Terms and Conditions
Clients
1. Acceptance of Term and Conditions
By proceeding with a tutor arrangement through SparkTutors, you agree to the Terms and Conditions outlined below. The tutoring engagement shall be deemed effective upon the issuance of a Confirmation Note via WhatsApp, SMS, or email, and/or upon the commencement of the first tuition session by the assigned tutor, in accordance with the arrangements communicated to the client.
2. Payment and Tuition Rates
SparkTutors’ matching services are provided to clients at no upfront cost, as the applicable commission is typically charged to the tutor. Upon the completion of the first two (2) weeks of lessons (or such other arrangement stated in the Confirmation Note), the client is required to make payment to SparkTutors for the corresponding lesson fees (stated in the Confirmation Note), or any other amount as advised.
Payment may be made to SparkTutors via Bank Transfer, PayNow, or PayLah. This payment includes SparkTutors’ commission, which is charged to the tutor and does not represent an additional fee payable by the client.
Following the initial payment period, all subsequent lesson fees may be paid directly to the tutor, using a payment method and schedule mutually agreed upon between the client and the tutor. Any additional tuition arrangements, such as the inclusion of extra subjects or lessons for siblings, must be declared to SparkTutors. Such arrangements remain subjected to commission, which shall be charged to the tutor in the same manner as the original engagement.
For payment that remains outstanding for a period exceeding four (4) weeks, SparkTutors reserves the right to impose a late payment charge. A late fee of S$50 may be applied for each subsequent two-week (14-day) period in which the payment remains unpaid after the expiry of the 4 weeks grace period. Additional administrative charges may also be imposed to cover reasonable costs incurred in the recovery of the outstanding amount.
SparkTutors further reserves the right to pursue recovery of any unpaid sums through legal means, including the commencement of proceedings with the Small Claims Tribunal, where deemed necessary. As a general guideline, claims may be initiated if payment has not been received within three (3) months from the due date, although SparkTutors may elect to commence recovery action earlier if the circumstances reasonably require it. Late payment charges shall continue to accrue on a bi-weekly basis until the matter is resolved or a final court order is issued. SparkTutors reserves the right to disclose the client’s billing or contact details to relevant third parties, including creditors or appointed collection agents, solely for the purpose of facilitating payment recovery or necessary communications related to the outstanding amount. The client shall be responsible for all reasonable legal and recovery costs incurred in connection with the enforcement of payment.
Tuition rates are agreed upon as stated in the Confirmation Note before the commencement of lessons. Clients may renegotiate future tuition rates with the tutor upon the student's progression to a higher academic level, should the tutor request for it.
3. Quality of Service
SparkTutors makes no representation or guarantee that tuition services will lead to specific academic results or grade improvements. While every effort is made to recommend a tutor who aligns with the client’s stated requirements, preferences, and budget, academic outcomes may vary.
Clients remain responsible for payment of all lessons that have been conducted, regardless of satisfaction with the tutoring sessions. However, clients may discontinue the tutoring arrangement or opt for another tutor at any time should the services be deemed unsuitable.
Refer to point 5 regarding cancellation or tutor reassignment.
SparkTutors welcomes and encourages clients to share feedback on their tutoring experience, as such feedback assists in improving service quality and future tutor matching.
4. Verification of Credentials
Clients may request to review a tutor’s teaching qualifications or relevant credentials for verification purposes. Where a tutor agrees to the disclosure of such personal documentation, SparkTutors will facilitate the collection of the documents and provide them to the client accordingly.
While reasonable steps are taken to vet and verify the information provided by tutors, SparkTutors shall not be held responsible for any inaccurate, incomplete, or misleading information supplied by tutors on the platform.
Notwithstanding the above, any tutor found to have knowingly submitted false or fraudulent information will be permanently removed from the SparkTutors platform. SparkTutors reserves the right to pursue further action, including legal remedies or referral to the relevant authorities, where appropriate.
5. Cancellation of Lessons or Tutor Reassignments
If, within the first four (4) weeks of engagement, the client finds the assigned tutor unsuitable or feels uncomfortable proceeding, the client may request a change of tutor at any time after the first lesson has taken place. In such cases, the client shall only be responsible for payment of lessons already conducted. As a general guideline, clients are encouraged to allow for a one-month commitment period to fairly evaluate the suitability of the tutoring arrangement. Clients are also encouraged to provide feedback to SparkTutors or the assigned tutor to facilitate clearer alignment of expectations for subsequent lessons.
Where the client decided to discontinue the tuition engagement before the completion of four (4) full weeks of lessons, SparkTutors shall retain 50% of the total lesson fees for lessons conducted during that period. The client is required to make payment to SparkTutors based on the amount stated in the issued invoice, representing the agency’s portion of the fees. Payment of the remaining portion attributable to the tutor may be made either directly to the tutor or, upon request, facilitated by SparkTutors on the client’s behalf. SparkTutors acknowledges that cancellations may occasionally arise due to unforeseen or emergency circumstances, which will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. SparkTutors’ portion of the fees is subject to the prevailing Goods and Services Tax (GST).
