Having a clear refund policy isn't just good practice, it protects you. Parents and guardians booking sessions for children want to know upfront what happens if a session is cancelled, a term is missed, or they need to withdraw a child from a programme. Without clear terms, these situations are far more likely to end in disputes, chargebacks, or complaints. We recommend you review your terms on a regular basis to ensure they're up to date.
What a good refund policy covers
A strong refund policy typically sets out:
How much notice is needed to cancel a booking for a full or partial refund
What happens if you (the provider) have to cancel a session, for example due to weather, illness, or venue issues
Whether missed sessions can be credited, rescheduled, or refunded
How refunds are processed and how long they take
Any non-refundable elements, such as registration fees or kit costs
What happens with part-used blocks or term passes
The more specific you are, the fewer disputes you'll need to resolve manually, and the easier it is to point a parent back to an agreed policy rather than negotiate case by case.
Where to add this
You can add or update your refund policy as part of your T&Cs in Settings > T&Cs. This is the version that customers agree to when they book, so it's the right place to keep it up to date rather than relying on separate documents or verbal agreements.
If you currently have no T&Cs set up, or only a brief line about refunds, this is a good moment to expand it using the points above.
T&Cs versus Privacy Policy: what's the difference?
These often get confused, but they cover different things:
Terms & Conditions are the contract between you and the person booking. They cover things like payment terms, cancellation and refund rules, conduct expectations, and liability. This is what governs a booking dispute.
Privacy Policy explains how you collect, use, and store personal data, for example a child's name, medical information, or parent contact details. This is a legal requirement under UK data protection law regardless of what your refund terms say.
You need both, and they shouldn't be merged into one document. A parent asking for a refund is a T&Cs matter. A parent asking what happens to their child's data is a Privacy Policy matter.
Where to get advice
We can't provide legal advice on drafting your T&Cs, and every provider's situation is different depending on how you run bookings, memberships, and cancellations. If you want your refund policy checked or drafted properly, we'd suggest:
Citizens Advice or gov.uk for general guidance on consumer contract terms and cancellation rights
Trading Standards if you have specific questions about compliance with consumer contract law
A solicitor if you want bespoke terms drafted or reviewed for your business
For anything specifically about how you handle personal data, for example what your Privacy Policy needs to cover, the ICO (Information Commissioner's Office) is the right point of contact and has free guidance for small organisations.