Angry and demanding a refund !

[LolaRosieBoo]

I am a self-employed PT, very well known in my area, have been doing so for 10 years and as such I am expensive (£60 per session). A few years ago, I had to change my T&Cs so that sessions were paid for monthly in advance and sessions cancelled on the day would still be charged.

Before I implemented this policy, people would cancel their sessions with extremely short notice - on the day of - and sometimes only an hour beforehand. I’d also had people just not turn up! This was costing me both time and money, and this income supports my family.

Last month a new client started, she paid upfront and I sent the T&Cs. She cancelled her session yesterday (6 hours before it was due to start), saying her child was sick so she couldn’t make it. I wished her child to feel better and said I would see her next week. This morning, I’ve had a message saying ‘please deduct yesterdays session from next months invoice’. I replied saying that as per the T&Cs, I cannot give her a refund as she cancelled with less than a days notice, making it very difficult for me to recoup that money by finding someone else to fill her space.

She has now sent me a very angry text message demanding a refund or she will post about me on our local Facebook community board. She has accused me of being unethical, as people (especially those with children) will sometimes need to cancel at short notice and she cannot afford to spend £60 for nothing. I replied that this is my income and how I support my family, and I equally cannot afford to not be paid when it’s very short notice with no possibility of me finding someone else.

AIBU?

She had the T&C but I bet she never read them properly!!! And if she does put up a libellous remark on FB you can either ask for it to be removed or you can politely respond pointing out that she had the Terms & Conditions and must have read them because she paid the up front monies as per the Ts & Cs and that if she continues to malign you unfortunately you will have to take further action against her.
I too am self employed and my Ts & Cs contain a cancellation clause. If a cancellation is too late for me to fill that booking then the hirer is required to still pay up (they don't pay in advance) and if they don't I cancel all their future bookings and won't accept any more bookings - funnily enough most of them pay up when they realise they won't have any more bookings!
I am sure those who know and appreciate you will face up to this woman and give her what for if she does post anything.

I was being sarcastic 😫

If someone had passed away, or they are terminally ill, or had a terminally ill child rushed into hospital; then I would feel morally obliged to refund.

However, this is not the case. She's being self-entitled. They could have found a babysitter, or warned you with more than 6 hours to go. You could have offered her another appointment during the week and if she still said no, you would have at least covered yourself a bit more.

To be honest, "Child is sick" AKA "I cannot be bothered to go".

If she lambasts you on FB, just C&P your T&C's as a response.

This. I’m currently learning Spanish & if I have to cancel within 24 hours, I expect to pay. In fact, my tutor didn’t have this in her T&Cs but got so fed up with other people cancelling last minute & not paying that she has now added it.

I agree with this approach. You could give her one chance for goodwill but say that in future unless she cancels with 24 hours' notice she will be charged for the session in full because you have a family to support and can't fill a slot at such short notice. It would also be a good response if she slags you off on FB. My dentist makes us pay in full if we cancel with less than 24 hours' notice. I would remind all your clients of your policy when you confirm bookings. Good luck!

You understandably don’t offer your clients anything beyond a refund if you cancel their appointment yet you expect to be fully compensated for your time if they cancel…why is your time more valuable than theirs? (Extremely valuable time at £60/session).

Any update OP?

YANBU. Her children are not your problem. As someone who's self employed, I feel your pain 100%.

Given her attitude, you don’t want her as a client. Asking ever so politely if you could reschedule is different to a high handed demand.

If she tried to shame you on Facebook, it would be her that would come across as the entitled moron. I think your terms are reasonable, as you say, this is your livelihood.

I am talking about someone whose child is sick and has no notice that a child is sick . The trainer should be flexible in that occasion

You are not being unreasonable. I would not refund or engage with her anymore.

The child being sick is unfortunate but it's quite frankly not your problem. No way would I ask someone for a refund if I signed terms and conditions saying I needed to pay if I didn't cancel in time.

I book two classes a week, DS' swimming class, and my martial arts class.

Both are paid in advance, and no refunds if we don't attend.

Let her moan on social media, no-one you want as a customer will think it is anything other than normal. And the 'especially those with children' applies to most people over the age of 35. Why does she think she's so different.

Honestly, I wouldn't worry.

This is the answer to your own question. You are not being unreasonable at all. 24 hours is the appropriate notice to give without full payment becoming due. She said to you that she can’t afford to lose £60, she thinks you should lose it 🤷‍♀️ Don’t worry about the bad post on Facebook. If it’s on a public area, you can respond with a very brief comment about it being your income and clearly stated in your T&Cs, then leave it. Most people will understand that you are being reasonable, those who don’t, you don’t want as clients anyway!

I have used a PT for many years. He is amazing and it’s give and take with us so long as we don’t take the piss. He knows I have young children and is accommodating as he can be but when they have been ill ive just told him to deduct the payment from my monthly fee. He’s even come to my house to train with me so neither of us miss out but I have been with him for almost 10 years. He watches the kids as I train! During lockdown he went mobile and did well out of that. Stick to your terms and conditions. No difference to charging this month or next.I suspect if you charge next month your client will have cancelled.

I would probably be sympathetic and do a change of day or similar. My clients tend to reschedule rather than cancel on me. I'm happy to do this because I just get the time elsewhere in my week.

You were well within your own T&C's though.

The client only suffers a small inconvenience, a person with a business suffers loss of income. This is normal practice!

YANBU it might be a good idea to explain to future clients about that particular rule in the T & Cs just so they can’t say they didn’t know

You could offer a goodwill gesture to a loyal and valuable client but not someone so rude and entitled

Tell her to go ahead and post on Facebook then "lose" her as a customer before she causes more trouble for you.

YABU for not letting her at least reschedule. I've had a similar situation with my PT, and rather than lose the money, she has given me another slot.

The relationships fucked because of her threat, so lose her.

Hell, I'd send her a link to this thread and poll. 97% are you OP's side. As they should be.

I have to give 24 hours notice for my PT appointments. As I have bought loads of sessions in advance and am a longterm client, I reckon if I messaged very apologetically 6 hours before and asked to rebook, my PT might let me off. But I wouldn't be arsey if she didn't.

But OP doesn't have any slots to reschedule too!