Tutor Terms of Service

These terms govern your use of Tutorvine as a tutor. By creating a tutor profile and clicking “I agree” during onboarding, you accept them in full. Please read them before proceeding.

1. Your relationship with Tutorvine

You are an independent contractor. You are not an employee, worker, or agent of Tutorvine Ltd, and nothing in these terms creates that relationship. You set your own hours, rates, and teaching methods. Tutorvine provides the platform that connects you with students — it does not direct how you teach.

You are responsible for your own tax affairs, including declaring income to HMRC and paying any income tax or National Insurance due.

2. Platform fee and payments

Tutorvine charges a 20% service fee on each lesson booking. You receive 80% of the agreed lesson rate. There is no subscription fee — we only earn when you do.

Payments are processed via Stripe. You must complete Stripe onboarding to receive payouts. Funds are released to your Stripe account automatically after lesson completion. Tutorvine does not hold your earnings beyond this period.

3. Bookings and cancellations

• Students may cancel free of charge up to 12 hours before a lesson. Cancellations inside 12 hours are non-refundable per our cancellation policy.
• If you need to cancel, do so as early as possible via your dashboard. Repeated short-notice cancellations may result in account suspension.
• You must honour all confirmed bookings. Unexplained no-shows are a breach of these terms and may be grounds for removal from the platform.

4. Anti-circumvention

Students you meet through Tutorvine are Tutorvine introductions. You must not arrange or accept payment for lessons with them outside the platform for 12 months from first contact, regardless of who initiates it.

Circumventing platform payments is a material breach. Tutorvine reserves the right to pursue a claim for lost fees and to permanently remove your account.

5. Safeguarding

Tutorvine operates in the UK children’s education sector. Safeguarding students is a non-negotiable condition of using this platform. You must:

• Hold a valid Enhanced DBS certificate if you declare one on your profile, and keep it current.
• Be familiar with Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) guidance, including the categories of abuse (physical, emotional, sexual, and neglect) and indicators of risk.
• Report any safeguarding concern immediately — signs of abuse, neglect, or a child at risk — to the relevant authority (LADO, police, or social services as appropriate) and notify Tutorvine at safeguarding@tutorvine.co.uk.
• Never use intimidation, humiliation, inappropriate language, or any conduct that could harm a student’s wellbeing.
• Maintain appropriate professional boundaries at all times. You must not communicate with students outside the Tutorvine platform.

Sessions may be recorded for safeguarding and quality assurance purposes. Where recordings are made, participants will be informed at the start of the session.

6. Professional standards

You agree to:

• Deliver lessons punctually and with adequate preparation.
• Maintain a professional environment during video sessions — appropriate dress, suitable background, and no distracting noise.
• Communicate respectfully with students, parents, and Tutorvine staff at all times.
• Not misrepresent your qualifications, DBS status, experience, or any other credentials on your profile.

Consistent poor reviews, substantiated complaints, or failure to maintain profile accuracy may result in your profile being suspended or removed.

7. Your content

You own the lesson materials and content you create. By uploading or sharing content on Tutorvine you grant Tutorvine a non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to display it on the platform for the purpose of delivering the service. Tutorvine does not claim ownership of your lesson plans, resources, or materials, and this licence ends when you remove the content or close your account.

8. Data protection

You must handle any student personal data in line with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. Student data must only be used for delivering lessons booked through Tutorvine and must not be shared with third parties or used for any other purpose.

9. Suspension and removal

Tutorvine may suspend or permanently remove your account if you:

• Breach any of these terms
• Engage in safeguarding misconduct or receive a safeguarding referral
• Misrepresent your DBS status or qualifications
• Attempt to arrange off-platform payments
• Accumulate a pattern of cancellations, complaints, or no-shows

You may close your account at any time from your dashboard. Closing your account does not affect any bookings already confirmed.

10. Changes to these terms

We will notify you by email at least 14 days before making any material changes. Continuing to use the platform after the effective date means you accept the updated terms. If you disagree, you may close your account before the changes take effect.

11. Governing law

These terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales. Any disputes will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.