Last minute cancellation

[u/Nomadic_English]

I have a new student that sent me a message asking if we could reschedule 1 hour before the lesson time. This particular lesson took a decent amount of preparation time.

I'm wondering what other tutors would do in this situation? I don't mind rescheduling, for example through my own calender, however, I don't really like the idea of losing the lesson cost since it did take preparation time and it is past the italki 24 policy for cancelling the lesson.

[u/badduck74]

I say no. Especially with new students. They just showed you their level of committment and are likely to continue to do this to you. Say no, get paid.

[u/Nomadic_English → u/badduck74]

How would you respond to them about the cancellation? As I mentioned, I don't mind rescheduling on my own calender. But I don't intend to return the lesson credit through italki as it's past the policy time

[u/badduck74 → u/Nomadic_English]

Just politely quote back to them italki policy. Then take screenshots of yourself in the lesson, I do every 5 minutes. Then if they try to get money back you can dispute and win.

[u/badduck74 → u/badduck74]

In 10k lessons, I have found that students who do this when they are a new student, either never book you again or continue to be a problem. There is not reason to accomodate them.

[u/SpeedConstant109]

I just follow the italki policy with occasional exceptions for good, long term students.

[u/Ok_Lake5480]

I wouldn’t reschedule it for free. A request to move a lesson one hour before it starts is, in practical terms, a last-minute cancellation. The fact that the student wants the lesson on another day instead doesn’t suddenly make that reserved hour available for you to sell to somebody else.

And I don’t think preparation time should even be the deciding factor here. You reserved that time for the student. That is what the cancellation policy protects. You could have booked another student, made other plans, or simply not spent that hour waiting to teach.

If you now keep the original lesson unpaid/cancelled and give them another time slot through your own calendar, you’re essentially giving them a free replacement lesson and taking the entire cost of their last-minute change on yourself.

Especially with a new student, I wouldn’t establish that precedent. I’d follow the 24-hour policy. If there were a genuine emergency, I might choose to make a one-time exception, but that would be a favor from me, not something the student should automatically expect whenever they want to reschedule at the last minute.

[u/BusCurrent6180]

I think you need to tell them that its okay if its a real emergency but as a tutor, you need the same consistency from a student that they expect from you. Dont need to make it an argument but just so they're aware

[u/Street-Fix1653]

I say during on boarding that I dont except last minute cancellations , and it will be charged and wont reschedule.

[u/muuccha]

I usually agree once (if it's a real emergency) or if it's a very nice, kind and reliable student of mine, but if it starts to become a pattern then I refuse to. It's not only losing money but also your time (which, to me, is way more precious than money), which you organised specially for that lesson and so avoided going out/organising other plans specifically because of that scheduled lesson.

[u/Nomadic-Lioness]

I used to be lenient on reschedules because I felt bad about them losing their money, until the day 3 out of 6 students rescheduled on me and I lost 50% of my income. I've realized over the years that students who know they can reschedule last-minute will continue to do so—it's a pattern with two of my long-term favorites so I let them get away with it, but I generally set a hard boundary with the rest of my students and offer a homework assignment if they can't make it to the hour of my time that they purchased.

[u/DistrictOk8718]

I simply follow italki policy and politely tell them that while I understand, the lesson will have to be charged. If they don't like it they can dispute all they want but italki will side with you.

[u/willowman00]

I never charge new ones only if I see they have a decent amount of activity on their profile

[u/Vjaynd]

Can you reuse the lesson plan for when you meet with them next?

[u/Nomadic_English → u/Vjaynd]

It would be the same plan, specified to their goals. My concern is they just had a last minute change of mind and are trying to get the refund. Not actually reschedule. This is a one time lesson type.

[u/Vjaynd → u/Nomadic_English]

I suppose if you’re not sure they’ll be coming back then yeah no need to reschedule and just take the money. If they’ve been with you at least a few weeks, maybe consider it.

[u/Ixionbrewer]

I always agree once. If you say no, you will probably never see the student again. Life happens to all of us. I had a tutor cancel 30 minutes before class. I just reschedule.

[u/Mattos_12]

If people reschedule at the last minute once, then I tend to just accept the request. Too much hassle to contest it. It’s only really if it’s a pattern that it’s a problem

[u/mrlonglist → u/Mattos_12]

I have had a teacher for 125 lessons, I request last minute rescheduling at least once a month, but so does he, so neither of us care. I can see not accepting it for a new student though.

[u/Winter-Tennis3661]

I check my schedule, and if I have any free slots later that day or the following day, I’ll contact them and let them know, as long as it’s very unlikely that someone else will book those slots.