Page 13 | About being charged for missed appointment?

Buttercupdaisies · 2023-05-27T08:57:31+00:00

For several months I’ve had a weekly appointment somewhere. This week, I had to go into hospital as am 33 weeks pregnant and had an injury (all was fine.) I rang up and explained and apologised. They have just charged my card the full amount. I suspect a lot or people will say I am BU but I don’t feel great about it, tbh. Just wondered what the consensus was.

Original poster

Buttercupdaisies · 27/05/2023 20:12

So it is paid for. I am not really sure there is anything left to say.

OP posts:

Sandylanes69 · 27/05/2023 20:12

Buttercupdaisies · 27/05/2023 20:05

@Clymene - Your first post on this thread was the rather snide So the consensus is overwhelmingly that you’re unreasonable but you disagree when I have accepted I may be BU, but regardless, won’t be making a repeat appointment. I mean, of all the stupid reasons to book something ‘so MN won’t think I’m unreasonable’ is pretty daft.

Then we had:

Is there anything else you think you shouldn't have to pay for if you don't use it? If you order lunch in a restaurant and don't eat it, do you think you shouldn't pay? Or you should get your money back if you buy a theatre ticket and don't go?

It's a business. You gave them not enough notice to use the slot for someone else so they're £30 down. And now you're going to spite them for charging you by not going anymore despite presumably being happy with the service up until now. Cutting off your nose to spite your face!

the fact is that I have paid. I am not ‘cutting off my nose to spite my face’, I don’t want to use a service any more. If an ambulance was called when eating lunch and I was rushed off to hospital, I don’t think them shouting excuse me, excuse me, your bill please, would be a great look, although technically they’d be within their rights.

Then we had:

So you didn't speak to anyone and have no idea if anyone even listened to your message? Or if they did, if they passed it on.

It really sounds like a lot of poor communication.

Anyway I'm glad your baby and you are ok.

So according to you my priority should not have been going into hospital and being checked out, I should have sat in the car park where I had signal repeatedly phoning. Perhaps this is not what you do mean but given you have said I have ‘poor communication’ this presumably does imply I did something wrong. What, I don’t know.

And finally

I do think it's really odd that you haven't rung them to speak to them about being charged though. That's what I would have done.

I have repeatedly explained. I don’t want to dwell on it, argue about it, because I don’t want to go back. I’ve paid, they have their money, no arguments there. As others have repeatedly said it is the Ts and Cs, they have I am sure acted lawfully. I just don’t personally feel that they have acted particularly pleasantly.

Just let it go already - haven't you devoted enough time to moaning on here by now?

Original poster

Buttercupdaisies · 27/05/2023 20:15

Well yes, you keep insisting I don’t value their time @MistyRuins , and it’s very tiresome to be honest.

If I had forgotten, or got a better offer, or was very late even, perhaps that would be indicative of someone not valuing their time. As it is, I valued their time enough to call before I went into the hospital. I explained what was happening. I apologised, acknowledging it wasn’t convenient. I’ve paid. Yes, I’m not thrilled about it. It isn’t the money so much as the fact that they’ve made it very obvious that’s all they give a shit about - and yes, as people will take pains to tell me I am sure, that’s the cutthroat world of business. It still leaves a very sour taste in the mouth.

OP posts:

Original poster

Buttercupdaisies · 27/05/2023 20:16

Ill let it go when I make that call, thanks, @Sandylanes69

As a very general rule, I don’t let others speak for me and you are no exception to this.

OP posts:

MistyRuins · 27/05/2023 20:18

It's definitely not all they give a shit about. But let's be honest - how many people would go to work if they weren't getting paid?

Sandylanes69 · 27/05/2023 20:18

Buttercupdaisies · 27/05/2023 20:16

Ill let it go when I make that call, thanks, @Sandylanes69

As a very general rule, I don’t let others speak for me and you are no exception to this.

You do you, then, I guess 🤷. God forbid you not wring enough misery out of trivial incidents.

MistyMountainTop · 27/05/2023 20:21

@Buttercupdaisies

Just stop replying to this thread, you're not going to win against the usual suspects who purely turn up for an argument & would fail a GCSE in English comprehension

Original poster

Buttercupdaisies · 27/05/2023 20:22

They have been paid. It might have been nice if they’d called me to explain they had to do this but they hoped I was OK, though. I am not prone to going into hospital for no reason, believe me.

The baby is fine: I am less so.

