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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

About being charged for missed appointment?

449 replies

Buttercupdaisies · 27/05/2023 09:57

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.

OP posts:
Kentlassie · 27/05/2023 10:47

As a regular customer, I would be annoyed too. Cancel the weekly appt and take your business elsewhere. If you were a one off customer I think it’s fair to charge for last min cancellations but they could have used their discretion here.

WhotheHellisEdgar · 27/05/2023 10:48

I completely understand your point of view@Buttercupdaisies. I have a regular nail appointment, every 2 weeks, and have been going to the same beautician for years. I sometimes need to cancel or move my appointment with less than 24 hours notice. Despite the rule that I should pay a penalty, I have never because I'm a regular client and my beautician is not a robot who understands that things happen. I only do it when it's unavoidable, and going to hospital is unavoidable!

TeaYarn · 27/05/2023 10:49

gamerchick · 27/05/2023 10:35

Ridiculous and a blatant lie Hmm

Show quote history

I was telling the OP what to say to get her money back. I wasn’t suggesting I was painting an honest reflection of the situation hahahaha

TroysMammy · 27/05/2023 10:50

FFS I can't believe how many people didn't read or didn't want to read the word injury in the opening post.

So glad the OP didn't post "I'm 33 weeks pregnant, should I go to A&E for an injury or should I keep my nail appointment because if I cancel without notice I'll be charged?"

BreviloquentBastard · 27/05/2023 10:53

IhearyouClemFandango · 27/05/2023 10:36

Tbh, as a regular customer given the circumstances I would expect a little more grace on their part.

I always hate this argument. "I'm a regular therefore I deserve special treatment". Most customers and clients are "regulars", doesn't entitle you to anything except the standard service. And in my experience 90% of the time when people use the "but I'm a regular!" argument to try and get something, the only thing they're known as being is a regular pain in the arse.

Sandylanes69 · 27/05/2023 10:54

The entitlement is strong with some people.

ladykale · 27/05/2023 10:55

Irridescantshimmmer · 27/05/2023 10:28

It seems like pregnancy discrimination to fine you for a missed appointment, after all you would have had to be seen at the hospital as an emergency and for the safety of your unborn child.

To fine you because of this seems unethical, so I suggest you speak either to your local councillor or contact citizens advice bureau who can help you with this.

Lol this is not pregnancy discrimination!!

She should read the T&Cs

rooinspace · 27/05/2023 10:57

How much notice did you give? If it’s in their Ts&Cs I think it’s fair for them to charge as if they didn’t have enough notice to fill the spot they would have lost revenue.

Unfortunately if they give leeway on no show/cancellation fees a lot of people then start to argue that their circumstances deserve leeway too.

readbooksdrinktea · 27/05/2023 10:57

Irridescantshimmmer · 27/05/2023 10:28

It seems like pregnancy discrimination to fine you for a missed appointment, after all you would have had to be seen at the hospital as an emergency and for the safety of your unborn child.

To fine you because of this seems unethical, so I suggest you speak either to your local councillor or contact citizens advice bureau who can help you with this.

Wtf. It's not discrimination of any kind!

Why not sue them while you're at it?

AnnaMagnani · 27/05/2023 10:58

I've been going to my hairdresser for 10 years. But if I cancel at short notice he still charges me.

He's running a business.

TheFireflies · 27/05/2023 10:59

Irridescantshimmmer · 27/05/2023 10:28

It seems like pregnancy discrimination to fine you for a missed appointment, after all you would have had to be seen at the hospital as an emergency and for the safety of your unborn child.

To fine you because of this seems unethical, so I suggest you speak either to your local councillor or contact citizens advice bureau who can help you with this.

It isn’t a fine, it’s a charge.

HeiXiong · 27/05/2023 11:00

Buttercupdaisies · 27/05/2023 10:18

I do get that. I just suppose as a reliable customer some goodwill would have been nice and would have meant I’d have continued to go.

So why don’t you say that to them?

the payment may well be automated and if you actually speak to them you may find them more reasonable

MasterBeth · 27/05/2023 11:00

LotsOfBalloons · 27/05/2023 10:22

Also if you go every week and pay 30 quid every week you haven't really lost anything. You just missed one of the appointments but your financial planning was that the money would be gone anyway so you haven't "lost" it.

Of course you've lost it. You haven't benefitted from the service.

ComeTheFuckOnBridgett · 27/05/2023 11:02

I guess if you had an injury and had to be seen you didn't give enough notice to the other place which is why they charged.

