General Business Conditions

I. General

1. The following terms and conditions apply to the business relationships between the company “Privates Sprachinstitut Treffpunkt GmbH” (hereinafter “TREFFPUNKT”) and the participants (hereinafter “participants”) of the language courses and examinations offers and run by TREFFPUNKT. The terms and conditions apply accordingly for the agencies and companies which enrol the participants in the aforementioned TREFFPUNKT courses and examinations and book the relevant TREFFPUNKT services.

2. TREFFPUNKT is a completely private company. TREFFPUNKT is a member of the Fachverband für Deutsch als Fremdsprache (professional association for German as a foreign language, fadaf), and has been accredited as an examination centre by the TestDaF Institute and telc GmbH.

3. Participants must be at least 18 years of age. If need be, exceptions can be made for language examinations, private tutoring or closed groups after prior consultation with TREFFPUNKT.

4. Enrolments for language courses or language examinations must be done in writing. If enrolments are done through our online shop, by email, by fax or by post, they are binding even without a signature.

5. Booked sessions must be used within 24 months, otherwise they will be forfeited.

6. The scope of the contractual services is based on the service descriptions in brochures, on the TREFFPUNKT website, in the booked services and on TREFFPUNKT’s booking confirmation. It is the responsibility of the participants, and the companies booking on their behalf, to check that the booking confirmation contains all booked services (e.g. course, accommodation, food). Any errors must be immediately reported to TREFFPUNKT. Agreements modifying the scope of the contractual services must be confirmed in writing by TREFFPUNKT.
If the information in the brochure differs from that on the website, the latter shall be definitive.

7. The enrolment and course fees include the booked lesson, the respective teaching material (incl. a textbook), level tests, final tests, and a certificate of participation. Students have the opportunity to attend recreational activities organised by TREFFPUNKT 3 times a week. Costs incurred for this (e.g. for food, drinks or entry tickets) are borne by the participants themselves.

8. If fewer than four participants are enrolled in a course one week before it commences, TREFFPUNKT reserves the right to modify programmes/courses or reduce the number of hours.

9. Each lesson runs for 45 minutes. When booking private tutoring, there is an option of choosing 45-minute lessons or 60-minute lessons.

10. Participant numbers in group courses are generally limited to ten.

11. No lessons are held on public holidays. Private tutoring sessions are caught up.

12. The participants are responsible for commuting to and from language courses and examinations.

13. The participants are obliged to obey the house rules of the respective accommodation facility and the school.

14. The participants are obliged to provide compensation for any damages they case at the school, at the accommodation facility, or to other objects owned by the landlord.

15. The “single room in a private home” accommodation option may only be booked for courses lasting at least two weeks. This accommodation is only available to participants for the time of their respective course. The arrival date must be the Sunday directly before the course commences, and the departure date must be the Saturday directly after the course has ended.

16. Half-board includes: Breakfast from Monday to Sunday, and a hot lunch or dinner five days of the week.

17. Insurance is not included in the course fees, examination fees or accommodation costs. It is expressly recommended that you take out the necessary insurance in a timely manner. Upon request, health insurance, accident insurance or liability insurance may be booked as an additional service when the language course is booked.

18. During courses or recreational activities, TREFFPUNKT may take photos that may be published on advertising material or as part of the TREFFPUNKT website. Consent is considered as having been given if no objection has been raised by the time the course commences. The photos are not shared with third parties.

19. The place of jurisdiction for disputes arising from this contractual relationship with TREFFPUNKT is Bamberg, Germany.

II. Payment and due date

1. In addition to the course fees, an enrolment fee based on the course booked must also be paid. This fee only needs to be paid once per calendar year, regardless of the duration of the course booked.

2. The course fees, as well as the charges for additional services booked, must be paid immediately and in full at the time of contract conclusion, but by no later than the day the booking confirmation/invoice is received. In the case of intensive German courses, an advance payment equalling 10% of the invoice amount must be paid to TREFFPUNKT within ten days of receiving the booking confirmation/invoice.
The respective total amount/residual amount must have been received by TREFFPUNKT at least seven days before course commencement, otherwise TREFFPUNKT will cancel the booking.