@Sandylanes69 yes, I will do me. Everyone should. I’m hardly going to let you do me, am I

OP posts:

Original poster

Buttercupdaisies · 27/05/2023 20:23

As I have already said to someone @MistyMountainTop I will stop replying when I want to stop replying.

It is quite remarkable the number of people who think they can control what others say How very arrogant.

OP posts:

Sandylanes69 · 27/05/2023 20:23

Buttercupdaisies · 27/05/2023 20:22

They have been paid. It might have been nice if they’d called me to explain they had to do this but they hoped I was OK, though. I am not prone to going into hospital for no reason, believe me.

The baby is fine: I am less so.

@Sandylanes69 yes, I will do me. Everyone should. I’m hardly going to let you do me, am I

No, you'll just do yourself out of a happy life by dwelling on trivial problems for days on end.

Original poster

Buttercupdaisies · 27/05/2023 20:25

I have a perfectly happy life thanks @Sandylanes69 . Asking for the views of others on something is not impeding that and I find it strange that you think it would.

OP posts:

MistyRuins · 27/05/2023 20:28

Buttercupdaisies · 27/05/2023 20:22

They have been paid. It might have been nice if they’d called me to explain they had to do this but they hoped I was OK, though. I am not prone to going into hospital for no reason, believe me.

The baby is fine: I am less so.

@Sandylanes69 yes, I will do me. Everyone should. I’m hardly going to let you do me, am I

You had presumably agreed with the terms and conditions when you booked online. You were in hospital. You want them to phone you when you are in hospital to explain the T's and C's that you should already have known and make sure that's okay, for the sake of £30?

I imagine they thought you had more important things to be dealing with at that point.

Original poster

Buttercupdaisies · 27/05/2023 20:35

@MistyRuins i think it would be courteous to at the very least left a message telling me what they were going to do, yes.

If a company has your card on file and you have something booked, then yes. Technically they are within their rights to charge. I have not argued with that fact.

However, it is (surely) easy to see that there are some circumstances where sticking so rigidly to the T and Cs (I will be happy if I never see those words again) is not a good look.

If you book a newborn photography slot and your baby is stillborn.

If you have a hairdressers appointment booked but die beforehand.

If you are in a restaurant eating dinner and have a heart attack and go off in an ambulance.

Now these are obviously extreme circumstances and mine probably wasn’t quite that but a bit borderline. I think that the point is that while businesses are about profit, part of that profit is made from valuing people (even if they don’t really, pretending to!) And the grab for money just is never a good look, even when it’s legal, right, correct, it just never looks particularly appealing in a business or a person IMO.

OP posts:

ilovesooty · 27/05/2023 20:37

Buttercupdaisies · 27/05/2023 20:23

As I have already said to someone @MistyMountainTop I will stop replying when I want to stop replying.

It is quite remarkable the number of people who think they can control what others say How very arrogant.

Goodness.

@MistyMountainTop was trying to be supportive.

7eleven · 27/05/2023 20:39

Stop being so dramatic. You weren’t able to attend, the self employed person exercised their right not to be out of pocket and you’re not going back.

Why on earth are you going on and on about it? Chil.

7eleven · 27/05/2023 20:39

ilovesooty · 27/05/2023 20:37

Goodness.

@MistyMountainTop was trying to be supportive.

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They were, but the red mist has descended on the OP. 😂

ISeeMisledPeople · 27/05/2023 20:48

Buttercupdaisies · 27/05/2023 20:35

@MistyRuins i think it would be courteous to at the very least left a message telling me what they were going to do, yes.

If a company has your card on file and you have something booked, then yes. Technically they are within their rights to charge. I have not argued with that fact.

However, it is (surely) easy to see that there are some circumstances where sticking so rigidly to the T and Cs (I will be happy if I never see those words again) is not a good look.

If you book a newborn photography slot and your baby is stillborn.

If you have a hairdressers appointment booked but die beforehand.

If you are in a restaurant eating dinner and have a heart attack and go off in an ambulance.

Now these are obviously extreme circumstances and mine probably wasn’t quite that but a bit borderline. I think that the point is that while businesses are about profit, part of that profit is made from valuing people (even if they don’t really, pretending to!) And the grab for money just is never a good look, even when it’s legal, right, correct, it just never looks particularly appealing in a business or a person IMO.

Yes, there definitely are circumstances that would mean I wouldn't charge.

But I own my own business. I can make that decision. I am also financially reasonably secure, so I can afford to make that decision.

I don't know who charged you, or what their position is in the business and whether they have the authority to override the charge. I don't know how financially insecure that business is right now (and many are on very shaky grounds, still now, after COVID).

