NORTH LONDON HOME TUTORS Contact

Client Terms of Business (Parent/Student)

This document governs the relationship between Panni Khan Limited (trading as “North London Home Tutors”) and the Client purchasing tutoring services through our platform (hereinafter referred to as the “Client”).

1. Structure of the Agreement & Agency Status

1.1 The Agency Role: Panni Khan Limited (the “Agency”) acts strictly as an Employment Agency (as defined by the Employment Agencies Act 1973). The Agency introduces self-employed independent tutoring professionals (the “Tutor”) to Clients (the parent, guardian, or student).

1.2 The Core Contract: When you accept a Tutor introduction or book a lesson, you are entering into a direct, legally binding contract for educational services exclusively with that Tutor. The Agency is not a party to that educational contract.

1.3 No Supervision: The Tutor is an independent contractor who delivers their services personally. The Agency does not supervise, direct, manage, or control the specific academic content, teaching methods, or delivery of the lessons.

1.4 Safeguarding & DBS Inspection Responsibility:

(a) Agency Compliance Check: In accordance with the Conduct of Employment Agencies Regulations 2003, the Agency takes reasonable steps to confirm that Tutors hold a valid Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) certificate and are not placed on the Children's Barred List.

(b) Client Inspection and Acceptance: The Client acknowledges that a DBS certificate is a historical snapshot. The ultimate emphasis and responsibility rest with the Client to personally inspect the Tutor's physical or digital Enhanced DBS certificate prior to the first lesson.

(c) Absolute Discretion: The Client retains absolute discretion to accept or decline any introduced Tutor based on the issue date or contents of the Tutor's DBS certificate. The Agency accepts no liability for the Client's decision to accept a Tutor whose certificate does not meet the Client's personal requirements.

2. Fees, Billing, & Automated Split Payments

2.1 Gross Hourly Fee: The total hourly rate quoted to you on the TutorCruncher platform is the Gross Fee. This comprises the Tutor's hourly pay rate plus the Agency's platform/administration fee.

2.2 Automated Split Payments: Payments are processed securely via our third-party payment gateway, Stripe. At the exact moment your card is charged, the payment is automatically split:

2.3 Client Acknowledgment: You acknowledge that the Agency does not collect, hold, or handle the funds legally owed to the Tutor. Your payment through the platform fulfills your financial obligation to both parties simultaneously.

2.4 Payment Authorisation: By booking a lesson on the platform, you authorise the Agency to automatically charge your registered payment method upon completion of the lesson (or in advance, depending on your agreed billing plan).

3. Lesson Log Approval, Cancellations & Technical Infrastructure

3.1 Lesson Logging: Tutors will log completed sessions on the platform. If you believe a logged lesson is incorrect, you must notify the Agency within 24 hours of the lesson log being generated.

3.2 Cancellation Policy: If you need to cancel or reschedule a confirmed lesson, you must provide at least 24 hours' notice directly to the Tutor or via the platform.

3.3 Late Cancellations: If you cancel a lesson with less than 24 hours' notice, or fail to attend a scheduled session, you will be charged the full gross fee for that lesson.

3.4 Technical Failure: The Client is responsible for ensuring a stable internet connection and compatible hardware for online tutoring. If a lesson is disrupted or cannot be completed due to technical failure on the Client's end, the lesson will be billed at the full gross rate. If the failure occurs due to the Tutor's infrastructure, the lesson will be rescheduled at no additional cost to the Client.

4. Non-Circumvention, Platform Integrity, & Competitor Bans

4.1 Platform Integrity: You agree not to make private, direct, or alternative financial arrangements with any Tutor introduced to you by the Agency. All bookings, scheduling, and payments must take place strictly through the platform.

4.2 Restricted Period: This restriction applies during your use of the platform and for a period of 12 months following the termination of your relationship with that specific Tutor.

4.3 Financial Damages: Any attempt to bypass the platform breaches this contract. You will be held jointly and severally liable for any financial damages or lost platform revenue incurred by the Agency as a result.

4.4 Prohibition of Commercial Exploitation & Competitors:

(a) This platform is strictly for private, non-commercial use by genuine parents, guardians, or individual students.

(b) Representatives, owners, employees, or contractors of other educational institutions, tutoring agencies, or corporate entities are strictly prohibited from creating a Client account, requesting introductions, or contacting Tutors via this platform.

(c) If you breach this clause by misrepresenting your identity to source, interview, recruit, or poach Tutors for commercial purposes, you agree to pay the Agency a pre-agreed liquidated damages fee of £5,000 per Tutor contacted, alongside full legal costs, as a genuine pre-estimate of corporate disruption and commercial loss.

5. Liability Disclaimers, GDPR & Governing Law

5.1 Limitation of Academic Liability: While the Agency takes reasonable care to introduce highly capable and vetted professional Tutors, the Agency provides no guarantee, warranty, or representation regarding the specific academic outcomes, exam grades, or educational results achieved by the student. Educational progress relies on multiple external factors beyond the Agency's or Tutor's control.

5.2 Data Protection & Third-Party Platforms: The Client acknowledges and agrees that personal data (including names, child details, lesson logs, and financial transaction histories) will be securely processed through the third-party infrastructure of TutorCruncher and Stripe for operational fulfillment. Data handling is governed strictly by the Agency's Privacy Policy in complete compliance with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

5.3 Jurisdiction: These terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales. Both parties submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.