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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Do you check texts? (SMS)

135 replies

DoYouCheckTexts · 14/01/2026 18:54

Who is in the right here?

Person A: a professional service provider, texts (SMS rather than WhatsApp) their client at 8am on the day of the appt advising the slot (which was for 6pm) is no longer available and asking them to come at 8pm that day or rearrange to a different day.

Person B: the client, has notifications turned off for SMSs on their phone as they get annoyed with getting lots of SMSs about parcel deliveries and from scammers. They don't see the message and turn up at the appointment at the original time to find noone there.

This was only the 2nd appt and Person A has previously communicated only by EMAIL.

VOTE:
YABU = Person A is correct. Person B should check SMSs, especially if they have an appointment.
YANBU = Person B is correct. Person A should have PHONED Person B to ensure they got the message, especially when they didn't respond to the text.

OP posts:
RudolphTheReindeer · 14/01/2026 19:25

It's a bit weird to have a mobile and turn off text notifications. I also think if you look to see if you have missed calls, WhatsApp, emails you can check if you've had any texts. I wouldn't expect a professional to whatsapp either.

PhantomAfternoonTea · 14/01/2026 19:23

Yes you should have checked your texts, they're hardly likely to contact you by email for something urgent which this was.

jamandcustard · 14/01/2026 19:21

Person B needs to check their texts.

Original poster
DoYouCheckTexts · 14/01/2026 19:18

In case it's relevant, both persons are a similar age, late 30s/early 40s.

OP posts:
NewPinkJacket · 14/01/2026 19:04

Person B is in the wrong.

And they should also just stick their phone on silent, check it a few times a day and block any scam numbers.

InterestedDad37 · 14/01/2026 19:00

B should certainly check texts, seeing as they have an appt.
A bears some responsibility, as this is a new method of communicatimg with that client, so should have followed it up with a phone call (to give changed appt details and to inform the client of the new way of communicating)

SheSaidSheCouldButSheLied · 14/01/2026 18:59

Person A is right

jbm16 · 14/01/2026 18:58

BOTH are unreasonable; there is no need to disable SMS completely, and the provider should have followed up if they got a notification that the message was not delivered.

ifeelprettyandwitty · 14/01/2026 18:57

Is it a therapist? Good practice would be to ask you to respond confirming you’ve received the message, and if you don’t then try another medium

SnowWhitesAppIe · 14/01/2026 18:56

Should have checked her texts at least once in 10 hours surely