Beauty Appointment

[mummyh2016]

Pretty sure I'm not but wanted to check what other people thought!
DH is booked in for a massage at 10.30am tomorrow, this is only his second appointment at the salon however I have been going once a month for the last 6 months or so. They asked for payment on booking for the December appointments which we have done. I was booked in yesterday.
Anyway DH has been awake coughing quite a bit in the night. The cancellation terms state they need 24 hours notice of cancellation to avoid any charges for treatments 80 minutes or less, his appointment is 50 mins long. I tried to call them at 9am when they were due to open however soon realised due to xmas they aren't opening until 2pm today. I've therefore sent a fb message at 9am explaining he has a cough, I've not asked for a refund but instead have just asked them to postpone and when he is better he will rebook.
I've just had a message back saying they will charge in full for any cancellations with less than 48 hours notice unless they have evidence of a positive Covid test. We can't get a PCR booked anywhere in England at the moment, and even if we could the results wouldn't be back for the morning. He has done a LTF which is negative but we all know LTF shouldn't really be used when having symptoms. The terms they emailed to me and DH state 24 hours notice not 48 hours notice which IMO they have been given - it's their choice not to open until 2pm today when they normally open at 9am. And we're not asking for a refund, we would just like the appointment carried over. Who IBU here? Surely customers can only adhere to the terms that have been supplied, they can't change them without telling us can they? We were not told when booking these December appointments that the cancellation terms had changed.

@OnceuponaRainbow18

Couldn’t you have gone instead?

Unfortunately I have a hospital appointment at 9.40 tomorrow so I wouldn't have been back in time for his 10.30 appointment, it was something I would've considered but at the same time I only went yesterday so 2 appointments in 3 days wouldn't have been ideal

I agree with a PP tell them his lat flow is neg and that he will be attending the apt!

The terms and conditions provided at the time the contract was formed are the ones incorporated into the contract. They can't be changed later without agreement (unless the original t&cs also provide for that). I would be very firm about this when you speak to them.

If they won't capitulate you have two options. 1. As PPs have said, do another LFT and if negative attend anyway. Make this clear so they understand the informed risk. 2. Tell them they are in breach of contract and you will not use their business further, plus you will leave a review stating the facts.

Surely if they're that rigid then some people will go with symptoms rather than lose the money. I could probably understand more if you weren't a regular customer OP but even so, changing their Ts&Cs is wrong. If they won't change their mind I would accept losing the money and go elsewhere in future but make sure I left a polite, factual review explaining why.

All sorted, they messaged back saying they had put it on fb and 'made all clients clear at the point of booking about the 48 hour rule' - I hadn't seen it on fb (still haven't seen it now tbh) and neither of us were told at booking - in fact I was asked to pay for my December appointment back in November whereas DH was only called for his payment last week so someone has cocked up with his appointment somewhere along the way as he should've been asked to pay on booking like I was for my appointment (his appointment for tomorrow was made mid November). They've acknowledged the wrong terms were emailed to us (but at the same time haven't taken any responsibility for it) and have credited DH account so we're not out of pocket which is all I wanted.

he should go so.

Glad its sorted sounds a bit mealy mouthed from them when it was their mistake. Tbh that would piss me off but im a bit unreasonable sometimes