Very disappointing experience.
Very disappointing experience.
We were asked to pay the full £165 upfront for eight puppy training classes, which was described as simply making a “reservation”. In my opinion, requiring the entire cost of a service before a single lesson has been provided is far more than a reservation.
I explained that I was perfectly happy to pay a reasonable deposit to secure our place, or alternatively pay for each lesson individually as it was provided. Both options were rejected. I was therefore expected to transfer £165 in full to someone I had never met and had never received a service from.
I also explained that our bank would quite reasonably flag or question a payment of this amount to someone we had never met, particularly when no service had yet been provided. Rather than offering any reassurance or a reasonable alternative, Vicky, the business owner, remained unwilling to arrange even a simple meeting beforehand and insisted on the full upfront payment.
I find this approach extremely off-putting. We were not refusing to pay—we were offering perfectly reasonable and straightforward payment options. The fact that a deposit or payment per lesson was deemed unacceptable, while paying the entire £165 upfront to a person we had never met was apparently the only option, left us with very little confidence in proceeding.
Businesses are entitled to set their payment terms, but customers are equally entitled to decide whether those terms make them comfortable. In this case, they absolutely did not make us comfortable.
Unfortunately, what should have been a straightforward enquiry about puppy training turned into an experience that left us feeling that our concerns were simply dismissed. As a result, we will be taking our puppy elsewhere.
Based on our experience, I would strongly recommend that anyone considering these classes fully understands the payment terms before committing.
