Terms and Conditions

Happy Fins Swim School LLP Terms and Conditions

This website version is a clear, plain-English companion to our full Terms & Conditions. By enrolling with Happy Fins Swim School LLP ("Happy Fins", "we", "us"), you agree to the terms set out here. Where helpful, we explain how things work in practice.

Our full Terms & Conditions, which take precedence in any dispute, can be found at https://swim.happyfins.co.uk

Definitions

Happy Fins / we / us – Happy Fins Swim School LLP.
You – the customer.
Guardian – an adult (not the parent) who brings the child to the lesson.
Provisional Booking – a space held for a swimmer without payment for up to 48 hours.
Courtesy Class – a class with no monetary value, offered when you remove your child from a lesson via the portal with at least 24 hours’ notice (your original lesson was missed by choice).
Make‑Up Credit – a class with monetary value, provided when Happy Fins cancels a lesson for any reason.

Booking Conditions

We can hold a Provisional Booking for 48 hours once you receive a booking invitation. To secure the space, complete the enrolment details and Direct Debit mandate within that time.
You will be asked to accept these Terms & Conditions in your parent portal. If not signed before your first lesson, attending the lesson will be treated as acceptance.
Courses run 42 weeks per year (published swimming dates are shown in your portal). You’ll receive a confirmation email with your start date, lesson day and time.
A Happy Fins subscription enables you to continue swimming with us until you reach the end of our award scheme. Your subscription will continue each month until you choose to end that subscription.
Monthly subscription payments are based on the cost of 42 lessons per year, divided equally across 12 months(an average of 3.5 lessons per month). Payments are collected in calendar‑month instalments, not linked to the number of lessons in that individual month.
You may use the parent portal to look for a different class time/day. Spaces are not guaranteed and remain subject to availability.

Payment Conditions

Your first payment is taken within 5 working days of completing the Direct Debit mandate. It covers the remaining lessons in the current calendar month plus the next monthly fee, so you are always paid in advance.
Your regular subscription date is the 8th of each month (unless agreed otherwise and confirmed on sign‑up).
Payments are by Direct Debit only (protected by the Direct Debit Guarantee). We use a third‑party processor.
An annual membership fee of £15 per swimmer is charged on your sign‑up anniversary each year (covers swim hats, certificates, badges and goodies). This fee does not apply to Parent & Child classes.
If a payment fails, you may lose your space and/or a fee may be added to cover costs.
Receipts can be requested from the office team. If your bank details change, please contact us before your next collection date.
We give a minimum of 4 weeks’ notice of any price change (by email and text).

Lesson Conditions

Standard class length is 30 minutes unless stated otherwise; we operate 42 weeks per year.
Teachers are DBS‑checked, hold accredited teaching qualifications, and are trained in Happy Fins’ approach and award scheme.
A parent/guardian must remain on site and contactable during the lesson.
We may change your swimmer’s teacher for operational reasons (e.g., illness, leave, swimmer pairings). This does not change your day/time without prior agreement.
Please follow all venue rules; repeated breaches may result in losing your space.

Changing, Missing or Suspending Classes

You can request a different time/day via the parent portal (subject to availability).
Courtesy Classes (goodwill): If you remove your swimmer from a class 24+ hours in advance via the portal, a courtesy token is added to your account. Courtesy classes:
- are subject to availability (generated by other families’ cancellations),
- should be booked in your portal,
- have a 6‑month expiry from the date of the missed class,
- cannot be refunded or transferred into fees,
- require a suitable age/level/type match (e.g., 1:1, 2:1, Parent & Child).
  If no suitable courtesy slot can be found, the missed class is lost. If a courtesy class we arranged is cancelled by Happy Fins, your courtesy token is returned.
Suspending classes: In exceptional circumstances we may suspend your classes (on request in writing) and hold your current space(s) only; approval is at Happy Fins’ discretion.

Refunds & Cancellations

New swimmers (who have not yet started lessons)

You may cancel either:
(a) within 7 days of receiving these Terms & Conditions (minus any lessons already taken), or
(b) 14+ days before your first lesson for a full refund of amounts paid.

Existing swimmers (after lessons have started)

To end your subscription, please email us in writing at least 5 working days before your next Direct Debit date. Requests after this point may result in one final monthly fee being collected because banks process Direct Debits several working days in advance.
Once written notice is received, we will confirm your final lesson date within 7 days. This will typically be the end of the following calendar month if your current month’s subscription has already been paid.
Examples:
- Notice on 10 May → lessons end 30 June.
- Notice on 2 May → lessons end 31 May (May’s subscription is usually taken on the 8th).
Summer balancing (8 July–8 August): Because of our summer break, we will:
- total all lesson fees paid (including any Make‑Up Credits owed),
- deduct the number of swimming weeks during your time with us,
- and calculate any credit or debit.
  Your final lesson date is when the account balance reaches £0.00. This may mean returning for lessons in September or paying a small settlement if there is a shortfall.
We are not obliged to refund or transfer lessons that fall within your notice/balancing period if you choose not to attend.

