Salon cancellation policy: a template you can copy

Most people who cancel late aren't trying to cost you money. Something came up, or they forgot. A clear policy, seen before they book, turns a lot of empty chairs into a phone call two days out, and gives you something fair to point to when you do keep a deposit.

What a cancellation policy covers

• Notice: how long before the appointment someone can cancel or move it for free.
• Deposits: whether you take one, and when you keep it.
• Late cancellations and no-shows: what happens inside the notice period, or when nobody turns up.
• Late arrivals: how late is too late to do the full treatment.
• How to cancel: a phone number, a link, or both.

How much notice to ask for

There's no legal rule on the number. Pick the notice that gives you a real chance of filling the slot again.

• 24 hours is the usual for cuts, beard trims, nails and short treatments. They're easy to refill, and customers accept it without a second thought.
• 48 hours for long appointments that are hard to fill at short notice: colour, extensions, a full set of lashes, a long massage.
• Any time is fine if gaps fill themselves, for example a barber with a queue of walk-ins.

Whatever you pick, use the same number everywhere: on your booking page, in the confirmation and in the reminder.

Deposits: what you can keep

A deposit is what gives a policy teeth, because you already hold the money. What you can keep is limited by the Consumer Rights Act 2015: a term that's unfair to the customer doesn't bind them, even if they ticked a box to agree to it. The Competition and Markets Authority's guide to cancelling sums up what that means for deposits:

• Non-refundable deposits should only be a small percentage of the total price.
• A cancellation charge should be a genuine estimate of what you lose directly because they cancelled.
• You're expected to take reasonable steps to cut that loss, such as filling the slot again.

In practice: a modest deposit, kept when someone cancels late or doesn't turn up, sits comfortably inside those rules. Keeping the full price of a trim when someone cancels three days ahead does not. And if you fill the slot, giving the deposit back, or moving it to their next booking, is both fair and good for business.

Late arrivals

Decide this before it happens, so nobody is making it up at the chair. Set the line at the time you can lose before the next client is kept waiting, often 10 or 15 minutes, and say what happens after it: you'll do what you can in the time left, or move them to another day.

The template

Copy it, change the numbers and cut what you don't use.

• We ask for at least 24 hours' notice to cancel or move your appointment. You can do it from the link in your confirmation email, or by ringing us on [number].
• Some appointments need a deposit of [amount] when you book. It comes off your bill on the day.
• If you cancel or move with at least 24 hours' notice, we'll refund your deposit or move it to your new appointment.
• If you cancel with less notice, or don't come, we keep the deposit. If we manage to fill your slot, we'll give it back.
• If you're running more than 15 minutes late, please ring us. We'll fit in what we can, or move you to another time.
• If we ever have to cancel, you'll get your deposit back in full.
• We know life happens. If something serious comes up, ring us and we'll sort it out together.

That last line costs you very little and stops the policy reading like a threat. Most customers will never need it, and the ones who do will remember you for it.

Show it before they book

A policy someone first hears about when they ring to cancel feels like a trap, and a term the customer never saw before agreeing is hard to hold them to. Put it where they'll read it:

• On your booking page, next to the Book button.
• In the confirmation email.
• In the reminder, as one line on how to cancel.
• On a card at the desk, for people who book in person.

Booked online or by phone: the 14 day question

When someone books a service online or over the phone, the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 can give them 14 days to cancel. If the appointment falls inside those 14 days at their request, they can still cancel, but only have to pay for what you've already done, which before the appointment is nothing.

There is an exception for "services related to leisure activities" booked for a set date, but whether a haircut or a beauty treatment counts as one hasn't been settled. If deposits are a big part of how you run, read Business Companion's guide (it's from Trading Standards), or ask a solicitor.

Running your policy with FullDiary

• Pick your cancel window under Your shop, Booking rules: any time, or 2, 12, 24 or 48 hours before.
• Customers cancel or move their own booking from the link in their confirmation, but only outside that window. Inside it, the page tells them to ring you, with your number.
• The confirmation says it for you. With a cancel window set, every confirmation email has a Cancellation policy box: please cancel at least 24 hours before your appointment, after that ring your number.
• Add your own wording under Notes for your booking page. It shows on your booking page beside the Book button and in the confirmation's Cancellation policy box.
• Deposits per service: a deposit, the full price or nothing, paid by card through your own Stripe account. FullDiary takes no commission.
• Choose what an in-time cancellation does: ask you first, refund everything by itself, or keep the deposit and refund the rest.
• A Refund button on every paid booking, so giving a deposit back when you fill the slot takes a moment.

The cancel window and deposits are on every plan, free included.

Deposits and payment when customers book

Sources

Part 2 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015: an unfair term in a consumer contract doesn't bind the consumer.

Consumer Rights Act 2015, Part 2: unfair terms

Small deposits, cancellation charges as a genuine estimate of loss, and reducing the loss, from the Competition and Markets Authority.

CMA: cancelling goods or services

The CMA's full guidance on unfair contract terms, for businesses.

CMA: unfair contract terms guidance (CMA37)

The leisure services exception to the 14 day cancellation right.

Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, regulation 28

What a customer pays when they cancel a service that was due to start within the 14 days.

Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, regulation 36

Trading Standards' plain-English answers on the 14 day cancellation period.

Business Companion: distance contracts, top five questions

This guide is general information, not legal advice.

Written by

Matt Suckling

Director, FullDiary

Matt runs Cynical Software Ltd, the Perthshire company that makes FullDiary, and builds it.

More from Matt

All guides