To not pay this invoice

[whatsallthehullaballoo]

Back in June requested an appointment on line for a counselling session for the Saturday just gone at the local wellbeing clinic. On booking the appointment I selected a time and date convenient and then a message came up saying that they would telephone to confirm the appointment and asked what time is the best to contact me. I selected daytime.

I did not receive any confirmation, no call or letter and not even an email to confirm that the appointment was booked.

Yesterday I got an email from the counsellor which I found really quite rude. It read:

'To Whatsallthe...I am disappointment you did not keep your appointment and I will be sending you an invoice to cover my time. Regards'

So have responded saying that I received no confirmation and was sorry that there was confusion over the booking. I am a bit worried though as the cost of the initial appointment was to be £40 - am I right to refuse to pay considering the I only submitted an appointment request?

yes. dont pay it.

How rude, do not pay it.

I wouldn't pay it - email back expressing your disappointment that you didn't receive the promised confirmation and explaining this is the reason you won't be paying the invoice. I'd also say that you found the email rude.

If they said that they would confirm and they didnt then you cant be expected to assume that the appointment would happen, so I dont think that you should have to pay.

It's not remotely rude, it's unlikely to be her who would be responsible for emailing you the confirmation.

She will have sat in her seat for the entire hour waiting for you (standard practise).

Email the clinic and say you didn't receive confirmation so you won't be paying the invoice. Then the services manager will know there's been a cock up. The therapist will also expect the clinic to cover the cost of her time.

I wouldn't pay it and reply saying there was never an appointment made just an appointment request and as no-one got back to you, you assumed the appointment request was not able to be fulfilled. Regards.

On booking the appointment

All seems a bit odd; sounds like until the pop-up, you thought you were booking the appt, then after the pop-up ... not.

Do they have any T+Cs on the site ?
Was it a pop-up or a confirmation page which said they'd phone ?

I wouldn't pay it, and would write to tell them why. I was invoiced $400 from a surgeon for an appt. I had. I refused to pay it because a) I was told to make the appt. when all I wanted was to book a slot for my surgery. b) when I went into the surgeon's room he had not looked at my notes, did not have a clue about something important to do with my surgery that had happened since the prior appt. and said 'oh, just talk to the receptionist and she'll book your surgery, you don't need to see me.' Because he spoke only about 2 sentences and there was no actual consultation or anything, I didn't bother filing an insurance claim for the 'apt.' so was totally shocked when I was billed the $400 for his time. For less than 2 minutes, it seemed somewhat extortionate! After writing and telling them precisely why I wouldn't be paying it, I didn't hear back again, and had my surgery with a different surgeon, who could read notes.

I totally agree, tell them you won't be paying it because they didn't contact you to confirm it.

Thank you for all your replies! I emailed back politely explaining that I had had no confirmation and believed the appointment requested was not available. I went out to a friends house and when I got back my husband said she had called to apologise

I had an apologetic email sent as well....it seems she has realised that there was no confirmation email/ telephone call. I think she is self employed and pays for a consult room at the clinic and therefore should have confirmed it by telephone herself. Feel very relieved!

Youngishbag- She will have sat in her seat for the entire hour waiting for you (standard practise).
err ....would she not have thought about getting up, going to speak to the services manager or actually trying to phone the client?!!!

I'm glad it's sorted OP!!