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?

I would terminate the agreement and give her place to the next person on your waiting list. I'd rise above any social media comments generally but I would keep a screen shot of her threat to post on FB unless you give a refund. You might need to be able to prove what sort of person she is...

I'm a self employed tutor. Like you, I was getting people cancelling last minute and I couldn't fill the space on an ad hoc basis, so i was ££ down each month. I also implemented monthly payments up front.

Honestly, it's the nature of people today. I try to be flexible and I'm understanding. I will quite often rearrange at a moments notice. Only last week I sat online on Zoom for two hours with no client as they weren't picking up the phone, hadn't logged on etc but I had no way of knowing if they would log in at any minute. Total waste of 2 hrs of my time but they still wanted me to do the 2 hrs at the weekend in my own time. As it was a long term client, I have done but it's super infuriating.

As someone with children if I felt they would impact me negatively, I wouldn’t have signed up.

She did sign up. Stick to your guns. She should have taken into consideration that she is a parent and may need to cancel last minute. If the t&cs don’t work for her she shouldn’t have signed up.

YANBU as long as your reply is polite and professional. Just remind her of the contract and don't refund

We queried a charge made by our pet sitter and received a very angry and rude essay back in response covering everything from the length of time we were away (too long in her opinion) the fact one of the cats climbed a tree and she thought it was dangerous for us to allow it, an allegation that we were feeding them an unhealthy diet, a threat to report us to the RSPCA becauase she thought their bedding was inadequate (they've got 2 lovely baskets they refuse to use!) ... it was probably 500 words long and culminated in "it's in the contract you have to pay it or I will take legal action and you'll regret it forever."

We'd been using her for years, never queried anything although we'd raised an eyebrow a few times and it was only £15 which we simply paid up once she'd
"explained". All she needed to do was point us at the contract and explain the charge

We've found a new pet sitter.

Tough (for her!)
I have a long standing lash appointment (have been loyal for over 3 years)

In this time, I have cancelled once with less then 24 hours notice as I woke up really sick. I text , 6am with appointment at 4pm and was charged an amount. It's not her fault I'm sick and that's the terms !

You should direct her to the thread about sour grapes and women without children, she may just find her people 😂

I’m self employed. I get people to take home and read, before returning a signed ‘i have read and fully understand the T’s and C’s’ then I keep the signed copy and they keep a photo copy.

Might have already been mentioned.

But if @LolaRosieBoo allows the CF to have another slot she's still out by a session.

Maybe if the CF was a long term client goodwill would come into it, but first session? FO

Even my hairdressers has implemented this due to the number of late cancellations and no shows.

My daughter wanted to cancel an eyelash appointment due to illness recently but would have been charged 50%, so she wore a mask and went anyway. Not sure that was the right thing to do but she felt it was her only option given the charge.

It doesn’t really matter if someone had agreed to the t and c’s before hand. they can still legally challenge them as a court will determine if they were fair and equitable. If they are heavily weighted to one party to the detriment of the other a court could still find for the other party.
i’m not saying yours are and they are unlikely to ever be challenged in a court but it is point to bear in mind especially if a customer had some sunk costs like childcare and you then cancelled.

I admit, I was hoping this would be from someone at a farm shop, talking about a customer bringing back a Christmas tree…

I'd refund all her prepaid sessions and tell her your not prepared to work with her moving forward. She has threatened you and that make your relationship untenable.

Why would you want to make a goodwill gesture to a lazy entitled person who doesn't read the Ts and Cs and throws around threats?

Being in business can be tough... if you have to grovel to customers like this one then being in business is hell.

You're right to stick to your guns. I have been with my PT for three years, see him once a week and there have been numerous times I've had to cancel at short notice. I suck it up as this is his income and I know that anything under 24 hours is fully chargeable.

She's essentially trying to blackmail you and I would reply as such.

How many sessions has she had so far?
I would rather refund her whatever sessions she has a d lose her as a client as she will be a headF

Threatening to leave negative feedback unless you refund her is extortion! Refund her in full and dump her as a client. That way you don't have to deal with her again and she has no grounds to leave negative feedback.

I used to do some self-employed music teaching and I have to agree that some people take advantage. It’s as if they think you’re a machine that they can go up to and put money into as and when they wish, or not as the case may be. Well you’re not - you’re a person who has other commitments and only 24 hours in the day so some sort of cancellation policy is vital. You can’t be hanging around half way through what should be the session wondering where they are only to find out the pupil/client is on holiday abroad/having a party etc. I allowed some leeway for severe weather, unexpected car problems, illness at the last minute but this was at my discretion.

This is your business, your income. Of course you are not being unreasonable. Probably best if you lose this client.

YANBU at all. She's an absolute CF tosser.

Just double/triple check that your terms and conditions are super duper clear. I put a message In my email signature to everyone to keep it crystal clear that cancellations come with fees.

I had a trainer before, mostly as I had some injuries/rehab type stuff to do but I am friends with several PT's. What you've done is completely normal. After I had been with my trainer a long time she would only deduct or rearrange if she could fill my spot easily with someone else, which she usually could. But this was because she knew me, I was reliable and a long term client with a long term problem. All my friends operate the same way as yourself, its a business after all. If she posts about you, you can likely do something legally as all you are doing is implementing the policy she signed and agreed to. Her threatening you is not ok, and you should tell her immediately you won't respond to threats and if she does follow through you will seek legal advice. Then refund money for her future spots and end the professional relationship.

I can understand everyone who isn't self employed or a small business owner and says op should be lenient, as they don't understand how a small business works. If you do work for yourself and you think op should be flexible, then you need to value your time better. If you don't value your time your clients certainly won't. Don't apologise for being in business to earn money. Whether you are a tutor, hairdresser, councillor, your time, training and premises are valuable and you deserve to be paid fairly.

YANBU.

You were upfront about T&Cs.

People with children (or without) have the same issue with hairdressers, dentist, hygienist, restaurant bookings (minimum charge) etc. This is because as a group and despite some sterling individuals, we tend to be fickle and cancel things without understanding the £ loss on the trader.

Some traders are large and can take it but sole traders / smaller businesses don't have the economies of scale to swallow these losses.

She is angling for reputational damage to get money back, which is not nice.

I would stop commenting. If she takes in to SM. I would not engage. You have an existing and happy clientele. Let this speak for you.

(edited to correct repetitional to reputational)

She is right that people will sometimes need to cancel last minute, and having children may add to that.

But that's not really relevant.

She was aware of the T&Cs, and went ahead anyway. I also don't think the T&Cs are unreasonable, but even if they were, she did agree.

You're fine.

I'd make sure your website/promo materials/payment page etc state clearly how much notice is required for a refund though. As well as this being stated in T&Cs (nobody ever really reads them).

Perfectly put!!!!

Being SE is tough, and it is the OPs job, so those asking her to be lenient, consider if you were in paid employment and your boss came to you and said due to something outside of your control you could have to take home less money this month, would you be lenient then?

The OP's T&Cs covers her, just like your contract of employment covers you if you aren't SE. she has done the exact right thing.