Missed hairdressers appointment

[Gettingbysomehow]

Can anyone advice please.
I missed a hairdressers appointment because I had to go into work.
Pretty rubbish of me I know but i did say at the time I can't book now because I don't know what my shifts are but they insisted and said I can always change it.
Now they want the full amount for the missed appointment.
I've looked on the consumer advice pages and it says they have to have informed me of the charge for missed appointments at the time we made the appointment in order to do this. They did no such thng and it was not brought to my attention so I don't see why I should pay if they didn't do this.
Am I right (not morally obviously but legally).

[Bromptotoo]

How much is at stake and how much do you value your relationship with your hairdresser?

[Fleur240]

Did you let them know you weren’t going to the appointment?

[Yogatoga1]

err why did you book then?

I work shifts, it goes something like-

would you like to book your next appointment?
no thanks, I don’t know my rota yet so I’ll be in touch when I do.

they can’t force you to make an appointment.

[Uncooperativefingers]

Is there any small print in the confirmation email for your booked appointment? Or in a welcome email from when you started going to the salon? Or even a notice at the front desk?

The hair salon's I've used in the last few years have all had this policy, usually in the welcome email and any appointment confirmations. I think if you want to go there again you'll have to pay tbh.

Did you just forget to cancel? If you know someone there well, it might be worth popping in and grovelling to see if they'll reduce or cancel the charge

[DoYouSmokePaul]

Why didn’t you cancel it?

[RosieCosy]

Presumably you could have cancelled once you knew your shifts

[Itsonlymashadow]

What do you mean missed?

Did you cancel or just not go?

[RosieCosy]

I'm fairly sure they can charge the fee if you don't cancel because they can't resell the slot

[notacooldad]

I work shifts, it goes something like-

would you like to book your next appointment?
no thanks, I don’t know my rota yet so I’ll be in touch when I do

they can’t force you to make an appointment.
That's exactly the same for me whether I'm having my threading, botox, pedicure or whatever. They just say to ring when you know.

[TraitorsGate]

Did you ring to cancel. How would you feel if the situation were reversed and they cancelled without telling you. They would have just been hanging around waiting to see if you'd turn up when they could have seen another client.

[BIWI]

If you didn't inform them that you weren't going to your appointment, then they have every right to charge you.

[Justcallmebebes]

@BIWI

If you didn't inform them that you weren't going to your appointment, then they have every right to charge you.

This. Why didn't you simply cancel? They lost money due to a booking by you that could have been filled by someone else

Of course they can charge for their wasted time

[Gettingbysomehow]

No useful answers then. I was asking if anyone knows what my actual legal rights are. Obviously not.
There was no information whatsoever about what the cancellation charge was.
If you want to have a go at me don't bother to reply. I am asking for actual legal and consumer rights advice that is correct not a guess based on your personal opinions.
I am not interested in going there again they were very mediocre and charged a fortune.
She said at the time I could only go there again if I booked my next appointment there and then which did surprise me.

[Xarrie]

Mine send me an email with the time and date on and a note about the cancellation charges. If they've not mentioned it I wouldn't pay it.

[Cas112]

Your not answering if you let them know to cancel or tried to change the appointment?

[Gingemum06]

If you booked it and didn't cancel it you should pay.

Many hairdressers will encourage you to book as you leave as it helps them better manage future appointments - for their benefit and the clients.

Small businesses won't survive if people don't cancel appointments and give the business an opportunity to fill that slot. I agree they should make their cancellation policy clear, but surely it's understood that if you're not going to attend an appointment you'd cancel it. Just courteous to do so.

[DropOfffArtiste]

https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/experts/article-12640647/DEAN-DUNHAM-legal-hairdresser-charge-miss-appointment.html

[Overtheatlantic]

Lol. This has happened to me before. I was able to negotiate them down a bit but yes, they do lose money if you don’t show. I’m not sure if ignorance is a defence as this is standard policy in salons these days,

[ceneta]

When did you call them to cancel?

[prh47bridge]

The legal answer is that they can only charge you if you were told that there would be a charge prior to or at the time of making the appointment, or if it is in their terms and conditions and these were brought to your attention (even if you didn't read them). Also, the cancellation fee should reflect the loss they have suffered. Even if they weren't able to find another customer to take over your appointment, that is unlikely to be the full cost of the appointment.

[VeneziaJ]

@Gettingbysomehow

No useful answers then. I was asking if anyone knows what my actual legal rights are. Obviously not.
There was no information whatsoever about what the cancellation charge was.
If you want to have a go at me don't bother to reply. I am asking for actual legal and consumer rights advice that is correct not a guess based on your personal opinions.
I am not interested in going there again they were very mediocre and charged a fortune.
She said at the time I could only go there again if I booked my next appointment there and then which did surprise me.

Call citizens advice consumer line for proper legal advice. Mums net is not the place for accurate legal advice

[ZaraEarrings]

Did you cancel the appointment, or just not turn up?

I know a nail technician who will only make an appointment (your next appointment) for you as you’re leaving your current appointment. You can’t book in with her otherwise. That’s just how she runs her business. That didn’t suit me, so I don’t go to her anymore. She does advertise that there is a cancellation charge, though. I can’t remember what the deadline is, but I think it might be 48 hours.

[PickledPurplePickle]

Did you actually cancel the appointment or just not turn up?

[RoseBucket]

It’s pretty standard where I live and most put it on their social media. Hairdressers are often self employed and rent a chair, when I client doesn’t turn up they still have to pay their rent therefore lose out twice and depending on the appointment book loose a whole mornings or afternoons income. I thought it was common knowledge.

Re shifts, I do shifts and we have to receive a min 7 days shift change notice unless both parties agree.

[SallyWD]

Did you just forget or did you knowingly not turn up?
I'm afraid I don't know the consumer rights.
I once completely forgot and failed to turn up. It was a genuine mistake and I felt awful. I phoned the next day and apologised profusely. As a gesture of good will they said don't worry and there was no charge. However, looking back I now feel I should have paid. My hairdresser lost £60 because of my mistake.