Swimming Nature Terms & Conditions
Please take time to read the following terms and conditions carefully. They are the basis of the contract between yourself and Swimming Nature.
1. BACKGROUND
1.1 You have made a booking with Swimming Nature UK Limited ("we" or "us").
1.2 The booking confirmation, together with the Booking Ts&Cs, constitutes the entire agreement (the "Agreement") between us and you. If any of the details in the booking confirmation appear to be incorrect, please contact us.
1.3 You hereby agree that you accept the terms of the booking confirmation together with the Booking Ts&Cs on behalf of yourself and any person you are booking on behalf of, and that all such persons shall at all times adhere to the specific terms of conduct within the venue. For the purposes of this Agreement, "you" shall include the person named on the booking confirmation and any person they are booking on behalf of.
1.4 All correspondence from us will be sent to the person named as the customer on the booking confirmation. All regular communications from us will be sent in email format and it is your responsibility to inform us of any changes to your email address.
Booking Terms and Conditions
2. RELATIONSHIP WITH THE INSTRUCTOR
2.1 The Instructor is a swimming teacher authorised and accredited by Swimming Nature UK Limited to teach swimming lessons in accordance with the Swimming Nature methodology
2.2 The Instructor is the person who will be providing the Classes to you, in accordance with the terms of the Agreement.
2.3 The Instructor can be temporarily or permanently replaced during the course of lessons.
2.4 The Instructor can only be responsible for students during their Classes, and parents and/or guardians are responsible at all other times. The Class begins when the Instructor accepts charge of the student from the parent or guardian and ends when the student is returned to the designated pick-up and drop-off point at the end of the Class. Although Instructors will endeavour to hand the student back directly to the parent or guardian, the student is the full and sole responsibility of the parent or guardian when the student is returned to the designated pick-up and drop-off point at the end of the lesson. Parents and/or guardians must stay on the pool premises at all times.
2.5 In the event of a swimmer, parent, guardian, sibling or other associate: (i) refusing to obey an instruction from the Instructor or one of their staff members; (ii) behaving in an unruly manner towards the Instructor, one of their staff members or any other person; or (iii) causing damage to pool premises, or any of the furniture fixtures or equipment in those premises, the swimmer shall not be permitted to continue with the Classes. We shall then have the right to terminate the Agreement without further notice and without being required to offer any credit or refund to you and you shall not be accepted for any future course organised by the Instructor or the Agent.
2.6 We and the Instructor work together to ensure that recommended water temperatures are maintained, but in certain circumstances temperature may vary and cannot be guaranteed. Neither we nor the Instructor are liable for the pool or other facilities or any Losses or injuries suffered by you or any third party as a result of them.
3. BOOKINGS
3.1 General
(a) In the event that you wish to book onto a set course of Classes ("Course") in respect of which the Instructor has already started delivering such Classes, you may do so only if you book onto and purchase all of the remaining Classes of such Course.
(b) The agreed start date of any Class or Course which you have booked onto cannot be amended once payment has been received by us.
3.2 Term Package
Make-Up Lessons shall not form part of the Term Package.
3.3 Annual Tuition Package
(a) Make Up Lessons:
(i) can only be redeemed in accordance with the entitlement mentioned in your booking confirmation;
(ii) may only be redeemed against missed Classes with our prior approval;
(iii) may only be redeemed during the Academic Year that the Class was missed in and shall not be rolled over to future academic years;
(iv) may only be booked a maximum of seven (7) days in advance; and
(v) are subject to availability. We reserve the right to book you into a Make Up Lesson with an alternative instructor, student to instructor ratio or location.
3.4. Class Capacity
In a 2:1 class, each child must swim with a partner. We will honour the booking for the initial two lessons of the term. If, by the third lesson, we are unable to find a suitable partner, you have the following options:
(a) Change of Lesson Time/Day
If available, the booking can be rescheduled to another lesson time or day, paired with a child also in need of a partner.
(b) Upgrade to Private Lessons
The booking can be converted to private lessons (1:1) for the remainder of the term. You will have to pay the difference between 2:1 and 1:1 lessons for the remaining sessions.
(c) Client-Initiated Partner Search
You have the option to find a suitable partner of similar age and ability for the lesson. If the pairing is unsuccessful, you must select either option 3.4 (a) or 3.4 (b).
(d) Obligations to Pool Owner and Coach
We incur a fixed cost for the pool and teaching staff, regardless of the number of enrolled swimmers. Therefore, both spaces in a 2:1 lesson must be filled, or you must make the necessary payment to convert the class into a private lesson.
(e) Unavailability of Partner
If your child's lesson partner is no longer able to participate, we do not expect you to switch to private lessons, change class schedules, or seek a new partner.
