Are people nuts? Why is it okay not to pay your bill?

[aerialriver]

So today our gym had to hire a collection agency to collect on tuition, some over 6 months worth! I don't fully understand why it wasn't nipped in the bud months ago, except we had big changes in staff in the office. I did find out that these people have been asked over and over again to pay via voicemail, e-mail and snail mail and they have not yet they have no problem continuing to send their child to class, going as far as to drop them in the parking lot so that the office staff can't speak directly with them.

It is really just kind of a baffled rant but I am curious as to how people think this is okay and justify it? Is it okay to go to Wal-Mart each week and just take your groceries? Or just go into the mall and take the clothes you want? To me it is stealing and personally I would be so ashamed to keep bringing my kid after I had been asked to pay multiple times. And it isn't a case of I suddenly lost my job and can't pay but months and months worth of overdue tuition. Even more mind bending is the fact that these are team kids who do continue to pay meet fees so their kids can compete. Really what runs through people’s heads?

 

[Gymnasticgrandkids]

I continue to be baffled by people...and if I were the gym, I would tell those parents not to leave their kids for practice and not to expect to compete unless and until their fees are caught up (and apply the competition money toward the fees due BEFORE it can be applied to competitions)...then I'd tell them I need credit card information and do a regular billing every month for fees unless they put in a 30 day notice to stop the billing. These are the kind of people who cause grief for everyone else.

 

[Pineapple_Lump]

Some people just don't pay unless there are consequences, such as the threat of debt collection or lines such as "sorry your fees are not up to date you can't compete" or "Suzie is mum coming in?".... "oh you will have to sit here then as she needs to pay your fees before you can participate". Sad, but that is why gyms need to be organised so debts don't run on for months.

 

[agymmom]

I can't believe gyms would allow a kid to continue attending with more than 1 month of tuition in arrears. It just seems to me that that would be such an easy policy to implement - if you're dues aren't paid by X date, you cannot attend until your account in brought up to date, including a $Y late fee. Yes, people do stupid, rude things, but the gym also needs to get on the ball and make a policy and stick to it.

 

[gymcoach26]

Funny this thread came up. We are going through a very similar problem with parents not paying. It is a lot more than one person, so I do not think it is a case of them loosing a job or anything. (If it is, we are known for being extremely accomodating, so all they would have to do is speak up and something would be worked out) but anyways we have sent certified letters in the mail stating their child can not come back until it is paid and guess what... one parent still had the nerve to drop the child off in the parking lot!! Since it was certified mail, we know they received it and are just that ignorant. Next step is small claims court. Some people are unbelievable

 

[AGM78910]

I have to put in my $0.02 worth. There was a parent at our former gym who drove up in a new Escalade to drop off her kid and had the nerve to tell the gym owner that they could only pay half of the tuitiion each month because they were getting their house remodeled. (True story.)

 

[lilgymmie7]

I have to put in my $0.02 worth. There was a parent at our former gym who drove up in a new Escalade to drop off her kid and had the nerve to tell the gym owner that they could only pay half of the tuitiion each month because they were getting their house remodeled. (True story.)

Okay... that is original AND stupid! And I have to ask... What did the gym tell her? Some people really must think the world revolves around them! That is outrageous!

 

[JBS]

This is why we have moved to auto-debit. We have about 60 or 70 families on it so far. With one click of a mouse all the tuition is paid right on the 1st of the month. Now the other 50 team families...whole different story getting that money on time!

 

[AGM78910]

The gymnast had been on scholarship at another gym before they came to ours. After a few months our gym owners told the parents they had to pay the full tuition. The parents told the story about the remodeling. The gym owners then asked for the full amount, but the gymnast left the gym and went to yet another gym. She quit shortly thereafter.

 

[agymmom]

Is there no edit function on this board? I'm really annoyed that I typed you're when it should have been your earlier in this thread and I can't figure out how to fix it!

 

[Pineapple_Lump]

I think you have 30 minutes to edit, after that you will need to ask one of the mods.

 

[agymmom]

Thanks. Guess I'd better proofread better before I hit post in the future.

 

[NGL780309]

I don't understand how anyone could just not pay. If I had a circumstance where I couldn't pay for some reason, I would just speak to the gym about it.

What about when the gym doesn't take your money?! I had a situation where I was on auto debit and they weren't taking it out. I'm not a rich person so that was really annoying. I wanted them to take the money before I spent it.! That happenned several months in a row. Then when DD moved up a level they were taking the old rate and I had to tell them to charge me more. I guess it's good to know your gym is doing well enought that they don't need your money.

 

[GymSurvivor]

After working the other day a couple coaches were talking about a little girl in my class who does the same thing!
And shes just in a rec. class! But her Mom will just not pay tuition and will even go as far to drop her kid off in the parking lot and have her run through the 'garage doors' (that we open in the summer) and avoid the office completely.

Finally the Gym owner had to come out and told her she needs to pay or take her child home.

 

[Blazing15]

I love that our gym has that it's auto deducted. That way I don't forget. It comes out of my account at the first of the month and that's how it done with everyone.

 

[kimskids]

At our gym you are supposed to pay by the first but have until the 5th before you get a penalty. I have never been late but I think it is like $15.00 or something similar if you pay after the 5th. I do not like auto withdrawal but if I do not pay on the first I will tell the office lady when I am going to pay! Would never have the nerve to just drop my daughter off in the parking lot to avoid paying! That is so messed up!

 

[justanothergymmom]

We have friends at a different gym where several team families don't pay tuition (or meet/coaches fees) due to financial need...these same girls have their new team leos and warmups, and attended travel meets that involved airfare! It is interesting to see that some families go without new cars, clothes and other luxuries to pay for their girls gymnastics and other families can have their luxuries (huge SUVs and their kids always dressed in the newest clothes and leos) and they still refuse to pay! I guess if the owners are willing to tolerate it, there is not much that can be done, but it is certainly unfair to all those who make honest sacrifices and can't seem to get ahead.

 

[emorymom]

I wonder how many of these cases involve parents who are not married to each other. So for example, noncustodial is supposed to pay tuition directly and custodial is supposed to pay meet expenses. But noncustodial doesn't pay. And custodial doesn't take the issue head on, but figures it will resolve when a contempt action goes forward or the gym sues.