1. Independent Contractor Status

You acknowledge and agree that you are engaged by StudyGuru as a self-employed independent contractor, not as an employee, worker, agent, or partner.

What This Means:

• No Employment Relationship: This Agreement does not create an employment or worker relationship between you and StudyGuru. You are not entitled to employment benefits such as holiday pay, sick pay, pension contributions, or any other employment rights.
• Control Over Work: You have the right to determine when you work, which students you accept, and how you deliver your tutoring services (within our platform guidelines and safeguarding requirements).
• No Guaranteed Work: StudyGuru does not guarantee any minimum number of students, lessons, or income. Demand for your services depends on student needs and your profile competitiveness.
• Freedom to Work Elsewhere: You are free to provide tutoring services on other platforms or independently, provided you comply with our non-circumvention clause for students introduced through StudyGuru.
• No Agency: You may not enter into contracts, make commitments, or represent yourself as an agent or official representative of StudyGuru.

2. Tax and National Insurance Responsibilities

As an independent contractor, you acknowledge and agree that:

• Income Tax: You are responsible for declaring all earnings from StudyGuru to HMRC and paying any applicable income tax through Self Assessment.
• National Insurance: You are responsible for paying your own National Insurance contributions (Class 2 and Class 4 if applicable).
• No Tax Deductions: StudyGuru will not withhold any amounts for income tax or National Insurance from your earnings. You will receive your tutor share gross.
• VAT: If you are VAT-registered or become VAT-registered, it is your responsibility to account for VAT appropriately. Private tutoring by an individual may be VAT-exempt under certain conditions—please consult a tax advisor for your specific situation.
• Record Keeping: You are responsible for maintaining accurate financial records of your tutoring income for at least 6 years as required by HMRC.

We provide annual earnings summaries through your dashboard to assist with your tax returns, but this does not constitute tax advice.

3. Fees, Commission, and Payment

Pricing Structure:

• Lesson Fees are set according to your assigned pricing band based on your qualifications and experience.
• StudyGuru retains a 30% service fee from each lesson to cover platform infrastructure, payment processing, customer support, and safeguarding measures.
• You receive 70% of the Lesson Fee for each completed session.

Payment Processing:

• Payments are processed via Stripe. You must complete Stripe's onboarding and verification requirements to receive payouts.
• Parent payment is authorised 24 hours before the scheduled lesson.
• Payment is captured (charged) 48 hours after the lesson ends, allowing time for any disputes.
• Payouts to your bank account are processed by Stripe, typically within 2 business days after capture. New accounts may experience longer initial payout times while Stripe establishes trust.

Payment Issues:

• If a parent's payment fails or is reversed (chargeback), we may withhold or deduct the corresponding amount from your future payouts.
• If a lesson is disputed and refunded to the parent, you will not receive payment for that lesson.
• StudyGuru is not liable for payment delays caused by Stripe or your bank.

4. Your Obligations

By using the Platform as a Tutor, you agree to:

Verification Requirements:

• Maintain a valid Enhanced DBS certificate (issued within the last 3 years) and renew it as required.
• Provide accurate identity documents and proof of address.
• Inform us immediately if your DBS status changes or if you receive any convictions or cautions.
• Complete our demo tutoring assessment before becoming visible to students.

Service Delivery:

• Deliver tutoring services with reasonable skill, care, and professionalism.
• Arrive on time for scheduled lessons with working equipment (camera, microphone, internet connection).
• Respond promptly to booking requests and messages from students/parents.
• Provide accurate information about your qualifications and experience.

Platform Rules:

• Use the Platform's messaging system for all pre-booking communications.
• Conduct all lessons with Platform-introduced students through StudyGuru.
• Do not solicit or accept payments outside the Platform for Platform-introduced students (see Non-Circumvention clause).
• Follow our Safeguarding Policy at all times.

5. Non-Circumvention

You agree that:

• You will not arrange or provide tutoring sessions outside of the Platform with any student or parent introduced through StudyGuru, for a period of 6 months after your last lesson with them through the Platform.
• You will not solicit students to move off-platform or accept direct payments from Platform-introduced clients.
• You will not exchange personal contact details with students/parents for the purpose of off-platform arrangements.
• You will not refer Platform students to other tutoring services or platforms.

We reserve the right to pursue compensation for lost revenue if you breach this clause.

6. Confidentiality and Data Protection

You agree to:

• Keep all student and parent information confidential and use it only for the purpose of providing tutoring services.
• Not store student personal data outside of the Platform unless necessary for tutoring purposes, and delete any such data when no longer needed.
• Not share student information with any third party without explicit consent.
• Comply with all applicable data protection laws, including UK GDPR.

Session recordings (whiteboard content and chat) are made for safeguarding purposes. By using the Platform, you consent to this recording and to it being shared with students, parents, and StudyGuru staff as outlined in our Privacy Policy.

7. Indemnity

You agree to indemnify and hold StudyGuru harmless from any claims, liabilities, damages, costs, or expenses (including legal fees) arising from:

• Your breach of this Agreement or our Terms of Service.
• Any negligent or intentional wrongdoing by you.
• Any claim by a student or parent arising from your conduct or the quality of your tutoring services.
• Any claim that you should be classified as an employee or worker of StudyGuru (you agree to cover any resulting tax, National Insurance, or employment liability).
• Any infringement of intellectual property rights in materials you upload or share.

These indemnity obligations survive termination of this Agreement.

8. Termination

Termination by You:

You may stop using the Platform at any time by notifying us. You should complete any booked lessons or cancel them appropriately before leaving.

Termination by StudyGuru:

We may suspend or terminate your account immediately if you:

• Breach this Agreement or our Terms of Service
• Fail or refuse to complete DBS checks
• Receive safeguarding concerns or complaints
• Engage in misconduct, fraud, or illegal activity
• Violate the non-circumvention clause
• Provide false information about your qualifications

We may also terminate with reasonable notice (at least 7 days) for any reason, including changes to our business.

After Termination:

• Your profile will be removed from the Platform
• Outstanding payments for completed lessons will be processed normally
• Confidentiality, data protection, and indemnity obligations continue
• The non-circumvention restriction continues for 6 months after your last lesson

9. Governing Law

This Agreement is governed by the laws of England and Wales. Any disputes arising from this Agreement will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.