3. Participants/companies making bookings on their behalf must bear any transfer or other bank charges.

4. In the event of last-minute bookings (six days or fewer before course commencement), an individual agreement shall be made with TREFFPUNKT regarding fee due date and payability.

5. Individual payment agreements may be made with TREFFPUNKT for long-term stays as part of intensive German courses (13 weeks and over).

III. Liability

1. The participants, or companies booking on their behalf, are liable for damages they cause at the school, at the accommodation facilities, and to other objects owned by the landlords or TREFFPUNKT.

2. TREFFPUNKT may immediately terminate the contractual relationship if a participant repeatedly breaches the respective house rules or wilfully causes damage at the school or accommodation facilities.

3. TREFFPUNKT is not liable for the loss of private property, nor for damages based on an accident caused by the participants.

4. The participants bear sole responsibility when attending the recreational activities on offer. TREFFPUNKT is not liable for the conduct of the independent people running the recreational activities. They are not TREFFPUNKT assistants.

5. TREFFPUNKT is not liable for damage caused as a result of minor negligence by its employees, except if this involves physical injury.

6. TREFFPUNKT cannot be held liable for non-performance or damage based on force majeure, the behaviour of independent third parties, or the behaviour of one of the participants themselves.

7. Liability for compensation claims, except for physical injury, is limited to three times the travel price, insofar as TREFFPUNKT has not caused the damage through gross negligence or deliberate intent.

8. Liability for compensation claims, except for physical injury, is limited to three times the course price, insofar as TREFFPUNKT has not caused the damage through gross negligence or deliberate intent.

IV. Cancellation

1. Unless otherwise agreed and established in writing, cancellations are handled as follows:

a) The cancellation charges for language courses are:

• Cancellation more than four weeks before course commencement: None.
• Cancellation 11 to 27 days before course commencement: 20% of the course and accommodation fees, for a period of maximum two weeks. Alternatively, the course may be moved to another available time.
• Cancellation nine days or fewer before course commencement: 50% of the course and accommodation fees, for a maximum period of two weeks.
• Cancellation four days or fewer before course commencement: 100% of the course  and accommodation fees, for a maximum period of two weeks.

b) The cancellation fees for private tutoring, classes of two, and English group courses are as follows:

• Cancellation more than 24 hours before lesson commencement: None.
• Cancellation less than 24 hours before lesson commencement: All lesson units set for this day.

A cancellation is only considered as having been made in a timely manner if, all things being equal, TREFFPUNKT has been made aware of it by the deadline.

2. If the cancellation is due to a visa not being granted, TREFFPUNKT refunds the payments already made, minus the advance payment, if the participant provides the official notice of refusal at least three days before course commencement. If this official notice of refusal is not provided, the general cancellation rules as per point IV of these terms and conditions shall apply. Bank charges incurred as part of the refund shall be borne by the participant.

3. Costs for booked third-party services (e.g. examination fees, insurance fees, transfer costs) cannot be refunded. The participant is free to prove that TREFFPUNKT incurred no or less damage.

4. It is generally possible to transfer enrolments for a specific course. If the participant finds someone else to take their place for the course, no cancellation fees will be charged.

5. The advance payment of 10% of the invoice amount is always retained if the participant withdraws or cancels after the cancellation deadline. The withdrawing party is free to prove that TREFFPUNKT incurred no or less damage.

6. If a course is cancelled by TREFFPUNKT, the participant will be refunded the payments already made. Further compensation can only be provided if the participant proves the respective claimed damages are based solely on the TREFFPUNKT’s cancellation of the course.

V. Special conditions

1. Participants who have attended TREFFPUNKT courses in the past receive a 25% discount on their enrolment fee.

2. No enrolment fee is charged if participants book additional courses through TREFFPUNKT in one calendar year.

Our Address

Sprachinstitut TREFFPUNKT
Hauptwachstraße 19
D-96047 Bamberg
Germany
E: post(at)learn-german(dot)com
T: +49 951 3027989
F: +49 951 3017524