Cancellation policies that protect your time without losing clients

Almost every coach I meet has been burned by the same thing: a client cancels at 7am, the 8am slot goes unfilled, that's £80 gone, and the conversation about the policy never happens because it feels awkward. The fix isn't a tougher policy — it's a clear policy, agreed once, in writing, before there's ever a problem.

The core policy

Keep it short enough that a client could repeat it back to you. Three numbers and one principle. Numbers: notice required to reschedule without charge (we recommend 24 hours), notice required to avoid losing the session entirely (we recommend 12 hours), and how many late cancels you'll absorb in a programme (we recommend one). Principle: 'You're paying for the slot, not just the session.' Once that's said, almost no one argues.

Suggested wording

Steal this directly. 'Sessions are bookable in your tier. If you need to reschedule, please give 24 hours' notice and I'll move the slot at no charge. With less than 24 hours, the session may be rescheduled inside the same week if I have space. With less than 12 hours, or a no-show, the session is forfeited. As a goodwill gesture, the first late cancel in any programme is on me — after that the policy applies.'

• Put the policy in your welcome pack and your booking confirmation — twice is fine.
• Read it out loud at the consultation, not after the first cancellation.
• Be consistent — applying the policy unevenly is what damages client trust.
• Build in one 'on me' cancel per programme — it removes 90% of the awkwardness.
• If illness is involved, use judgment. The policy is your floor, not your ceiling.

The hard cases

Genuine illness or family emergency? Reschedule, no question. Chronic patterns of last-minute cancellation? Have the conversation directly, in writing, before the next renewal: 'I love working with you, and I notice we've had four late cancels this block. The way the policy is written, those slots are forfeit, but more importantly it tells me the timing isn't working — let's restructure.' That conversation, calmly handled, rescues more clients than it loses.

What to never do

Don't invoice for missed sessions silently. Don't apply the policy to one client and not another. Don't make exceptions you wouldn't make twice. Cancellation policies fail not because they're too tough or too soft — they fail because they're inconsistent. Pick a policy you can apply with a straight face every time and stop apologising for it.

"The right policy is the one you'll actually use. The wrong one is the one you only mention when you're already angry."