1. Purpose and status

This policy explains when payments made to Velvet Skin & Laser Clinic (the “Clinic”) are non-refundable, when a credit note may be offered, and when a monetary refund may be required. It forms part of the Clinic’s Terms and Conditions and applies alongside the Clinic’s privacy notice, treatment consent documents, cancellation/no-show rules and promotion-specific terms.

2. Scope

This policy applies to consultation fees, deposits, booking fees, individual treatments, treatment courses, prepaid packages, memberships, gift vouchers, seasonal offers, discounted services, promotional prices, referral rewards, loyalty credits and other advance payments, unless separate written terms expressly apply.

3. Statutory rights are preserved

Nothing in this policy excludes or restricts rights that cannot lawfully be excluded. In particular, services must be provided with reasonable care and skill and in accordance with binding information given to the client. Where the law provides a right to repeat performance, price reduction, cancellation or refund, the Clinic will comply.

A discounted, promotional, seasonal or referral price does not remove a client’s statutory rights.

4. General rule – change of mind

Subject to clause 3 and any applicable distance-selling cancellation right, payments are not refundable merely because a client changes their mind, no longer wishes to proceed, changes personal plans, does not like the timing of an appointment, finds a lower price elsewhere, fails to use a package before expiry, or is dissatisfied with a result that was not guaranteed and where the service was performed with reasonable care and skill.

Where the Clinic agrees to provide a discretionary remedy, the usual remedy will be a credit note rather than a cash refund.

5. Deposits and booking fees

A deposit or booking fee reserves clinical time, staff, room capacity, equipment and, where relevant, products or prescribing arrangements. Deposits and booking fees are non-refundable for late cancellation, non-attendance or change of mind, subject to the Clinic’s cancellation/no-show policy and only to the extent that retention is fair, proportionate and permitted by law.

Where a booking is cancelled within the permitted notice period, the Clinic may allow one transfer to another suitable appointment. Further transfers may attract an administration or rebooking fee if disclosed in advance.

6. Discounted, promotional and seasonal offers

Unless the promotion expressly states otherwise, all discounted, promotional, flash-sale, launch, seasonal, limited-time, voucher-code and special-price purchases are final for change-of-mind purposes once any applicable cancellation period has expired or performance has begun.

• promotional purchases cannot be exchanged for cash;
• the promotional value applies only to the named service, eligibility criteria, validity period and booking conditions;
• expired promotional value is not refundable because the client did not book or attend in time;
• a promotion cannot normally be combined with another offer, loyalty credit, referral reward or voucher unless expressly stated; and
• where the Clinic cannot provide the purchased service and cannot offer a reasonable equivalent or alternative date, the unused amount will be dealt with in accordance with clause 11 and applicable law.

7. Referral schemes, rewards and complimentary value

Referral rewards, loyalty points, complimentary treatment value, goodwill credits and bonus amounts have no cash value and are not refundable or redeemable for money. Only the amount actually paid by the client can potentially be considered for a monetary refund, and then only where this policy or the law permits.

Referral rewards may be withdrawn or reversed where eligibility conditions were not met, a qualifying payment was refunded, a booking was fraudulent, or the underlying transaction was cancelled.

8. Treatment courses, packages and memberships

Prepaid courses, packages and memberships are sold on the basis that the client intends to complete the agreed treatment plan within the stated validity period. Unused sessions are not refundable for change of mind after any applicable cancellation period has expired.

Any transfer, substitution of treatment, extension or credit is subject to clinical suitability, availability and written management approval. The Clinic may decline a requested substitution where it is clinically inappropriate, more expensive, outside the original promotion or inconsistent with prescribing, insurance or equipment requirements.

9. Clinical suitability and treatment refusal

Payment does not guarantee that a treatment will be clinically suitable, prescribed or performed. The Clinic may refuse, postpone, modify or stop treatment where this is required by clinical judgement, prescribing rules, contraindications, safeguarding, insurance, law, professional standards or the client’s best interests.

Where the client withheld relevant information, provided inaccurate information, failed to follow pre-care, attended intoxicated, or became unsuitable because of a preventable or undisclosed contraindication, the Clinic may retain reasonable costs and apply the cancellation/no-show terms, subject to law.

10. Medical urgency, illness and medical evidence

Where a client cannot attend or continue treatment because of a genuine medical urgency, acute illness, pregnancy-related contraindication, prescribed medication, medical procedure or other clinically relevant condition, the Clinic may offer a credit note for the unused eligible amount rather than a cash refund.

The client must notify the Clinic as soon as reasonably practicable and provide appropriate written evidence from an appropriately qualified and regulated healthcare professional, prescribing clinician, hospital, pharmacist prescriber or other suitably regulated healthcare professional where reasonably requested. The evidence should confirm the relevant restriction or period of unfitness; it need not disclose unnecessary diagnosis details.

A temporary medical restriction will normally result in postponement, an extension or a credit note. Where the restriction is permanent, no clinically appropriate alternative exists, and the Clinic is unable lawfully or safely to provide the paid service, management will assess the unused balance and provide any refund or other remedy required by law. A credit note cannot be used to replace a statutory monetary refund where the law requires repayment.

