obtain written permission from a Director of Uber Tutors to invoice the Client directly.
You undertake to Uber Tutors that you will duly pay the tax and national insurance contributions which are due from you whether in the United Kingdom or elsewhere in relation to the payments made to you by Uber Tutors under this Agreement. You further agree to indemnify Uber Tutors in respect of all and any income tax and national insurance contributions which may be found to be due by you under this agreement together, with any interest, penalties or gross-up therein.
For the purposes of record keeping, you will account for the full fee due to you from the Client as income.
Data Protection Act
Uber Tutors uses tutor data for the purposes of the services that it provides. Tutors providing personal data consent to the use of that data by Uber Tutors for the purpose of effecting introductions to clients, for billing and fee collecting purposes, and to enable Uber Tutors to contact the tutor from time to time. Outside of these purposes, Tutors and Consultants at Uber Tutors must use absolute confidentiality and professionalism with data. Once the programme and the Tutor’s services have ended and/or terminated, the Tutor must dispose of all data, documents and information for the Client confidentially.
Plagiarism
Whilst working with clients, you must not break any rules that apply to the students under their own agreements with the schools or universities at which they attend. It is forbidden for any tutor to plagiarise any other person’s work without acknowledgement, and also to attempt to write any dissertation material, essays, problem set answers or exam solutions for the student to attempt to pass off as their own work. It is imperative that all of our professional tutors and advisors act morally, ethically and legally in conducting their work. Any tutors found to be supporting such activities will be dismissed and may find themselves legally liable for damages sought from their client.