These terms are between you and Brent T. Howard, a sole proprietor operating under the business name “Trailblazer English” (“Trailblazer English”, “we”, “us”). They apply to private lessons. Corporate programs follow the written agreement with the employer. Nothing in these terms limits any rights you have under the law where you live.
1. Lessons, prices and payment
- Lessons are private and online, by video call (Zoom), and last 30 or 60 minutes. Lessons are taught in English.
- Prices are in US dollars, as shown on our website. Your bank may charge a conversion fee if your card uses another currency.
- Payment is made in advance, through a secure Stripe payment link or invoice that we send by email.
- Once we agree a lesson time, we hold it for up to 48 hours while you complete payment. The lesson is confirmed only when payment is received. If the hold expires without payment, we may release the time.
- A four-lesson package is valid for 90 days from the date of payment. We may, at our discretion, grant a one-time extension for illness, an emergency or another exceptional circumstance that is documented or reasonably explained. Extensions are not automatic.
2. Free consultation
- The free 15-minute consultation, usually on Zoom, is a conversation to understand your learning goals, recommend suitable lessons and answer your questions.
- It is not a lesson and includes no teaching. It is offered once per new student and has no cash value.
3. Scheduling, cancelling and rescheduling
- Lesson times are agreed by email. We confirm each lesson by email with the time, the time zone and the Zoom link.
- You can cancel or reschedule without losing the lesson if you give at least 24 hours’ notice before the scheduled start time.
- How to give notice: reply to your lesson confirmation email, or write to support@trailblazerenglish.com. Notice counts from the time your email is received.
- Which time zone applies: the deadline is 24 hours before the start time stated in your confirmation, in the time zone shown there.
- Cancellations with less than 24 hours’ notice normally count as a used lesson.
4. Missed lessons and lateness
- A lesson missed without notice normally counts as used. We may make a goodwill exception at our discretion.
- If you join more than 15 minutes late for a 60-minute lesson, or more than 10 minutes late for a 30-minute lesson, without letting us know, the lesson may be treated as missed.
- Late arrivals don’t normally extend the scheduled end time. If you tell us about a delay, we will use reasonable discretion.
5. If we cancel or are late
- If Trailblazer English cancels a lesson, or a problem on our side prevents it, you can choose either a full replacement lesson at a time we agree, or a refund for that lesson.
- If your teacher is more than 10 minutes late, you have the same choice. For shorter delays, we make up the missed time when practical.
- For a package, an affected lesson is either credited back to your package (with the expiry date extended if needed to reschedule it) or refunded at the package’s per-lesson value ($49.75 for a 60-minute package lesson, $27.25 for a 30-minute package lesson). Your remaining lessons are never reduced.
6. Refunds
| Situation | Refund |
|---|---|
| Single lesson cancelled with at least 24 hours’ notice | Full refund (or rescheduling, if you prefer) |
| Package completely unused, refund requested within 14 days of payment | Full refund |
| Package partly used | The package price minus the lessons completed, charged at the normal single-lesson price ($55 for 60 minutes, $30 for 30 minutes). Requests should normally be made before the package expires. |
- Lessons counted as used under sections 3 and 4 count as completed for this calculation.
- The single-lesson calculation applies only when you choose to end a package early. A lesson we cancel or can’t hold (section 5) never counts as completed: it is credited back to your package or refunded at the package’s per-lesson value.
- Examples: four 60-minute lessons bought for $199, one completed: $199 − $55 = $144 refund. Four 30-minute lessons bought for $109, one completed: $109 − $30 = $79 refund.
- Refunds are paid to the original payment method through Stripe, and always to the person who paid, including after a transfer (section 7). We issue refunds promptly, and in any case within the time required by the law where you live (for example, within 15 days of your cancellation notice in Taiwan); your bank may take a few more days to show it. If your card is in another currency, your bank converts the refund at that day’s rate, so the amount you see may differ slightly from what you paid.
- Your legal rights: if the law where you live gives you a right to cancel a purchase made online or at a distance (for example, within 14 days in the European Union and the United Kingdom, or within 7 days of receiving the service in Taiwan), you may cancel within that period by telling us in writing (an email is enough), without giving a reason. We will refund you as that law requires. Where that law allows a charge for lessons you asked us to provide during that period, we will charge no more than the package’s per-lesson value for each lesson provided. Nothing in these terms limits rights you have by law.
7. Transferring unused lessons
- Lesson packages are sold for a named student. They are not gift cards, gift certificates, codes or vouchers, and they have no cash value beyond the refunds in section 6.
- Unused prepaid lessons may be transferred to another student, who does not need to be a family member, with our prior approval.
- A transfer moves only the remaining lesson entitlement. It does not add lessons, change the lesson length, or extend the original expiry date.
- The new student completes our normal intake. If the new student is under 18, a parent or legal guardian authorizes enrollment, accepts these terms, and manages scheduling and communication.
- Each student has their own records. Accounts, passwords, identities and learning records are never transferred.
- We may decline a transfer for legitimate reasons, such as teacher suitability, scheduling limits or suspected misuse. Reselling or brokering lessons commercially is not permitted without our written approval.
- Any refund is calculated on the original package and paid only to the original payer, once. Lessons already used by either student count as completed.
8. Students under 18
We teach students of all ages, including young children, with no minimum age. Being able to take lessons is separate from being able to enroll, accept terms, pay or manage communication, which for anyone under 18 is done by a parent or legal guardian.
- A parent or legal guardian authorizes enrollment, accepts these terms on the student’s behalf and manages payment. Before the student’s first lesson, the parent or guardian confirms this authorization in writing, by email or using our authorization form.
- The parent or guardian arranges and changes lesson times and receives confirmations and official messages. We avoid direct private messaging with students under 18; lesson content is shared through the lesson or channels the parent approves.
- For children under 10, a responsible adult should be reasonably available nearby during the lesson. Sitting beside the child throughout is only needed where appropriate for the child.
- An older teenager may handle day-to-day scheduling if the parent or guardian allows it; the parent or guardian remains responsible for these terms and payment.
- Transferred lessons used by a student under 18 follow the same rules.
9. Recordings
- Lessons are not recorded by default.
- Recording is allowed only with prior written consent from the participants, and, for a student under 18, from the parent or guardian.
- An agreed recording is used only for the agreed educational purpose, is accessible only to the student (or the parent or guardian) and the teacher, and is normally deleted 30 days after the lesson. We confirm the deletion if asked.
10. Your lessons and conduct
- You need a device with a camera and microphone, a stable internet connection and a quiet place.
- Lesson materials are for your own learning and may not be shared or resold.
- We may assign another qualified teacher if your teacher is unavailable. We tell you in advance, and you may choose a new time with your usual teacher instead.
- We expect respectful behavior from students and teachers. After abusive or inappropriate conduct, we may end a lesson or decline future bookings; unused prepaid lessons are then refunded under section 6.
11. Changes and contact
- We may update these terms. Changes apply to purchases made after the update.
- Questions, complaints, cancellations or refund requests: email support@trailblazerenglish.com. We will acknowledge your message and work with you to resolve it.
- You can save or print these terms at any time from this page; we also send the link with every payment request.
- How we handle your information: see our Privacy Policy.
Last updated: October 27, 2026