Dentist chasing me to pay a fine - eek

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This isn't my dentist I'm registered with, but a different dentist I enquired about getting a private treatment with. I booked a consult (for 6 weeks in advance as they had no availability any sooner) they said my appointment wouldn't be secured without a deposit paid and I said I'd phone up after payday, I subsequently completely forgot and ended up going for a different treatment with my own dentist.

I had a text the day before my appointment reminding me, it said if I wanted to cancel to phone, I was at work and couldn't so planned to later. Annoyingly it didn't have a reply to cancel option, you had to phone.

I forgot again and the day came and went and I didn't think of it, until I got a letter about a £59 missed appointment charge. I didn't do anything about this and they are now continuing to chase me for this fine by sending increasingly threatening letters.

I assumed the appointment would be cancelled if I didn't pay, yes I could of phoned, I regret that now but what do I do? Is there any legal route they can take here? I don't really have £59 to waste.

Yes if you have this part in writing you’re in the clear. Try to be a bit more organised to avoid this kind of hassle though (not having a go, I’m the same as you if not worse!)

If they said the appointment wouldn't be secured without a deposit and you didn't pay the deposit then they should have given the appointment to someone else and shouldn't be trying to chase you up for the money now.
You should have phoned them up after payday though as you said you would, just to clear up the situation and let them know you wouldn't be needing the appointment.
I don't think you should have to pay this but I think you should be more careful in future about things like that. You should have phoned when you got the text the day before instead of "forgetting"couldn't be arsed to pick up phone

You owe the money.

You didn't pay a deposit, therefore didn't secure the appointment.

As you didn't secure the appointment, they should have either a) contacted you to see if you still wanted it; b) just booked someone else into it.

More fool them for keeping an appointment free for you when you clearly didn't want it anymore.

You had six weeks to cancel and you couldn't be arsed. You're a time waster and the very reason businesses have to take deposits now. Very entitled behaviour imo.

They had six weeks to sort out another booking when the OP didn’t confirm. They’re the entitled ones - it’s the deposit that secures the appointment.

This!