I'm sure the OP has a lot to learn, which is why the OP is a student. That also applies to most of us IMHO.
I'd like to think that all those with a licence would appreciate the difference in service levels (although have a sneaky feeling that this is not the case).
Sounds to me like this is A/G and therefore only information given, not permission to land.
However, the OP has said that he was fully prepared to go around if the traffic in front hadn't vacated, and that to my mind is good airmanship. After all, even if we are dealing with 'Control' (meant in its correct sense), the landing clearance is just that, permission to land, not an instruction that must be obeyed.
The decision of whether to actually land is that of the PIC regardless of the service level given by the person on the other end of the radio.