FirstTutors

Terrible customer service and unsatisfactory complaints process. Yoiu cannot speak to any chosen tutor unless you pay the fees first. You cannot pay the fees unless you book the tutor and you cannot speak with the tutor beforehand to discuss your requirements, so you have no idear of the suitability. It is shocking that this company s allowed to continue with their bad practices and unprofessionalism. They just want your money. Stay away.

Found physics tutor via this website clearly advertised as offering GCSE physics. Paid £24.99 finders fee. After several lessons tutor told us he did not cover GCSE curriculum, only Nat 5 level which is a different syllabus and exam. I therefore contacted First Tutors for a refund as this is false advertising and in breech of consumer protection rights. They refused to give me my money back. Dishonest and unscrupulous treatment, and this tutor is STILL being advertised as offering GCSE on their website.

I was told to leave a review on their website to get my money back so I did, which they then turned against me because I had said he was a great tutor but NOT as advertised, as I did not want to be rude about the person.

I wanted to get additional support for my sons A levels. Local tutor I found was completely incompetent. First tutors charged me £25 for introduction services which was an absolute waste of money as one session costed £60 in total with an immature incompetent tutor. They asked me to find another tutor and said they will provide details free of charge but I only have 5 tutors in the area and non are any better. Just a scale for vulnerable parents and students. Please don't use this site ideally go through school or local recommendations

As a tutor, I've found this website invaluable to source clients. It's user friendly and stops time wasters as there is an introduction fee - I've had many of my students now for years and they have been very satisfied with the service provided.

I am connected with the First Tutor last from almost 5 years. I am a working engineer but teaching is my hobby. Earlier I was helping my friends from university to solve their electronics and maths problems. But I was always thinking about how I can increase my reach so I can help more and more.
Then I found First Tutor, registration was well maintained and proper background checks are done from various authority to only allowed genuine and qualified tutors.
Already teach more than 52 students so far and having 5-star rating on the profile page.
Teaching is a skill and First Tutor is providing equal opportunity to all tutors and a very good search engine to the tutee.

Absolutely awful website, much better webites out there where you can meet the tutor online before agreeing to use them as a tutor. They demand a finders fee when you have not made a decision on your tutor and block communication with them if you do not pay. Total waste of time. Stay clear of these guys.

We have been using Nel Ridgeway as an A level Biology tutor for our son.
We have found her very knowledgeable and very approachable.
She is very calm, methodical and able to put across complicated topics in a simple and understandable manner.
We strongly recommend her.

Raised a complaint which they didn't even respond to. Pitiful customer service How can they sleep at night? Owed refund and not even responded for over two months

I am a professor and having tested the academic knowledge of 15 tutors at this organisation I was shocked and warn all hard working parents to not waste your money!

As a tutor First Tutors has become increasingly unfair to tutors. The only way a parent can see you is by typing the exact price you are charging, which is basically cutting you off from being seen by hundreds of potential clients. As an online tutor you do not stand a chance to be seen.

As a tutor for many years this site is easy to use and cheap. Unlike other sites which often take a large hourly cut, this one just charges a one off fee to clients. This can end up cheaper to them too as the hourly cut isn't factored in to prices. Honest, reliable and professional website service.

This website says
We have spoken with M and our understanding is that he is unable to teach because the request was for XX, but it has become apparent that the request should have been for improving skills of academic English as a foreign language - a subject that Matthew does not teach.

My tutor says
I can see that I was incorrect to state that you hired me on the the basis that I would teach you XX. I apologise. I'm looking back over our original messages: you approached on the basis that I would teach you English, then stated that it was reading comprehension. I understand now that for you this meant you wanted teaching about reading. I think I misinterpreted this as you saying you wouldn't help understanding the specific texts you were studying, i. E. that I would help you understand XX. I think this is a case of misunderstanding. I believe you should get a refund.

I have emailed this website but they are VERY UNETHICAL and don't help. I paid for different tutors for different learning purposes but now they are messing up all my payments. This tutor cannot help me but now the website refuses to either provide replacement or refund my fee.