11. Cancellation or material change by the Clinic

The Clinic may reschedule or cancel due to clinician illness, equipment failure, product or prescriber unavailability, safety concerns, legal or insurance requirements, or events outside reasonable control. The Clinic will first offer a reasonable alternative appointment, equivalent treatment or credit note.

If the Clinic cancels and cannot provide the service within a reasonable time or the proposed alternative is materially different and unacceptable, the client will receive a refund of the amount paid for the unprovided service where legally due. The Clinic is not responsible for indirect losses such as travel, childcare, accommodation or loss of earnings except where the law requires otherwise.

12. Service quality concerns

Aesthetic outcomes vary and no particular cosmetic result is guaranteed. Dissatisfaction alone does not automatically establish entitlement to a refund. The client must allow the Clinic a reasonable opportunity to assess the concern and, where legally and clinically appropriate, to provide repeat performance, review, correction or another remedy.

Where repeat performance is impossible, cannot be provided within a reasonable time or would cause significant inconvenience, a proportionate price reduction or refund may be due under applicable consumer law. Urgent medical treatment should not be delayed for the purpose of an internal review.

13. Online, telephone and off-premises bookings

Where a booking or purchase is a distance or off-premises contract and the statutory cancellation rules apply, the client may have a 14-day cancellation period. If the client asks the Clinic to begin the service during that period, the Clinic may charge a proportionate amount for services supplied up to cancellation. The cancellation right may be lost once the service has been fully performed where the client gave the legally required express request and acknowledgement.

Some appointment-specific or other contracts may fall within a statutory exception. The Clinic will apply the law to the circumstances rather than relying on a blanket exclusion.

14. Credit note terms

A credit note is a discretionary contractual remedy unless the Clinic confirms otherwise in writing. Unless a different period is stated on the credit note:

• it is valid for 12 months from issue;
• it must be used by the named client and is non-transferable without written approval;
• it has no cash value and cannot be exchanged for money;
• it may be used only for clinically suitable services available at the time of redemption;
• any price increase or difference in treatment cost must be paid by the client;
• it cannot normally be combined with promotions, referral rewards or other credits; and
• lost, expired or partially used credit notes will not be replaced or refunded except where required by law or agreed in writing.

15. How to request a refund or credit note

Requests must be made in writing to complaints@velvetskinlaser.co.uk as soon as reasonably practicable. The request should include the client’s name, booking reference, treatment or package, payment date and method, amount requested, reason, supporting documents and the preferred resolution.

The Clinic may request further information, photographs, consent to obtain a clinical opinion, or medical evidence where relevant. Failure to provide information reasonably required to assess the request may delay or prevent a discretionary remedy, but will not remove a statutory right.

16. Decision and payment method

The Clinic aims to acknowledge a written request within 5 working days and issue a decision within 20 working days after receiving the information reasonably required. Complex clinical, insurance, prescribing or legal matters may take longer, in which case an updated timescale will be provided.

Approved monetary refunds will normally be returned to the original payment method. Refunds will not normally be made in cash where the original payment was by card, finance provider, payment link, bank transfer or third-party platform. Any statutory refund will be processed within the legally required period.

17. Medical information and privacy

Medical notes, letters, photographs and health information supplied in support of a request are special category personal data. They will be collected, used, stored and disclosed only as necessary for clinical assessment, complaint handling, legal compliance, insurance, safeguarding and the administration of the request, in accordance with the Clinic’s privacy notice and applicable data protection law.

The privacy notice governs how evidence is handled; it does not independently create or remove entitlement to a refund.

18. Complaints and review

A client who disagrees with a decision may use the Clinic’s complaints procedure. The Clinic may review the decision where there is new evidence, a material factual error, procedural unfairness or a relevant legal issue. The final response will identify any applicable external or alternative dispute resolution route where required.

19. Misuse, fraud and chargebacks

The Clinic may refuse a discretionary refund or credit where there is evidence of fraud, altered documentation, misuse of a referral or promotion, duplicate recovery, or abusive conduct. This does not prevent a client from using a lawful card-provider or court process, nor does it permit the Clinic to obstruct a genuine statutory claim.

20. Changes to this policy

The Clinic may update this policy for future bookings. The version in force when the relevant contract was made will normally apply, unless a change is required by law or is more favourable to the client. Material terms applicable to an existing purchase will not be changed retrospectively to the client’s detriment without lawful basis.

21. Governing law

This policy and any non-contractual obligations arising from it are governed by the law of England and Wales. The courts of England and Wales will have jurisdiction, subject to any mandatory consumer right to bring proceedings elsewhere.

22. Contact details

Velvet Skin & Laser Clinic
Trading address: 2A Westbourne Parade, Uxbridge Road, Uxbridge, UB10 0NY
Refund/complaints email: complaints@velvetskinlaser.co.uk
Telephone: 02088679400