How to write a clinic cancellation policy clients accept

Set up deposits and policy in Managed · Start with Managed for free

Set notice periods by treatment

One rule for every service is easy to write and hard to defend. A 15-minute review can be refilled from a waitlist the same morning. A two-hour PMU appointment or a treatment where product is prepared for the client is much harder to fill at short notice. Group your services and give each group its own notice period.

As a starting point to test against your own diary: 24 hours for short appointments, 48 hours for long or high-value treatments and new-client consultations. Check how often each group is cancelled late, then adjust. These are examples. Your terms, consumer obligations and professional requirements come first, and an adviser should review the wording, fees and exceptions.

Decide what the deposit covers

A deposit is the simplest way to back up a notice period. Set it as a fixed amount or a percentage, with a minimum for low-priced services. With a rule of 10% and a £50 minimum, a £220 treatment takes a £50 deposit. Ask for a larger deposit on the appointments that are hardest to refill.

Say plainly what happens to the deposit in each case. If the client cancels in time, refund it or move it to the new appointment. If they cancel inside the notice period or don't arrive, keep it. If they attend, it comes off the bill.

Set deposits by service in Managed

Use saved cards for no-show fees

Some clients won't pay a deposit for a short appointment. Asking them to save a card when they book protects the slot without charging anything upfront. If the client doesn't arrive, your team decides whether to charge the no-show fee your policy states.

Tell clients at booking that their card is saved for this purpose and what the fee is, and repeat it in the confirmation.

Saved-card no-show protection

Write down your exceptions

Staff need to know when they can waive a fee, so they don't have to make it up at the desk. Common clinic exceptions include a client who is unwell, a reaction to a patch test, or a contraindication found during the consultation. If the clinic cancels, refund the client in full.

Record every exception on the client's record with the reason. The next colleague then sees what was agreed, and you can check the policy is applied fairly.

Keep notes on the client record

Refill the slot when someone cancels

A late cancellation costs less if the slot is filled. Keep a cancellation waitlist of clients who want an earlier appointment. When a slot opens, your team offers it to a suitable client, who accepts it to book.

Reminders give clients the chance to tell you early. For a long treatment, send an email reminder two days before and an SMS on the morning of the appointment, and include your policy wording and how to change the booking.

Reduce no-shows with better waitlists

Appointment reminders by email and SMS

Reduce no-shows with smart scheduling

Cancellation policy wording you can adapt

Copy this into your booking page and confirmations and replace the brackets. Have an adviser check it before you use it.

> "We ask for [48 hours'] notice to cancel or move [treatment group] appointments, and [24 hours'] for all other appointments. A deposit of [amount] secures your booking and comes off your bill on the day. If you cancel with the notice above, we will refund your deposit or move it to your new appointment. If you cancel with less notice or miss your appointment, we keep the deposit. Where you saved a card instead of paying a deposit, we may charge a fee of [amount]. If we need to cancel, we will refund you in full. To cancel or rebook, use the link in your confirmation or contact us on [number]."

Set up the policy in Managed

Managed puts each part of this policy into the booking itself. On every plan, including Free:

1. Set a clinic-wide deposit and override it for the treatments that need more.
2. Choose whether a deposit is required to confirm an online booking, or offer saved-card reservation instead.
3. Set the online cancellation cutoff, so clients can only cancel or reschedule online with the notice you require.
4. Add your policy wording to confirmations and set reminder times.
5. At checkout the deposit is deducted automatically from the balance. If you refund a deposit, the Managed fee on it is refunded too.

Payments are built in and powered by Stripe. Start with Managed for free and set it up today. Setup help is free, with next-day setup possible.

Deposits and no-show protection

Built-in payments

Moving from Fresha with deposits

Managed vs Treatwell