No-shows and deposits: a fair policy for an aesthetics clinic

The short answer: take a sensible deposit at booking, send reminders, say your cancellation terms clearly before the patient books, and keep a short list of people happy to take a last-minute slot.

Why it stings

An empty slot is the one thing you can't sell again tomorrow. For a small clinic, a couple of no-shows in a week can be the difference between a good week and a flat one.

What a fair policy looks like

• A deposit that matches the booking. Enough to make people think twice, not so much it puts a new patient off.
• A clear notice period. Most clinics use 24 or 48 hours. Pick one and use the same wording everywhere: website, booking page and reminder text.
• Terms shown before they pay. A policy the patient never saw is hard to stand behind.
• Some give for real life. Illness happens. Moving a deposit to a new date keeps the patient and the goodwill.

A word on the law

Consumer law still applies in a clinic. Terms that keep far more than you actually lost, or that say "non-refundable, no exceptions", can be challenged as unfair. This isn't legal advice, so if you're unsure, get your terms checked.

The bit that saves the most

Reminders. Most no-shows forgot. Check yours are switched on in your booking system before you change anything else.

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