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We Know ‘Life Happens’
But we still need to keep the lights on
At Heart of the Matter, we understand that unforeseen circumstances may arise, requiring you to cancel or reschedule your counselling appointment. We strive to maintain a balance between accommodating our clients’ needs and ensuring the smooth functioning of our clinic. To achieve this, we have established the following cancellation policy.
All Cancellations with more than 24 hours on week days and 48 hours for weekend appointments will NOT incur a cancellation fee.
For cancellations with less notice the following applies:
- First Cancellation: Ideally you give us as much time as possible to offer the time slot to another client in need of our services. If we find a replacement there is no fee. In the absence of stated notice and an unsuccessful attempt to fill the spot – a cancellation fee of 50% of the scheduled session fees will be applicable.
- Second & Subsequent Cancellations: A cancellation fee equal to 100% of the scheduled session fees will be charged. This policy reflects our commitment to ensuring the availability of our services to all clients and compensating our counsellors for their time and expertise.
Exceptions: We understand that exceptional circumstances may arise, such as emergencies, accidents, or sudden illness, that prevent you from adhering to our cancellation policy. In such cases, we encourage you to contact us as soon as possible to explain the situation. We will handle these instances on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration the nature of the circumstances and historical behaviour.
Late Arrivals: We value punctuality and strive to provide the full allotted time for each counselling session. If you arrive late, please note that your session will still end at the originally scheduled time. Late arrivals do not constitute cancellations, and the full session fee will be charged.
Payment: All cancellation fees will be due and payable before scheduling any future appointments. If you have pre-paid for sessions and a cancellation fee applies, the fee will be deducted from your remaining balance.
We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in adhering to our cancellation policy. It allows us to provide quality services to all our clients and ensures the availability of appointment times for those in need. If you have any questions or require further clarification, please do not hesitate to contact Heart of the Matter.
Thank you for choosing Heart of the Matter, and we look forward to serving you.
Non-Payment of Fees
Consequences for Non-Payment of Cancellation Fee at Heart of the Matter:
- Reminder Notice: In the event that a client does not pay the applicable cancellation fee within the specified timeframe, Heart of the Matter will send a reminder notice to the client. The notice will serve as a gentle reminder to fulfill the payment obligation as per the cancellation policy.
- Suspension of Future Appointments: If the cancellation fee remains unpaid after the reminder notice, Heart of the Matter reserves the right to suspend any future appointments for the client until the outstanding balance is settled. This ensures that the clinic’s resources are allocated to clients who comply with the cancellation policy.
- Communication and Resolution: Heart of the Matter will reach out to the client to address the non-payment issue. Open and respectful communication will be initiated to understand the reasons behind the non-payment and explore possible solutions to resolve the situation.
- Late Payment Penalties: If the client fails to make the required payment even after communication and resolution attempts, Heart of the Matter may impose late payment penalties or interest charges on the outstanding balance. These penalties aim to encourage timely payment and compensate for the administrative efforts involved.
- Referral to Collections: In extreme cases where non-payment persists, Heart of the Matter may be compelled to refer the unpaid balance to a collections agency. This action may impact the client’s credit history and result in further financial consequences beyond the cancellation fee.
- Termination of Services: Continued non-payment and failure to resolve the outstanding balance may lead Heart of the Matter to terminate the client’s access to services. This step is taken as a last resort when all other attempts to resolve the situation have been exhausted.
It is important for clients to honor the cancellation policy and fulfill their financial obligations. Heart of the Matter values open communication and will make every effort to work with clients to find mutually satisfactory solutions.