4. PAYMENTS / REFUNDS
4.1 In the event that payment for a renewal of a Term Package or an Annual Tuition Package is not received before the renewal deadline date mentioned in our communication via email, text or telephone, we can no longer reserve your place in the next Term.
4.2 Upon submission to our finance team, once authorised you will receive further communication confirming the authorised amount to be refunded which will be processed within 30 days of this date.
4.3 If we agree a refund is due to you within sixty (60) days of our receipt of the payment in respect of which the refund applies, the refund will be made via our merchant server. If we agree a refund is due to you within more than sixty (60) days of our receipt of the payment in respect of which the refund applies, the refund will be made via BACS.
4.4 Financial Credits are valid for a period of six (6) months from the date of the cancellation in respect of which the Financial Credit is due, and can be used to reduce the fees of any Course you book during that period. Thereafter the Financial Credit will be forfeited and cannot be used against any future booking.
5. AUTO ENROLMENT
5.1 Automatic Renewal of Term Time Booking
Your term time booking with Swimming Nature will automatically renew for the subsequent term towards the end of the current term. This renewal guarantees your designated swimming lesson day and time going forward.
5.2 Notification Process
Swimming Nature will send you a comprehensive email notification sufficiently in advance of the auto-renewal date. This email will contain specific details, including the exact payment amount and the approximate date on which the next payment will be deducted.
5.3 Opting Out of Automatic Renewal
You have the right to opt out of the automatic renewal process at any time prior to the renewal date. If you choose not to continue with your booking for the next term, please inform Swimming Nature before the renewal date. By opting out, your current reserved time slot will be released for allocation to another client.
5.4 Timely Communication
To ensure a smooth transition and maintain the integrity of our booking system, it is crucial that you communicate your decision to opt out before the renewal date. This will allow us to manage the booking process effectively and offer the released slot to other interested individuals.
6. CANCELLATIONS
6.1 Term Bookings
(a) If you change your mind and wish to cancel a Term Package booking you may do so within fourteen (14) days from making the booking. You may do so by contacting us in writing. You will receive a full refund of the tuition fees paid less any classes taken or untaken that fall within the fourteen (14) day period.
(b) After the fourteen (14) day cooling off period has ended (see (a) above), Term Packages cannot be cancelled for any reason.
(c) After this period, we shall not provide any Class Credits or refunds in respect of any Classes that you are unable to attend for whatever reason.
6.2 Annual Tuition Packages
(a) If you change your mind and wish to cancel an Annual Tuition Package booking you may do so within fourteen (14) days from making the booking. You may do so by contacting us in writing. You will receive a full refund of the tuition fees paid.
(b) After the fourteen (14) day cooling off period has ended (see (a) above), Annual Tuition Packages can only be cancelled by providing one (1) Term’s Notice in writing. On receiving your notice to cancel we will remove any ATP discounts that have been applied to the account prior to the termination will be charged at full price for any services undertaken and deducted from the balance owed.
(c) ‘A Term’s Notice’ means notice given before the first day of term and expiring at the end of term.
(d) We shall not provide any Class Credits or refunds for lessons you have been unable to attend during the Term’s Notice period.
6.3 Fast Track Bookings
(a) If you change your mind and wish to cancel a Fast Track booking you may do so within fourteen (14) days from making the booking. You may do so by contacting us in writing. You will receive a full refund of the tuition fees paid.
(b) If you cancel the Fast Track Course more than two (2) weeks before the start of the course you will be entitled to a full Financial Credit on your account, which is valid for a period of six (6) months from the date of cancellation.
(c) If you cancel the Fast Track Course less than two (2) weeks before the start of the course you will not be entitled to any refund or credit.
(d) Once the Fast Track Course has started we shall not provide any Financial Credits or refunds in respect of any Classes that you are unable to attend for whatever reason.
6.4 Flexible Bookings
(a) If you are unable to attend an Ad Hoc booking and we receive at least twenty-four (24) hours notification of this, we will postpone the Class and issue a Financial Credit to your account to be used against future bookings. Such Financial Credit must be used within six (6) months of the date of cancellation, or the credit will be forfeited and no refunds shall be made.
(b) If less than twenty-four (24) hours notification of your inability to attend is received we shall not offer any Financial Credit for the unattended Class.
(c) If after booking the Ad Hoc Classes you change your mind you may cancel the Classes by contacting us in writing within fourteen (14) days of making the booking. You will receive a full refund of the tuition fee paid.
(d) After the fourteen (14) day cooling off period has ended (see c above), Flexible Booking Packages cannot be cancelled for any reason. However, you may rearrange the date of such Classes subject to (a) and (b) above.