If you feel the business has made the wrong decision - have you brought it up with them? If so, what did they say? If not - why not?

ChairFloorWall · 27/05/2023 20:54

Buttercupdaisies · 27/05/2023 20:35

@MistyRuins i think it would be courteous to at the very least left a message telling me what they were going to do, yes.

If a company has your card on file and you have something booked, then yes. Technically they are within their rights to charge. I have not argued with that fact.

However, it is (surely) easy to see that there are some circumstances where sticking so rigidly to the T and Cs (I will be happy if I never see those words again) is not a good look.

If you book a newborn photography slot and your baby is stillborn.

If you have a hairdressers appointment booked but die beforehand.

If you are in a restaurant eating dinner and have a heart attack and go off in an ambulance.

Now these are obviously extreme circumstances and mine probably wasn’t quite that but a bit borderline. I think that the point is that while businesses are about profit, part of that profit is made from valuing people (even if they don’t really, pretending to!) And the grab for money just is never a good look, even when it’s legal, right, correct, it just never looks particularly appealing in a business or a person IMO.

But none of them things happened here, OP. Whataboutery isn’t helpful. You’ve not even spoken to the place to explain what happened so bitching about it and vowing to never to go again is quite pathetic when you’ve not even tired to see if they’d give you a refund or credit. I also guarantee when you first booked it said it holds your card on file for such things, same happens for me when I get my nails done. I think you seriously need to calm down. You’re not a victim here. You had an unfortunate incident which meant you couldn’t go, 3 hours isn’t adequate notice. Shit like this happens from time to time.

Bintymcbintface · 27/05/2023 20:58

Gestures of goodwill don't pay bills... I love customers who say "I'll never be back" they're usually a pain in the arse I don't wanna see again anyway, good riddance and all that

toomanyclothes262 · 27/05/2023 20:59

I'm kind of shocked you didn't offer to pay in the first place.

I've missed a beauty appointment because I had to go into hospital this pregnancy. In my cancellation message (on facebook, not phone call) I offered to pay since it was last minute, and then paid double at my rescheduled appointment.

You are obviously completely entitled not to go back, but I wouldn't say you are entitled to complain about the charge. Or imply that due to your circumstances you should be treated differently to others.

WomblingTree86 · 27/05/2023 21:07

ChairFloorWall · 27/05/2023 20:54

But none of them things happened here, OP. Whataboutery isn’t helpful. You’ve not even spoken to the place to explain what happened so bitching about it and vowing to never to go again is quite pathetic when you’ve not even tired to see if they’d give you a refund or credit. I also guarantee when you first booked it said it holds your card on file for such things, same happens for me when I get my nails done. I think you seriously need to calm down. You’re not a victim here. You had an unfortunate incident which meant you couldn’t go, 3 hours isn’t adequate notice. Shit like this happens from time to time.

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I think you are the one that needs to calm down. No need to be obnoxious.

ChairFloorWall · 27/05/2023 21:11

WomblingTree86 · 27/05/2023 21:07

I think you are the one that needs to calm down. No need to be obnoxious.

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I’m not being obnoxious. I just think the way the OP is going on with herself if actually ridiculous. If she has a problem about being charged, she can contact the business. She isn’t. So why sit here on mumsnet spending all this time just complaining and starting whataboutery? I’m sure the business has a SM page she could contact. I think it’s just silly. There’s also no way the website didn’t mention holding the card on file at any point, so keeping harping on about that is also ridiculous and, yes, pathetic. Shit happens, like I said. The company has a policy for cancellations and they’re sticking to it 🤷‍♀️ the OP had already decided she wasn’t going back so why start a thread when she wasn’t going to listen to any of the replies that aren’t bashing the business.

bluebird3 · 27/05/2023 21:17

YANBU. I've been self employed in a similar profession and while it was in my T's and C's to charge, I never did for regular/reliable customers. Things happen and I didn't do the work so it didn't feel right. Maybe a half charge for a late cancellation would have felt better to.both sides.

caringcarer · 27/05/2023 21:27

It's not being unreasonable if the terms and conditions say they will charge for late cancellations. They probably could not fill your slot. Why should they be losing out if they were available and you cancelled? I don't think the reason makes any difference tbh. They have a business to run.

HereIfYouNeedMe · 27/05/2023 21:52

@ChairFloorWall going on with herself? Or replying to others on her own thread instead of being accused of flouncing... which she already has been? This forum is mad sometimes 😂