In the unlikely event that a tuition engagement is terminated by the tutor due to personal, medical, or compatibility reasons, fees for lessons already conducted shall remain payable. However, SparkTutors reserves the discretion to review such cases individually and determine whether full payment for the lessons conducted is required. By accepting these Terms and Conditions, the client agrees to abide by SparkTutors’ final decision in relation to such matters.
5a. Last-Minute Cancellation and Postponement of First Lesson
Clients are required to provide a minimum of six (6) hours’ notice to SparkTutors or the assigned tutor in the event that the first scheduled lesson needs to be postponed or cancelled. Where such notice is not provided, the client agrees to compensate SparkTutors for services rendered and the tutor’s time and travel costs by paying fifty percent (50%) of the first lesson fee. This amount shall be divided equally between SparkTutors and the tutor. SparkTutors recognises that cancellations may arise due to unforeseen or emergency circumstances, and such situations will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
6. Schedule and Location
Following the completion of the first lesson, lesson schedules may be adjusted by mutual agreement between the client and the tutor.
Lessons will be conducted at the address provided by the client, unless alternative arrangements are mutually agreed upon.
7. Tutor Matching, Dispute Handing, and Limitation of Liability
SparkTutors endeavours to exercise reasonable efforts to recommend tutors who best align with the client’s stated requirements and preferences. In the event of a disagreement or dispute between a client and a tutor, SparkTutors may, at its discretion, assist in facilitating communication or resolution. However, SparkTutors shall not be responsible for the conduct, actions, or omissions of either party and shall not bear legal liability for any disputes, losses, or issues arising from the tutoring engagement.
SparkTutors reserves the right to restrict, suspend, or terminate services, and to withhold information where appropriate, unless disclosure is required by applicable law.
8. Amendments to Terms and Conditions
SparkTutors reserves the right to revise or update these Terms and Conditions at any time. Any such changes shall take effect upon publication, without the requirement of prior notice to clients.
Privacy Policy and PDPA
For Tutors and Clients
1. Acceptance of Term and Conditions
SparkTutors is committed to safeguarding the privacy of both tutors and clients. All personal information provided to us is handled with care, confidentiality, and respect. This Privacy Policy outlines how information is collected, used, and protected when you access or use the SparkTutors platform. By engaging with SparkTutors, you acknowledge and agree to the practices described herein.
2. Confidentiality
SparkTutors does not sell, rent, or trade personal data to third parties. Personal information is disclosed only where necessary to provide the services requested by users or where required by law. Sensitive personal data, such as NRIC details, uploaded certification documents, contact numbers, or full residential addresses, will not be publicly disclosed.
Such information will only be shared with relevant parties strictly for service fulfilment, as outlined below.
3. Information Relating to Clients
A client refers to an individual who submits a request for tuition services through SparkTutors.
Non-personal details related to the tuition request, such as lesson location (general area, eg. nearby landmarks, street), subject requirements, lesson frequency, and other assignment-related information, may be shared with prospective tutors for the purpose of securing a suitable match.
A client’s full address and contact details will only be disclosed to the assigned tutor after the tuition engagement has been confirmed.
4. Information Relating to Tutors
A tutor refers to an individual who registers with SparkTutors to apply for tuition assignments.
Information relevant to tutor selection, such as qualifications, teaching experience, gender (where applicable), and other assignment-related details, may be shared with clients to facilitate informed decision-making. Personal identifiers, including contact details and NRIC-related information, will not be disclosed to clients until a tuition assignment has been formally confirmed.
5. Consent for Collection, Use, Retention and Disclosure of Personal Data
By submitting your contact details to SparkTutors through our request or sign up forms or via any other mode of communication, you consent to SparkTutors collecting, using, and disclosing your personal data in accordance with the Personal Data Protection Act 2012 (PDPA) for the purposes set out below:
(a) to contact you through telephone calls or messaging platforms in relation to your tuition enquiry or request;
(b) to process and administer tutor matching and related operational matters;
(c) to share relevant personal information with the assigned tutor upon confirmation of a tuition engagement; and
(d) to send you tuition-related updates, notifications, or marketing communications via email or messaging platforms, including but not limited to SMS, WhatsApp, or Telegram.
SparkTutors retains personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including tutor matching, assignment administration, and compliance with legal or regulatory requirements.
Personal data will be securely deleted or anonymised when it is no longer required for these purposes, unless retention is required by applicable laws or regulations.
SparkTutors may store or process personal data using third-party service providers or cloud infrastructure located outside Singapore.
Where personal data is transferred overseas, SparkTutors will take reasonable steps to ensure that the receiving party provides a standard of protection comparable to that under the PDPA.
You may withdraw your consent to the collection, use, retention or disclosure of your personal data at any time by contacting our Data Protection Officer at contact@sparktutors.sg. Such withdrawal may affect our ability to continue providing certain services.
6. Legal Disclosure
While SparkTutors takes reasonable measures to protect user privacy, personal information may be disclosed where required to comply with applicable laws, regulations, court orders, or lawful requests from government or regulatory authorities.
7. Updates to Privacy Policy
SparkTutors reserves the right to amend or update this Privacy Policy at any time without prior notice. Any changes shall take effect upon publication on the platform.
For enquiries or clarifications regarding this Privacy Policy, please contact us at contact@sparktutors.sg