6.5 Process
Any changes you wish to make to your booking must be emailed to our Customer Service Team: customerservice@swimmingnature.com
7. SUBCRIPTIONS
7.1 Signing Up
In addition to the Term Package and the Annual Tuition Package, you can purchase lessons via a subscription, which will automatically renew monthly unless cancelled by you or us.
7.2 Pricing
All subscriptions are billed monthly. The price of a subscription is calculated based on the total number of weeks with lessons delivered across the year. This annual cost is divided by 12, meaning your payments are spread evenly across the year. We will provide you with at least 30 days’ notice of any price increases during your subscription.
7.3 Periods
The year is broken into 12 periods, each one starting on the 1st of the month, and ending on the last day of the month.
7.4 Billing
(a) You will be billed at the start of each period, the 1st of the month, for the duration of your subscription.
(b) You will be charged monthly via direct debit or recurring card payment. Where you start mid-way through a month, you will be charged pro-rata for the remaining part of the month upfront, and this payment will be taken by card. Following receipt of payment, we will confirm your order by sending you a subscription confirmation email.
(c) You are charged equally over 12 months of the year. The fee remains the same each month irrespective of how many lessons are during the given period.
7.5 Minimum term
Subscriptions are subject to a three-month minimum term contract from the start of your subscription, followed by a monthly rolling contract. Your subscription will continue for an indefinite period until it is cancelled by you or us.
7.6 Cancelling your subscription
(a) If you change your mind and wish to cancel a subscription, you may do so within fourteen (14) days from your first scheduled class, whether attended or not. You may do so by contacting us in writing at customerservice@swimmingnature.com. You will receive a full refund of the tuition fees paid less any classes taken or untaken that fall within the fourteen (14) day period. We will notify you by email of the cancellation of your subscription.
(b) After the fourteen (14) day cooling off period has ended (see (a) above), subscriptions are subject to a three-month minimum term (see 9.4).
(c) After this period, subscriptions can be cancelled with a full month’s notice, by contacting us in writing at customerservice@swimmingnature.com.
7.7 Cancelled lessons
If for any reason we need to cancel a lesson, you will receive a credit on your account. This can be used to arrange a make-up lesson, or applied as a discount to your next scheduled subscription payment, equal to the value of one lesson.
7.8 Failed payments
Failed payments that are not remedied within 7 days will result in automatic termination of your booking.
7.9 Discounts
Any discounts applied to your subscription will expire 12 months after the start of your subscription, after which your payment will revert to the full price. We will notify you of the change in price at least 30 days prior to your discount expiring.
8. LESSON MANAGEMENT
8.1 Calendars
(a) Term dates are specific to each venue and can be found on the Swimming Nature website. We have the right to change dates subject to us giving you prior notification.
(b) Assigned Term dates may not always coincide with your school term dates and we are unable to replace lessons missed as a result.
8.2 Progress
(a) Where a student progresses beyond the Class standard set by the Instructor, they may be required to switch Classes. We may not be able to offer the same day, time, or Instructor.
(b) A student's progress as part of any Class or Course is not guaranteed.
8.3 Merging or Reallocating Classes
In certain circumstances it may not be possible to continue your allocated Class. In such circumstances we will provide you with a suitable alternative Class, and give you notice of such reallocation in advance.
8.4 Instructor
(a) We are not able to guarantee the Instructor for your Class or Course. Instructors may change shift patterns or move venues in exceptional circumstances.
(b) We will endeavour to provide a temporary replacement Instructor in the event of any Instructor absence.
(c) Where a replacement Instructor is not available, Classes may be cancelled at short notice.
(d) We reserve the right to replace Instructors on a temporary or permanent basis, if necessary, once the Term has started.
(e) Where a replacement Instructor is provided, Classes will take place and in such event, we shall not offer a replacement Class.
8.5 Cancelled Lessons
(a) Classes may be cancelled at short notice where a pool is not considered suitable for teaching purposes.
(b) If we are unable to provide the Class for any reason, we will offer you a Class Credit valid for six (6) months from the cancellation date.
(c) We reserve the right to cancel or amend Classes or Courses in exceptional circumstances.
8.6 Changing Your Class Day /Time
(a) We will attempt to accommodate any request you make with one (1) weeks' notice upon calling us, subject to your requested space being available.
(b) If the space you request is not available, we will make alternative suggestions. If we cannot accommodate your request, you will be unable to change your class day and time.
(c) When transferring classes, Class prices may have changed. Where prices have increased, you will be required to purchase Classes at the new rate. Where prices have decreased, any difference in fees is non-refundable and will be retained as a Financial Credit for you to use against future bookings. Such Financial Credit shall be valid for a period of six (6) months from the date you transfer Classes, after which time the credit shall be forfeited.