There seems to be a disproportionate amount of negative reviews on sitejabber for FirstTutors. After reading through a few of them, I'm not sure if they are even for the correct site. One mentions the inability to find if a tutor is suitable without paying the introductory fee. This is absolutely ridiculous and this person must have a cognitive deficit.

You are free to chat with the prospective tutors as much as you like without paying any fee. You can't exchange contact details for obvious reasons though. FirstTutors makes its money from the finders fee. It then does not charge commission or a recurring fee which is how every tutoring site should operate.

I've been using the site as a tutor for several years and it genuinely is a bastion in a sea of money grabbing tutoring sites that inject themselves between tutor and tutee and charge for the privilege!

I hope that FirstTutors continues to operate in this way for many years to come!

This is a great site to get a qualified vetted tutor. One of the best. Feedback on the site shows the outstanding job this site does and provides. I recommend it

My partner (a tutor) just told me that this plea for positive feedback was sent to all their tutors by the company. I'm very uncomfortable that this sort of thing should be happening: shame on you First Tutors.
Better to try to listen more carefully to your customers and address the issues that have been flagged by them.________

Dear ##tutor_name##,
It has recently come to our attention that an external review site Site Jabber, is displaying some concerning reviews in relation to the First Tutors business.
Our understanding is that this website does not have any form of verification process to ensure reviews are genuine and we believe the majority of these ratings are not in relation to an actual buying or customer service experience with the First Tutors platform.
If you have had a positive experience with First Tutors, we would greatly appreciate your feedback on Site Jabber. This should help give our customers and your potential leads a true reflection of how First Tutors operates.
You can leave a review by clicking the link below:
https://www.sitejabber.com/reviews/firsttutors.com
Many thanks for your support of First Tutors
Kind regards,
First Tutors

There has been a significant improvemen since my early review of this company and I am pleased to say they respond much more efficiently to both the tutor and the client. I am happy to recommend them as a place for musicians and potential tutees.

I am a verified tutor on First Tutors and have close to 20 Five star rated reviews on First Tutors Canada. I have gone through the reviews on this site and it doesn't make sense to me. A lot of the reviews have obvious bias and prejudice against First Tutors and I am unsure if they are verified.

1. First Tutor is a legitimate business. Its not a scam. You approach a tutor like me through First Tutors. I generally respond and ask clarifying questions. The client is also feel to ask as many questions as they want to be part of the tutoring agreement. Only when both parties are fully satisfied, should the client buy the tutors details.

2. First Tutors is a business like any other legitimate business. So yes, you are able to connect with your tutor in person or over the phone only after you pay a initiation fee. I don't understand why or how this is a scam.

3. Unlike most other website, First Tutors enable their tutors to decide on their individual fees. First Tutors does not keep a hefty commission per session unlike most other tutoring platforms wherein the tutor gets payed 20% of the hourly fee and the platform keeps the rest. You always end up with demotivated tutors with sub par knowledge level in a situation like that. First Tutors has a one time fee only. If you cannot afford or do not want to afford a certain fee level, please feel free to find a tutor who offers a lower rate. Skill, knowledge and experience comes at a premium so yes, there are different level of tutors available within the same geographical area.

4. There can be a few disappointing experience with independent tutors. But that is not due to First Tutors. Its the individual tutor in question. The client is free to choose another tutor and can terminate any tutoring partnership at will and without reason. The payment schedule with client has nothing to do with First Tutors. It is an independent agreement that should be honoured by both the client and the tutor.

5. First Tutor verifies their tutors through reference check ( as they did with me). I am a professional tutor who has worked with them for over 5 years now. I have a Bachelors degree and two Masters degree in relevant STEM fields. I will not call myself underqualified. The tutors credentials are available for the clients to see and YES they are verified by First Tutors.

Its a weird world we leave in where truth is available at a premium. I will urge potential clients to do you own independent reviews and do not blindly fall for the negative reviews on this site. When contacting a First Tutor tutor, make sure you are asking as many questions as you can to understand what you want to get out of the relationship.

