Cancelling session

[Jamielyn]

Hi all,

I had a counselling session booked this evening, but I couldn't go due to childcare. I let the person know 4 hours in advance, I called and texted but they did not respond til 10 mins before my session.

They are now trying to charge me a missed appointment fee, but no where in their t&cs and the initial email they sent to me did they mention a cancellation fee for a missed appointment. Therefore, I believe it's ridiculous to charge this.

This is the first time I would have met with them, I understand it's my fault for letting them down but I had no other option.

AIBU to refuse to pay this when it was never stated?

Christ’s sake OP, of course YABU. This is standard for counsellors. Don’t be a dick and pay up.

Unusual to get such a consensus on AIBU (even if not quite 100%)

I can't see how she's being unreasonable if she wasn't made aware of this

Except for the fact this is pretty standard for anyone you book for hourly type employment. How do you expect them to fill a slot at 4 hours notice, even if they had not been working earlier and not able to read e-mails at the point you sent it ? Your childcare really isn't their concern.

You have a legitimate gripe if your counsellor did not tell you or put in their contract that they charge for a cancellation with less than 24 hours’ notice. However, as PP have said, the counsellor is not being unreasonable in imposing a fee for a short-notice cancellation. You would be reasonable in telling her you feel annoyed that this was ‘sprung’ on you. Many complaints with regard to counselling stem from poor contacting.

Normally in the first session the counsellor will go through contracting with you, including how much notice for missed appointments would need to be given. A lot of counsellors now charge for the first session upfront to stop scenarios like yours from happening.

YABU, you should pay you wasted but if there is nothing in the terms and conditions she is unlikely to enforce it.

It depends on the arrangement. Most are like dentists and other and you are charged anything from 48 -24 hours in advance .
My own is wonderful and I can cancel up to that morning, ( but she only does it pt) but will also try fit me in if things need .
They usually tell you when you make appointment.

if you want to be a dick (and not use them again) refuse because you weren't informed. if you want to use them in the future pay up or negotiate half rate.

Most places have a cancellation within 24 hours still needs paying policy. Even for customers who have attended for years.

While the situation was out of your control, it's still not their fault you couldn't attend either.

Congratulations, it’s 100% YABU so far

She’s about to get her first YANBU (ish) then!

I am a freelancer with far more stringent cancellation terms (5 working days). I always, always, always state my T&Cs and cancellation policy in writing (usually by email).

Ordinarily I would say that OP is BU however given that this would be her very first appointment with the counsellor and the cancellation policy was not clarified in advance, I would waive the fee on this occasion if it were me.

In future however, OP, if you cancel inside of the cancellation period, you must accept the counsellor’s right to charge you for the cancellation, irrespective of what your reasons were.. It is not “ridiculous” for her to have a policy, just common sense.

Had you known if the cancellation fee would you have Done differently?

Another YABU from me. They couldn't fill the slot with four hours to go.

Yabu as the slot could have gone to someone else with reasonable notice

Although you had no other option, the counsellor would not have been able to fill this space (and you leave them with no other option like yourself) - they were probably not able to take your calls etc as they would have been involved with other clients. YOu should take this on the nose - so to answer your question YABU

YABVU. Four hours was nowhere near enough notice anyway! Needs to be at least 24 hours or you should pay.

YABU. Pay up.

Yabu I work in a similar job to this and have had a couple of clients cancel last minute. It is so annoying when the slot could have gone to someone else I have also done prep work and organised things for that particular client. It screams of 'their time is more valuable than yours' and quiet disrespectful particularly if it is an evening client and I have had to organise child care for my own children!

People who are self employed only get paid if they are working. You stopped her from working and she would never have been able to fill the slot at such short notice. Why you would expect her to miss out rather than you, I don't know.

I think she would have gone through everything with you at the first session. It's not just about the money side. When you see a counsellor you have a 'contract' with them about how you will behave and last minute cancellations are disrespectful and don't show you are committed to the process.

Hmmm.
It is a fact of life for many mothers though that childcare is a serious issue.

I am assuming that the OP only had 4 hours notice that her childcare had fallen through.

That’s life, especially, for example, single mothers, and doesn’t signal disrespect for the process.

I still agree with needing to pay, but it isn’t the OP’s fault she had a childcare problem.

Yabu