Opinions on whether LDS is being fair?

[DavidHickey]

Just wanted opinions from some dive instructors or store owners. I signed up for lessons from my LDS this past fall. Took the class and completed 2 of the 4 open water dives. After my 2nd dive I got out and my hearing was off. Sort of like trying to talk with a fish bowl over your head. Anyhow I showed up at the site for the 3rd dive, and mentioned to my instructor that my hearing was still off. She said that I should not dive and she needed me to bring a doctors release back before she could let me dive again "which I did" Well this was the last class of the year, so they said I would have to wait till spring to finish. I just talked to her and she is telling me that to complete my dives I have to pay an additional 25.00 for training and 75.00 for equipment rental. Even if I join an existing class for the last 2 dives. I kinda felt that since I was told I could not dive, and I already paid that there would be no charge when I came back in the spring. She says just because I had to cancel my last 2 dives does not mean she can ask one of her employees to work for free. Is this standard in the industry? I mean the money is really nothing, just doesn't seem right to me.

 

[simbrooks]

How long was it between your second and third dives, just overnight, a week or longer? The hearing being off sounds like a barotrauma in your middle ear due to not equalising, but could be really bad swimmers ear at best (more likely the first). This can take a good week or two to truly clear up - trust me i had that with my OW training and was the reason i found this board in the first place.

Due to us missing our 4th dive (i did 3 the first day), we were told we had to pay a little extra for hassle - but in the end they never charged us. It was bad to do more than one dive knowing that my ears were off from the first one (descended quicker than my ears would allow, a little pain, but ascent helped that and i carried on down afterwards). Not sure about extra for equipment rental - thats pretty steep for a BC, reg and tank rental for a single day (that should be included in your course price or at worst $30 for a day), but the further dives for the class is about standard.

 

[Jason B]

She says just because I had to cancel my last 2 dives does not mean she can ask one of her employees to work for free

When you couldn't do the dives she sure didn't mind taking your money without having to do any work.

 

[RonFrank]

You can get a Referral, and go elsewhere, but it's going to run you at LEAST $100, and likely more like $200. I believe referrals are valid for six months from the date of the Cert written test, or a year with a refresher class.

If you wait more than six months, I believe you will have to do a *refresher* before you can finish you OW. Maybe the PADI website has more info on that.

If you don't finish your OW within a year, you will have to start over.

I agree that $75 sounds high for gear rental, but at this point it sounds like you need to get this finished with the people you started with, or pay even more, or redoing OW.

Regardless of advice here, all you can realistically do is to talk it over with the LDS.

Hope it works out for you,

Ron

Just wanted opinions from some dive instructors or store owners. I signed up for lessons from my LDS this past fall. Took the class and completed 2 of the 4 open water dives. After my 2nd dive I got out and my hearing was off. Sort of like trying to talk with a fish bowl over your head. Anyhow I showed up at the site for the 3rd dive, and mentioned to my instructor that my hearing was still off. She said that I should not dive and she needed me to bring a doctors release back before she could let me dive again "which I did" Well this was the last class of the year, so they said I would have to wait till spring to finish. I just talked to her and she is telling me that to complete my dives I have to pay an additional 25.00 for training and 75.00 for equipment rental. Even if I join an existing class for the last 2 dives. I kinda felt that since I was told I could not dive, and I already paid that there would be no charge when I came back in the spring. She says just because I had to cancel my last 2 dives does not mean she can ask one of her employees to work for free. Is this standard in the industry? I mean the money is really nothing, just doesn't seem right to me.

 

[simbrooks]

Are you intending doing further courses or buying equipment from them? If so, see if you cant barter down a thing or two - of course when it comes to equipment check first what is a good price for things before you go with them, but seriously $100 wont kill you, 75 does still sound steep though - 25 is pocket change for another hour or so UW on a couple of dives.

 

[ShakaZulu]

She's full of it..........talk to the LDS owner. Let him know that you intend to become a Dive Master, lots of classes.

 

[Diver0001]

Just wanted opinions from some dive instructors or store owners. I signed up for lessons from my LDS this past fall. Took the class and completed 2 of the 4 open water dives. After my 2nd dive I got out and my hearing was off. Sort of like trying to talk with a fish bowl over your head. Anyhow I showed up at the site for the 3rd dive, and mentioned to my instructor that my hearing was still off. She said that I should not dive and she needed me to bring a doctors release back before she could let me dive again "which I did" Well this was the last class of the year, so they said I would have to wait till spring to finish. I just talked to her and she is telling me that to complete my dives I have to pay an additional 25.00 for training and 75.00 for equipment rental. Even if I join an existing class for the last 2 dives. I kinda felt that since I was told I could not dive, and I already paid that there would be no charge when I came back in the spring. She says just because I had to cancel my last 2 dives does not mean she can ask one of her employees to work for free. Is this standard in the industry? I mean the money is really nothing, just doesn't seem right to me.

That's just bull*****. You paid for the course. It's a fixed price for the whole course, including equipment rental. They haven't delivered the whole course yet so the consequences of your instructor delaying your last checkout dives is the shop's problem not yours. There should be no talk of equipment rental until they have delivered what you bought.

If you get *extra* pool time for a refresher then there is room to discuss the $25 training charge, imo, but this is also bad business and any shop with enough volume won't do it. If you aren't receiving *extra* instruction above what you have already paid for then there is nothing to discuss here either. You already paid for it and now they have to deliver it. End of discussion.

R..

 

[RonFrank]

That's just bull*****. You paid for the course. It's a fixed price for the whole course, including equipment rental. They haven't delivered the whole course yet so the consequences of your instructor delaying your last checkout dives is the shop's problem not yours. There should be no talk of equipment rental until they have delivered what you bought.

You already paid for it and now they have to deliver it. End of discussion.

R..

Somewhere in the 2 page agreement that I signed when I scheduled my checkout dives, it DEFINEATLY indicated that IF the diver is not able to complete the dives for ANY reason, the shop is NOT responisible, and the cost is non-refundable ...yadayada..legal terms...

I discussed this with the LDS owner (smallish shop, and he was there) and he indicated that this policy was flexible, and that if I got sick before the dives they would accomodate, etc... But I had his word, and he had my signature on a binding contract.

Ironically, the contract indicated that THEY could cancel the dives at any time for any reason without penilty if rescheduled

In any event, I SERIOUSLY doubt the DS is liable for completing the checkout dives at no cost if the diver is unable to complete them assuming they operate like the DS's I've used and talked with.

Ron

 

[mike_s]

When you couldn't do the dives she sure didn't mind taking your money without having to do any work.

You hit that nail right on the head!

 

[ZoCrowes255]

No that does not sound fair. If you were my student I would let you make up the dives with another Openwater group at no extra charge. It is no skin off my back and it keeps the customer happy.