Summary:

1. No, Fist Tutors is NOT A SCAM. Its a legitimate business.
2. YES, you do have to pay an initiation fee to First Tutors to get the tutor contact details. Its a business, not a charity. But, its the ONLY one time fee you pay with First Tutors. Any subsequent session fee is between you and the tutor.
4. I have successfully tutored over 50 students through FIRST Tutors Canada who are now successfully established in their professional lives. So, YES, it does work.
5. Lastly, please be prepared to invest in your child. Tutoring is not free and just like any other skill, it takes time and effort to hone the teaching experience. Do not expect to drive a Mercedes if Honda Civic is all you WANT to afford. No Offence. Knowledge and skill comes at a price. If you are unwilling to pay that, please do not take it out on the First Tutors platform.
6. NO, First Tutors did not pay me to write my views on this website about their business.

65 pounds for nothing! I purchased special offer 25 pounds, tutor arrived and requested another 40! Inc 5 for travel! Disgusting did not learn anything! Avoid!

I gave them my number thinking I could find a tutor but they weren't what I was looking for. I told them that, yet EVERYDAY i get spammed with calls and voicemails saying that I requested for their service and to call them back. I've never had a company call as much as them-- well either than those spam/fraud calls. That's a big tell when it comes to companies. Please stop calling!

Couldn't fault the service. Searched for a tutor, spoke with the one I liked the most, paid to receive their contact details. Customer service answered my questions promptly.

I found this a very user-friendly site. Having chosen 2 possible tutors I was able to ask them further questions before selecting one. The tutor I have chosen came for a free chat and showed proof of his qualifications and CRB check. We organised a suitable time and he turned up promptly the next day. He really seems to understand what my son needs and gets on very well with him. He has a really patient, calm approach. I am so glad I used this website and would recommend it to anyone looking for a tutor.

I am having a lot of problems with First Tutors as a tutor.
1. They are more interested in being paid the tutoring student's fee before the session than help tutors.
2. In two occasions i had 2 payment's issues with 2 students. The last one owes me £200. I contacted First Tutors by email and they said they can't do anything with it! They asked me to make a claim at court and who is gonna pay the extra charges?
So, tutors are not protected against any unexpected issue, so be ready for it!
3. One of my students provided a feedback without starting her sessions because at the end, she changed her mind!
I asked first tutors to delete this feedback and they said they trust in student's feedback integrity... and what happens with tutors?
Without tutors this company wouldn't exist so pls, be aware, take care of tutors and treat them how they deserve to be treated!
4. I feel really disappointed and angry at this lack of professional behaviour and empathy with tutors.
I have been with First Tutors for 10 years now, so i feel that they are taking advantage of tutors and students in some way and they are more interested in money than in providing a competitive/ excellent service.
Excellent tutors there are few, (i consider one of them because all my students get the best marks in their exams), so if they don't take care of their tutors, the level of tutoring will get down and students won't trust in them.
I feel familiar with other reviews on this forum, i have also had to work sometimes for "free" to please students, charging a little rate to make them happy, being with them 1-2 years, (most of my students are with me long time), and after, i ask these students to write a good review for me and some of them they don't do it after being successful and get the highest marks in their exams.
So, all this hard work for nothing!
And then, there is a TOP tutors list in wich you need to upgrade and pay £30 to be listed at the top of the list.
If not, students won't see your profile, (even as in my case, i am fully qualified with 15 years of experience).
So, i advice First Tutors to create a new policy to protect tutors against difficult students and make some obligatory rules:
1. Make payment before every session.
2. Provide feedback.(Before publishing, tutors can check this profile and if they don't agree with it, they can proof the issue with it and be hide or deleted), without being shown any bad review with red colour on profiles.

So, happy tutors become happy students and not on the contrary.
It needs to be balance and equal the level of service for students and tutors.

Easy website to navigate, I just entered my postcode and subject and found a whole list of tutors that I could contact for free. After discussing my needs with all the tutors I chose one who lived quite close to me. I paid a intro fee for his contact details which I thought was very reasonable. I also received a good response from the customer service team when I asked them about leaving feedback on the tutor's profile. I was very happy with my tutor and would recommend First Tutors to everyone.