Parents lose refund battle with school
Parents who remove their children from private schools without giving proper notice will lose their deposit. Shaun and Natalie Cochrane learnt this after the National Consumer Tribunal recently rejected their application for an order forcing their children's school, Heronbridge College in Johannesburg, to refund their deposit of R40 808, notes Times Select.
The Cochranes, now living in Australia, paid the deposit when they enrolled their two children at the school in Fourways in January 2011. They informed the National Consumer Commission (NCC) in August 2016 of the college's refusal to refund the full deposit they paid.
The college offered a 25% ex gratia refund, which the Cochranes refused.
The tribunal, headed by Nomfundo Maseti, found there was no fixed-term contract between Heronbridge and the Cochranes, which would have entitled them to end the contract by giving the school 20 business days' termination notice.
The Cochranes, through the NCC, argued there was a fixed-term verbal agreement between them and the school. But the panel disagreed, saying a clause in the school's contract makes it clear that the deposit will be refunded on completion of a child's final term at Heronbridge.
Article disclaimer: While we have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of this article, it is not intended to provide final legal advice as facts and situations will differ from case to case, and therefore specific legal advice should be sought with a lawyer.
