Non refundable deposit

[ThatKindPinkCrow]

Hi looking for advice please.
I booked a beauty treatment and then at the end I booked my follow up. Was told they would message me closer to my appointment to pay the deposit to secure the booking.
3 days before my next scheduled appointment I received a message to see if I was happy with my previous treatment. I advised that I would need to change my up coming appointment. I was then told that I could cancel but I still had to pay my non refundable deposit as I should have paid this to secure this appointment.

Looking for advice as I had given more than the 24 hours notice and also the appointment wasn’t secured in the first place as I hadn’t paid the deposit so I don’t feel like I should be paying.

Terms and conditions does state that it’s a 50% non refundable deposit to secure any bookings that must be paid within 24hours of booking to secure.

Terms and conditions does state that it’s a 50% non refundable deposit to secure any bookings that must be paid within 24hours of booking to secure

you hadn’t paid the deposit, so based on the rules they apply, you didn’t have an appointment with them, so no loss of deposit. In my opinion anyway. They didn’t follow their own business rules by getting you to pay the deposit, that’s on them.

That's not how deposits work. You pay them when you book to secure the booking. Why would you now pay a deposit for an appointment you can't make. They've slipped up by not getting payment when you booked.

Do they need the deposit first to then change the appointment, e.g the booking system won't let them change the booking until the deposit has been paid?

Don't pay it, you don't want the appointment. Only pay deposits for things you want!

I’d say that you can’t make the appointment as you’ve made other plans as you were under the impression that they had not confirmed your appointment and not secured the date for you as they didn’t take a deposit. And that you’re disappointed to hear that the appointment was held for you as you would’ve paid the deposit and taken up the appointment if you’d been told in advance.

By their terms you never had an appointment with them as they didn’t take the deposit.

Hi no, they don’t have a booking system. They want me to pay a deposit for the booking I cancelled.
They make you pay to secure the booking but if you cancel or change the appointment then you lose this money they don’t allow you to put it towards another appointment.

Ah OK, if they expect you to pay a deposit for the cancellation and the new appointment I would tell them to bugger off.

Thank you to everyone that commented and gave me advice.
Appreciate it all.

They failed to take a deposit and state all bookings require a deposit so you either didn't have an appointment confirmed or the deposit only applies to 1st appointments and follow ups don't require one so moving it shouldn't incur a fee

They make you pay to secure the booking but if you cancel or change the appointment then you lose this money they don’t allow you to put it towards another appointment.

That's fair enough, that's pretty much how deposits work but they didn't get one from you so they're out of luck. Bad business practice on their part. Good news for you