Why we can’t always stop or refund the next payment

Direct Debits are requested several working days before they leave your account; we cannot always halt them at short notice.
Monthly subscription payments are based on the cost of 42 lessons per calendar year, spread equally across 12 months. Payments are therefore collected in calendar‑month instalments, not linked to the number of lessons in that individual month.
Running near full capacity, we also need clear notice to offer your space fairly to waiting families and maintain consistent class planning.

Make‑Up Credits (when Happy Fins cancels)

If we have to cancel a class, we will notify you as soon as possible (phone, text and/or email as appropriate).
We will issue a Make‑Up Credit and offer additional opportunities to attend an alternative lesson.
If you are ending lessons and we have been unable to offer a suitable make‑up, the credit will be added to your account when calculating your final balance, effectively giving you additional weeks at your normal day/time where possible.

Swimwear & Equipment

Swimmers must wear appropriate swimwear. Children under 2 or in potty training must wear a swim nappy(we recommend a double‑nappy system).
Swim hats must be worn; please remove jewellery and hair products before entering the pool.
Parents supply goggles.
Property left at the venue is at your own risk.

Behaviour & Supervision

We may remove a swimmer from a class if behaviour disrupts learning or safety.
Swimmers of all ages must be accompanied to lessons by their adult carers and handed to the teacher; children must not be left unsupervised.
Please wait in the designated area so we can find you quickly if needed.

Photography & Video

Please ask before coming poolside to take photos/video so our team can support respectful use and protect everyone’s preferences.
You may only publish images/video of your own child. Do not include other swimmers, teachers, or members of the public without prior written consent.
We may ask to check and delete media that breaches these terms.
Indicate your publicity consent (for Happy Fins’ official channels) in your parent portal.
Venue‑specific policies (where stricter) take precedence.

Health & Safety

Please do not attend if unwell or within 48 hours of sickness/diarrhoea. If you remove your swimmer in advance via the portal, you will receive a courtesy token.
For babies, we recommend changing on the floor using a mat rather than raised benches/tables.
Please disclose any medical conditions that may affect participation so we can make appropriate adjustments.

Safeguarding

Happy Fins want to provide a fun, safe and happy environment for all swimmers. We therefore adopt the Swim England Wavepower safeguarding policy. We encourage all parents, guardians and anyone involved in your children's swimming journey to take the time to read this document.
Designated Safeguarding Officer: Amanda Dunkley‑Berry – info@happyfins.co.uk or 07707 863277.

Lost Property

Items left anywhere on site (car park, entrance, spectators’ area, changing rooms, poolside) are left at your own risk. We keep found items for up to 3 weeks before disposal or venue handover.

Swim Scheme & Progression

Our award scheme teaches children to swim without flotation aids (we may use equipment for safety skills or advanced techniques).
For semi‑private lessons, we pair swimmers by age and ability where possible and review regularly.
Every child progresses at their own pace; we cannot predict exact timelines.

Data Protection & Privacy

We collect and store only the data needed to deliver the service (e.g., parent/guardian name, phone, email, postcode; swimmer name, date of birth, relevant medical information).
Data is stored securely and accessed only by Happy Fins staff. We do not share your data with third parties unless required for bookings or by law.
We mainly use your data for service communications (lesson information, reports every two months, updates). We may occasionally send Happy Fins‑only offers where there is legitimate interest or where you’ve opted‑in to marketing. You can opt out at any time.

Promotions & Discounts

Offers/discounts are subject to availability and may have additional terms.
Recommend‑a‑friend: when an existing customer introduces a new customer, each receives one additional courtesy token. No cash value; can be combined with the third‑child offer but not with other promotions.
Third Child Discount: families with three siblings enrolled receive 50% off any Parent & Child class or 25% offa 2‑2‑1 lesson (applied to the lowest‑priced session).
Happy Fins reserves the right to cancel or withdraw offers at any time.
Happy Fins may work with a select group of business partners to bring promotional offers. These are valid for new bookings only and must be quoted at the time of booking.
All offers, discounts and promotions are subject to availability.

Complaints Procedure

If you’re unhappy with any aspect of our lessons or service, please contact our office team in the first instance. If unresolved, please email info@happyfins.co.uk FAO Nick Parker with full details.