DEGeneral Terms and Conditions of Swiss Language Academy (SLA Basel) for private lessons
(valid from 01 January 2022)
With your registration, you accept the following terms and conditions of SLA Basel.
1. General
The costs of the course material are not included in the course fees. These will be listed separately on the invoice. The fixed price for the material is CHF 50.-. As a rule, course participants receive one coursebook. Additional material is provided in photocopies.
2. Registration and terms of payment
By registering, course participants confirm that they have read and accepted the present terms and conditions. For all other cases the regulations of the Swiss Code of Obligations shall apply.
The registration is binding. After the participants have registered for a course, they receive a confirmation of registration from SLA Basel. The enrolment for a private course is valid for 12 months after the registration date. Within this period of time, the lessons can be attended at any time. That also corresponds to the contractual period.
As soon as the desired private course is organised, the participants receive the the invoice via e- mail. The payment deadline specified on the invoice is binding. Upon request, the course fees can be paid in instalments. In case of payment by instalments, the first instalment is due by the course start date. The following instalments are due monthly, according to the payment deadline. The registration and the course organisation conducted by SLA Basel bind the course participant to payment of the private course fees. In case of cancellation by 14 days before course start, the participant must pay 50% of the course fee (cf. 5. Cancellation of a private course before course start). Failure to pay the course fees does not count as deregistration. In case of delayed payment, SLA Basel reserves the right to charge CHF 20.- each for the 2nd and 3rd payment reminders. If after that no payment is made, SLA Basel reserves the right to press legal charges.
The discount offered with the Caritas KulturLegi is only applicable for group courses, not for private courses. Vouchers issued by the canton Basel-Stadt to new residents can likewise only be redeemed for group courses and not for private courses.
3. Materials belonging to Swiss Language Academy
If SLA Basel provides materials by way of lease or loan, these remain property of SLA Basel during the entirety of the subscription period. Allowing third parties a right of retention of these materials is expressly prohibited. In case of seizure, retention or attachment, participants are required to immediately inform SLA Basel and report the lost property of SLA Basel to the competent enforcement authority. In the event of termination of the service terms, participants are required to return the materials to SLA Basel undamaged and within the period stipulated. If the course participant fails to comply with these obligations, SLA Basel reserves the right to invoice the participant for the materials which were not returned.
4. Placement test and consultation
SLA Basel offers consultation at the front office or by telephone. A placement test is also available to participants on our website. The test and consultation are free of charge and non-binding.
5. Cancellation of a private course before course start
After the private course has been arranged and confirmed to the participant, a cancellation free of charge is no longer possible, as the course, teachers and rooms will already have been arranged. SLA Basel expressly reserves the right, according to art. 404, § 2 of the Swiss Code of Obligations, to claim compensation for damage (lost course costs) in case of cancellation. Should the cancellation be received fewer than 14 days before course start, the participant must settle 50% of the course fees. If the cancellation is received fewer than 14 days before course start, the participant must settle the total amount of the course fees.
6. Interruption or withdrawal from a private course after course start
Should a private course be interrupted, the lessons remain available until the end of the contract (12 months after the registration date). During this period, the lessons can be attended at any time. In case of withdrawal, the participant is required to pay for the total amount of the course fees, as our teachers are committed to delivering the lessons and so considerable damage would be caused to SLA Basel. Reimbursement is therefore not possible.
In case of sickness which lasts longer than 15 days, if a medical certificate is presented, an extension of the validity of the lessons is possible.
7. Rescheduling and absences in private lessons
The scheduled lesson times are binding. If the student cannot attend a scheduled appointment, the office must be notified 24 hours in advance, so that a new appointment can be made. The office can be reached from Monday to Saturday at the phone number +41 61 554 47 21 or the e-mail info@sla-basel.ch. If absences are not reported, or are reported less than 24 hours before the scheduled time, the corresponding appointment will be counted and cannot be rescheduled, as the teacher and the classroom will have been booked. For Monday appointments, cancellations must be informed at the latest by 14:00 of Saturday the previous week. In case of sickness, if a medical certificate is presented, the lesson can be rescheduled without additional cost.
In case of the teacher’s absence, the school administration may arrange for a substitute teacher. If this is not feasible for organizational reasons, the appointment will be rescheduled. If this is not possible, the costs for the canceled lesson will not be billed.
8. Course organisation and conduct
The duration of one lesson is 45 minutes. For didactical reasons, a minimum of two lessons per appointment is required. In exceptional cases and after consultation, a duration of 60 minutes per appointment can be approved.
The lesson appointments may be scheduled directly with the teacher.
Participants are not entitled to define the structure of the lesson; they are, however, very welcome to suggest improvements.
Participants are not entitled to choose the course teacher. As a rule, all of the scheduled lessons are taught by the same teacher. If a teacher is ill or in exceptional cases, a substitution of the course teacher may take place.
9. Confirmation of attendance
If desired, SLA Basel will gladly issue participants with a confirmation of attendance containing the number of attended lessons.
10. Data protection
SLA Basel takes the protection of participants’ personal data seriously and adheres to regulations according to the data protection act. Participants’ personal data will be used exclusively for internal purposes, such as correspondence and information about new offers. On no account will participants’ personal data be sold or given away to any third party.
11. Insurance and liability
SLA Basel bears liability for damages caused intentionally or by gross negligence, maliciously concealed flaws, bodily injuries and unforeseeable shortcomings, which considerably affect the economical purpose of the legal transaction, in connection to the courses and activities organised by the school. We are hereby expressly released, insofar as legally possible, from all liability in case of other damages, in particular consequential damages. Course participants are therefore responsible for an adequate insurance cover. Any liability for theft or loss of personal objects is hereby excluded.
12. Court of jurisdiction
Where no mandatory legal norm states otherwise, the exclusive court of jurisdiction is Basel-Stadt.
