SalonZichtbaar › Guides › Reducing no-shows · Published 1 November 2026

Reducing no-shows in your salon: what works and what can you charge?

In short: in the Netherlands you can only charge a no-show fee if your rule was made clear before the booking and is part of the appointment. According to a Dutch court, a rule on Instagram or in your newsletter is not enough. It also helps to make cancelling easy, so you can still fill the slot. Below is what the sources say and what you can do today.

This article is general information about Dutch rules, not legal advice. Unsure about your own terms? Ask a legal professional. Most sources below are in Dutch.

What do the rules say?

A no-show or cancellation rule counts as a general term and condition (or 'house rule'). That means:

  • Your client must know there are terms and be able to read them before the sale; otherwise they are not valid. Terms must also not be unreasonable (Source: ondernemersplein.overheid.nl, accessed 1 November 2026).
  • The KVK advises linking to your terms in logical places, such as order forms. Acceptance by the client is not required, but useful as proof, for example with a tick box on your website (Source: kvk.nl, accessed 1 November 2026).

Two rulings about hair salons

The salon lost (District Court of Zeeland-West-Brabant, 26 July 2023). A client booked online and did not show up. The hair salon charged € 81.40 based on its house rules. The court dismissed the claim. For an online appointment, the court said, the client must be pointed to the terms beforehand in a clear and noticeable way, be able to view them via a link and accept them with a tick box. Putting the house rules in a newsletter and on social media was not enough (Source: rechtspraak.nl, accessed 1 November 2026).

The salon won (District Court of Overijssel, 8 August 2023). Below this hair salon's booking module it said you had to cancel at least 24 hours in advance. For later cancellations or a no-show the salon could charge € 15 per booked quarter of an hour. There was also a link to the terms and conditions. The court found the terms applied and the amount not unlawful: it was a fixed amount per quarter, and it had not been shown to exceed the salon's costs. The client had to pay (Source: rechtspraak.nl, accessed 1 November 2026).

The lesson: put your rule in the booking step itself, with the amount and a link to your terms. Keep the amount reasonable and in proportion to what an empty slot costs you.

Practical tips to reduce no-shows

These tips are practical advice, not figures or promises:

  • Confirm every appointment straight away, with date, time, treatment, address and your cancellation rule.
  • Send a reminder before the appointment, for example the day before, with an easy way to cancel or reschedule.
  • Make cancelling easy. A client who quickly calls or sends a WhatsApp gives you the chance to fill the slot.
  • Keep a waiting list of clients who would like to come earlier.
  • Use the same rule everywhere: at the booking button, in the confirmation and in your terms.
  • Consider a deposit for long or expensive treatments, and mention it beforehand too.

Add your booking link to your Google Business Profile

According to Google's guidelines, hair salons can let customers book appointments through their Business Profile (Source: support.google.com, accessed 1 November 2026):

  • Your profile must be verified before you can add a link.
  • The link must let the customer actually book and lead to a dedicated page for your business.
  • Social media sites and messaging links (such as a WhatsApp link) and link shorteners are not allowed as booking links.

A booking page of your own, with your cancellation rule next to the booking button, fits that well.

How SalonZichtbaar helps

SalonZichtbaar builds your own website with online booking for your salon. Your client chooses the service, staff member and time, and your cancellation rule sits in a clear place in the booking step. The booking system costs €349 one-off + €25 per month (€249 one-off together with a website), excl. 21% VAT, business customers only. See packages and prices, or the cost comparison with Treatwell and Fresha (in Dutch).

Frequently asked questions

Can my salon charge a client who does not show up?

Only if your no-show rule was part of the appointment beforehand. In a case at the District Court of Overijssel (8 August 2023, ECLI:NL:RBOVE:2023:3343) a hair salon was allowed to charge € 15 per booked quarter of an hour, because the rule was shown below the booking module with a link to the terms and conditions. In a case at the District Court of Zeeland-West-Brabant (26 July 2023, ECLI:NL:RBZWB:2023:5433) a hair salon got nothing, because the client had not actively accepted the house rules when booking online.

Is my cancellation rule on Instagram or in my newsletter enough?

No. According to the District Court of Zeeland-West-Brabant (ECLI:NL:RBZWB:2023:5433), mentioning house rules in a newsletter and on social media was not enough. Put the rule in the booking step itself, with a link to your terms.

How much can I charge for a no-show?

Dutch law sets no fixed amount. Ondernemersplein (the Dutch government business portal) says terms and conditions must not be unreasonable. In the Overijssel case the court found € 15 per booked quarter of an hour not unlawful, because it was a fixed amount per quarter and it was not shown to exceed the salon's costs. That is one ruling, not a general rule.

Does the client have to tick a box to accept my terms?

According to the KVK (Netherlands Chamber of Commerce), acceptance is not required but useful as proof; a tick box on your website is one way. In the Zeeland-West-Brabant ruling the court described, for online bookings: clearly pointing to the terms, making them viewable via a link and letting the client accept them with a tick box.

Can I use a WhatsApp link as the booking button in my Google Business Profile?

No. According to Google, a booking link in your Business Profile must let the customer actually book; links to social media sites and messaging links are not allowed. Your profile must be verified before you can add a link. Use the booking page of your own website or booking system.

Free preview for your salon

Curious what your own website with online booking would look like? Send a WhatsApp with your salon's name. You first get a free, no-obligation preview; you only pay after delivery.

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Sources

Rulings by Dutch subdistrict courts concern one case and are not a general rule. Google may change its guidelines; check the current page.

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