It's not your fault you couldn't go, but it's not their fault you didn't turn up. You would have paid the amount had all been fine.

SamW98 · 27/05/2023 11:02

Have you spoken to them and asked if you can transfer the fee to your next appointment

Many places will automatically debit your card for a missed appointment but if you’re a regular will possibly be waive the charge but you won’t know until you have a conversation

Summerfun54321 · 27/05/2023 11:03

As a business owner, valued customers are the ones who pay and respect the Ts and Cs. Who cares if you are a regular when you are happy to mess them around.

Beeinalily · 27/05/2023 11:03

I thought "missed appointment " meant just not turning up, but you phoned and explained so I wonder if you could have been charged in error. Worth querying, I think.

lavenderlou · 27/05/2023 11:03

I don't think you're being unreasonable. You're a regular client who had a one-off injury which meant you had to go into hospital unexpectedly. I think a bit of leeway in this situation would be good customer service. I would possibly even consider going elsewhere in future.

NeverDropYourMooncup · 27/05/2023 11:04

TroysMammy · 27/05/2023 10:50

FFS I can't believe how many people didn't read or didn't want to read the word injury in the opening post.

So glad the OP didn't post "I'm 33 weeks pregnant, should I go to A&E for an injury or should I keep my nail appointment because if I cancel without notice I'll be charged?"

Better than reading the panicked posts from a self employed single mum when her council tax has bounced for the second time, she has to find the entire year's payment immediately or be taken to court and she can't do that as well as pay for her rent, childcare and travel to work.

The council won't care that she hasn't got the money because the non payer has hurt their big toe (or whatever) whilst pregnant, will they? They'll just demand the full amount and start recovery procedures.

PaddingtonTheAngelofDeath · 27/05/2023 11:05

They are running a business

I see this trotted out all the time. I run a business and I use my common sense. A regular reliable client who was called into hospital I would it charge. Goodwill is worth more.

rosesinmygarden · 27/05/2023 11:05

I think this really depends on the type of appointment.

Hair or nails, they may have been able to fill your appt with a walk in.

Something else, like tuition or personal training it is much harder to fill adhoc sessions. People want their weekly set spot, not occasional appts.

I run an appt based business and while I do exercise discretion, I don't put myself out to keep clients who cancel appts at short notice and expect not to pay. That's wanting loyalty but only on your terms. Were you expecting them to keep your day/time put aside for you?

What terms and conditions are in place that you agreed to by booking?

GladAllOver · 27/05/2023 11:06

You haven't come back to say if you gave notice or just didn't turn up.

In a genuine emergency, you have to accept that circumstances change and you will lose out in some way or other. In this case, you have lost the use of an appointment that you paid for. Not really a big deal compared with your baby's health, which I hope is now OK.

YABU. Get over it.

Highfivemum · 27/05/2023 11:07

If you have never missed an appointment and are a loyal customer I think they are being unreasonable. Yes there are rules but a little bit of being flexible is needed sometimes. I wouldn’t go again

LotsOfBalloons · 27/05/2023 11:10

So OP

1- what was the appointment? Something like music lessons/counselling/personal training etc you are paying for the slot to be yours regardless of whether you turn up (bit like nursery places!)

2 did you ring with 24 hours notice or let them know after?

As for my comment before- I still stand by it. If you've budgeted 30£ every week it's obviously something important to you that you can afford. You've paid for the slot regardless (ie the other person's time) but yes it's obviously better if you "use" it.

FloweryName · 27/05/2023 11:17

PaddingtonTheAngelofDeath · 27/05/2023 11:05

They are running a business

I see this trotted out all the time. I run a business and I use my common sense. A regular reliable client who was called into hospital I would it charge. Goodwill is worth more.

Common sense could also dictate that you are in enough demand for your services that it would be silly to forfeit some of your profit for someone whose regular space can easily be filled. It all depends on how busy the business is.

A client just expecting ‘goodwill’ for no real reason isn’t good for business. Goodwill is given at the discretion of the service provider, not the expectation of the no show client.

Goodwill also works both ways - OP could decide that she values her slot each week and the person who provided her service and doesn’t want to see them out of pocket because of her own personal issues.

This particular service provider has decided that in this circumstance she wants to stick to her terms and conditions and that it fair enough. It’s not open to question from clients who have free choice whether or not to book.

I’m wondering why OP won’t answer the question about how late she was to phone and cancel her appointment.