A cancellation and no-show policy template for beauty techs

1. The template

Deposits: A deposit of £[10] is needed to secure your appointment. It comes off the price of your treatment on the day.

Moving your appointment: You can move your appointment free of charge with at least [48] hours’ notice. Your deposit moves with it.

Cancelling: If you cancel with at least [48] hours’ notice, your deposit is [refunded / kept as credit]. If you cancel with less than [48] hours’ notice, [50]% of the treatment price is charged, and with less than [24] hours’ notice, [100]%. Your deposit counts towards this.

No-shows: If you don’t turn up, [100]% of the treatment price is charged, less your deposit.

Running late: If you’re more than [15] minutes late, your treatment may be shortened or rebooked, and it will be charged as booked.

Unpaid charges: New bookings can’t be made until any charge is paid.

2. Choose numbers that fit your appointments

Base the notice period on how easily you can refill the slot. A two-hour full set is hard to fill at a day’s notice; a 20-minute brow tint is easier. Many techs use 48 hours for long treatments and 24 hours for short ones.

Keep the deposit low enough that it doesn’t stop people booking and high enough that it isn’t easy to throw away. A fixed amount is simpler to explain than a percentage.

3. Make sure clients see it before they book

A policy only works if the client agreed to it before booking. Put it in a Story highlight, mention it in the message where you ask for the deposit, and include it, or a link to it, in the booking confirmation.

Don’t recite the whole policy to every client: say it once, clearly, at the point they pay the deposit, and point back to it if they ever cancel.

4. Apply it the same way every time

Clients notice when the rule is enforced for some and waived for others. Decide your exceptions in advance (illness with a sick note, a family emergency) and write them down for yourself.

When someone cancels late, state the amount and how to pay in one calm message. Waiving it now and then is your choice; arguing about it isn’t worth the time.

5. Keep the paperwork simple

Keep a note of each charge: the client, the appointment, what the policy said and whether it was paid. If you use a booking tool, it should keep this for you.