How Cancellation Fees Work for Online Bookings

When a client books online and you have a cancellation fee enabled, no money is taken upfront.

Instead, the client’s bank places a temporary “Pending $X” hold on their account.
This amount is based on the dollar value or percentage you’ve set as your cancellation fee.

What does “Pending” mean?

A pending charge is not a payment.
It simply means the bank is holding that amount aside, just in case it’s needed.

✔ The money has not left the client’s account
✔ It’s only a temporary hold, not a charge

Think of it as a reservation of funds, not a payment.

What happens when the client attends their appointment?

Once the service is completed and you finalise the transaction in the app:

The cancellation fee hold is automatically released
The “Pending $X” disappears
The client is only charged for their actual service

⏱️ Depending on the client’s bank, it can take 3–5 business days for the pending amount to fully disappear.

What happens if the client cancels late or doesn’t show up?

If a client cancels outside your policy or is a no-show, the cancellation fee will be charged.

For no-shows, make sure you do the following:

Tap on the booked appointment
Tap Options
Select Mark as No Show

⚠️ Please note:
Once you tap Mark as No Show, this action cannot be reversed.

The amount charged will be exactly what you set (either a fixed dollar amount or a percentage).

Step-by-Step Summary

Client books online
Bank places a pending hold for the cancellation fee
Client attends appointment → you complete the transaction
Pending hold is released (no fee charged)
Late cancellation or no-show → cancellation fee is charged
For no-shows, appointment must be marked as No Show

💡 Helpful Tips

Pending charges are controlled by the client’s bank, not the app
Some banks release holds faster than others
Always mark no-shows correctly to apply the fee
This system protects your time without charging clients upfront

Need help? Email: indiesupport@husl.io