Cancellation & Refund Policy

By completing an online booking with The Balanced Lead, you agree to the following terms regarding cancellations, rescheduling, and refunds:

1. Client Cancellations & Notice Periods

To maintain a reliable schedule for all our dogs and ensure fairness to other clients, we require a minimum notice period for any cancellations or changes to your booking:

• More than 48 hours’ notice: Full refund or credit to your account for future sessions.

• 24 to 48 hours’ notice: 50% of the booking fee is charged to cover lost time and slot availability.

• Less than 24 hours’ notice: The full booking fee (100%) is non-refundable, as it is generally impossible to fill the slot at such short notice.

2. "No Show" or Restricted Access

If The Balanced Lead arrives at the property and cannot gain access (e.g., faulty key, locked gate, or no-one home where required) or the dog is not at home, this will be treated as a "Late Cancellation" and charged at the full rate.

3. Cancellations by The Balanced Lead

We pride ourselves on reliability, but in exceptional circumstances (e.g., vehicle breakdown, sudden illness, or emergency), we may need to cancel. In such cases:

• You will be notified as soon as possible.

• A full refund or immediate credit for a future session will be provided.

4. Severe Weather Policy

Services will typically proceed in standard British rain. However, The Balanced Lead reserves the right to cancel or shorten walks for the safety of the dog during extreme weather (e.g., amber/red weather warnings for wind/snow, or extreme heat over 25°C).

• If The Balanced Lead cancels due to extreme weather, no charge will apply.

• If you choose to cancel a walk that we have deemed safe to proceed, standard notice periods apply.

5. Statutory Cooling-Off Period

In accordance with the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, online bookings are subject to a 14-day "cooling-off" period.

• By booking a service to take place within this 14-day period, you expressly agree that the service may begin before the end of the cooling-off period.

• If you cancel after the service has been performed, you waive your right to a refund for that specific session.