8.7 Suspensions
(a) We will only suspend your attendance at Classes if you provide us with a doctor's note or certificate. Should we receive the doctor's note on the same day as a Class, this Class will be deemed attended and not refundable or creditable. We are unable to backdate medical suspensions for any reason. The maximum length of any suspension is six (6) weeks, after which you must provide us with a new doctor's note or certificate.
(b) Suspended Classes are not refundable.
(c) When you have booked Classes for a Term, but such Classes have been suspended in accordance with this provision, the remainder of the Classes in that Term will be cancelled, and no space will be held for the subsequent Term(s).
(d) Suspended Classes must be used within six (6) months from the suspension date. The onus is on you to ensure that the Classes are used. The fees paid for Classes not used within this six (6) month period shall be forfeited and cannot be refunded.
9. MISCELLANEOUS
9.1 Definitions
In respect of these Booking Ts&Cs:
"Ad Hoc booking" means a booking of adult one-on-one Classes, where the booking period is not governed by school terms;
"Annual Tuition Package" means a single purchase of three (3) Terms of Classes at one time paid in full in advance, less any discount that may be applicable;
"Class Credit" means a replacement Class provided in the event of a missed Class;
"Fast Track Course" means a course of four (4) or five (5) Classes on consecutive days held during half term breaks or holidays;
"Financial Credit" means a monetary value applied to an account in respect of a Class not given that can be set off against the fee for a future booking;
"Loss" means all direct or indirect losses (including without limitation any loss of profit, consequential loss, loss of business, and like loss), damages, expenses, liabilities, claims, demands, proceedings, judgments, settlements, penalties, fines, costs (including legal costs, other professional costs and the costs of enforcements) and the expenses of investigating and defending any claims (including legal fees and disbursements, consultants' fees and disbursements and other professional fees and disbursements) whatsoever;
"Make Up Lessons" means a Class provided in lieu of a Class that was paid for but not provided;
"Term" means the term dates specific to each venue found on the Swimming Nature website (as may be amended by us at our discretion from time to time);
"Term Package" means a set course of Classes to be taught in a Term as further defined in the Booking Agent's calendar (which can be found on the Swimming Nature website); and
"Working Day" means any day (other than a Saturday or Sunday) on which the banks are ordinarily open for business in England.
9.2 Data Protection
We are registered under the Data Protection Act 1998 to process and store data on living individuals. A copy of our data protection act can be found on the Swimming Nature website.
9.3 Limitation of Liability
(a) If you incur any Loss in connection with or arising from the performance of any of our obligations under the Agreement and our liability to you as a result thereof is established, our total aggregate liability to you under the Agreement or otherwise shall in no circumstances exceed the sum of the amount paid by you to us in respect of the tuition fees you paid us for the Classes during the preceding twelve (12) months immediately prior to the act or omission giving rise to the Loss provided that this clause will not apply to any Loss arising from death or personal injury resulting from our negligence.
(b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Agreement we will not, except in respect of death or personal injury caused by our negligence, be liable to you by reason of any representation or implied warranty, condition or other term for any Loss (whether occasioned by our negligence or that of our employees or agents or otherwise) arising out of or in connection with any act or omission on our part relating to the supply of any Classes, products or equipment by us or the Instructor.
(c) We will not, except in respect of death or personal injury caused by our negligence, be liable to you for any Loss incurred by you as a result of the Instructor's acts or omissions relating to the supply of any Classes, products, services or equipment or otherwise and whether or not done on our instruction or otherwise.
9.4 Force Majeure
The Agreement will be suspended during any period that we believe either we and/or you are prevented or hindered from complying with our respective obligations under any part of this Agreement by any cause which we designate as force majeure including strikes, disruption to the supply chain, political unrest, financial distress, terrorism, fuel shortages, war, civil disorder, and natural disasters. If such period of suspension exceeds one hundred and eighty (180) days, then we will, upon giving written notice to you, be able to require that the Agreement is terminated.
9.5 Waiver
Neither our failure to exercise any power given to us hereunder nor to insist upon strict compliance by you with any obligation hereunder nor any custom or practice of yours or ours shall constitute any waiver of any of our rights under the Agreement. Our waiver of any particular default by you must be in writing and shall not affect or impair our rights in respect of any subsequent default of any kind by you nor shall any delay by us or omission of ours to exercise any rights arising from any of your defaults affect or impair our rights in respect of the said default or any default of any kind. Any waiver of any rights by us will also operate as a waiver by you of any equivalent rights that you may have.
9.6 Variation
The Agreement will not be modified in any way except by a written instrument signed by both of you and us.
9.7 Third Party Rights
The parties to the Agreement do not intend that any term shall be enforceable by a third party as defined in the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 (the "Act") under the provisions of the Act.
9.8 Choice of Law and Jurisdiction
The Agreement shall be governed by and construed according to English law. All disputes between us concerning the Agreement shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the High Court in London.