Parents out cash after dance studios abruptly closes doors

TRI-CITIES (NEWS1130) – Some parents in the Lower Mainland are outraged after losing money because a dance studio has shut its doors without notice.

C.A.P.A. Dance and Drama School has locations in Coquitlam, Port Moody and Pitt Meadows.  It’s been around since 2006 but does have a long history of complaints with the Better Business Bureau.

“The complaint pattern that we’re seeing is around billing, or refunds, and duplication of registration charges.  In some cases there’s been some customer service issues,” says Danielle Primrose, President and CEO of the Better Business Bureau

The parents not only paid for classes until the end of the semester but also undelivered costumes for its upcoming recital.  Primrose says the kids are really upset as well because they won’t be able to perform.

“Most consumers do not expect a business they are in an on-going relationship with to suddenly close,” says Primrose. “In this case, we saw some early warning signs due to the company failing to respond to complaints.”

If you are looking to purchase dance classes, BBB recommends the following to consumers:

Check out the business. Thoroughly research the business offering the special. Utilize BBB Business Reviews to see the company’s BBB rating and any history of complaints. Call the local City Hall to see if the company is operating with a business license.

Read the fine print. Make sure you fully understand the terms and conditions that come with the offer. Not every business has the same policy and those changes may be reflected in the offer details.

Verify the refund policy. Before making a purchase, consumers should know the stipulations for receiving a refund. Make sure to understand both the business refund policy as well as the refund policy of the collective buying site.

Pay with a credit card. Credit cards offer additional protection in the case that you do not receive your products or coupon promotion. For non-delivery of goods or services (like in the case of company closures), you can request a credit card chargeback.

Dance classes are continuing service contracts which should include the following:

• 10 days to cancel your contract, no matter what.

• If you decide to cancel, make sure to cancel the way the contract requires you to which is usually in person, by registered mail, or by fax.

• You can’t be locked into a membership that is longer than 2 years although it may roll over month to month automatically so make sure you know when your agreement ends.

• You have the ability to cancel under very specific circumstances such as for medical reasons or if you move more than 30km away from the facility and are not offered services in the area you have moved to.