Cancel a ski course: cancellation fees, substitute participant and refund

A confirmed registration usually creates a paid contract between the participant and the ski school. The booking may concern a group course, private lessons, a particular course week or individual teaching units. These details affect the possibility of filling the place and calculating the loss.

Read the booking confirmation together with the tariff and general terms. A cancellation rule must be incorporated into the contract and expressed clearly. For consumer contracts, transparency under section 6(3) KSchG and the content review under section 879(3) ABGB can be relevant.

An agreed cancellation fee can standardise the school's expected loss. It still has to be assessed in light of the contract, the time of cancellation and the organisation of the course. A flat demand cannot be reviewed separately from those circumstances.

Where the contract has the characteristics of a work contract, section 1168 ABGB may inform the calculation. The contractor may in principle claim the agreed remuneration, while saved expenses and other earnings must be taken into account. Whether this rule applies directly depends on the content of the ski-school contract.

The ski school should therefore be able to explain which costs were caused by the late cancellation, which expenses were saved and whether the place could be sold again. Early notice makes a replacement booking more realistic.

A substitute participant can reduce the financial impact if the person takes over the course place and fits the booked group. The customer cannot automatically appoint any person without coordination. The ski school may check age, ability, language, group allocation and safety requirements.

Propose the substitute before the lessons begin and provide the relevant information. Ask the ski school to confirm whether it accepts the change, whether an administrative fee applies and who will pay the course fee. A verbal agreement at the ticket desk can be difficult to prove later.

If the school refuses a suitable substitute, ask for the reason. This makes it possible to examine whether the cancellation demand should reflect the value of a place that remained unused or was assigned to someone else.

For a group course, the financial assessment often depends on group size and the chance of filling the vacant place. A private lesson may be tied more closely to a particular instructor and time. These differences influence the actual loss.

Illness or changed travel plans do not automatically end the contract. Check cancellation insurance, a goodwill rule or rebooking. A cost-free solution requires a specific contractual or statutory basis.

Ski-school liability becomes a separate issue once instruction has started and an alleged breach has caused damage. The article Ski instructor and ski school: liability in an adult course addresses that area.

Send the cancellation through the agreed channel and state the booking number, course date, participant and requested solution. Ask for a receipt. If you offer a substitute participant, include the relevant course information and request a prompt response.

Keep the booking confirmation, payment record, tariff, terms, emails, chat history and the school's response. Also record whether the course was fully booked and whether the place was filled after your cancellation. These details can be important for calculating the loss.

If you request a refund, identify the amount and explain it by reference to the agreed rule or the actual replacement of the place. If the school demands the full fee, ask for the clause and calculation in text form.