In the event of an emergency or any unforeseen circumstance, the need to cancel an appointment may arise. While it’s important to honour engagements you’ve agreed to, it is unrealistic to assume you’ll show up for all of them. When canceling an appointment via email, there are things you need to take note of. We’ve covered the dos and don’ts of cancelling an appointment via email in this article, and also included several samples to make your cancellations easier. Without further ado:
What is an Appointment Cancelation Email?
An email canceling an appointment is a formal and polite way of notifying the person(s) you have an appointment with. The content of an email canceling an appointment is the reason for the cancellation the time to reschedule (if there are plans to).
The reasons for cancelling an appointment are limitless and they’re unique to each individual. As best you can, an email canceling an appointment should convey this reason in as much detail as you’d like. If it’s a high stakes meeting, you should explain in detail the reason for the cancellation and work towards rescheduling the meeting in the cancellation email.
Excuses to Cancel an Appointment
Life is unpredictable to a large extent. While you may want to honour an appointment, sometimes things happen and you can’t predict them. Some of these things are:
- Your child is sick: If your child is sick and you have no one to babysit them, it would make sense if you canceled the appointment or rescheduled. In your email cancelling the appointment, you can simply include:
“I just got a call from my child’s school that she’s unwell and has been throwing up all day. I’m sorry I have to cancel as I can’t get a babysitter on such short notice…”
This is a template you can include in your email as you continue to discuss rescheduling opportunities.
- Delayed flight: If you have to travel a lot for work, you can cancel an appointment at your destination if your flight is delayed and you wouldn’t be able to honour the appointment. You can include this in your email cancelling the appointment:
“I’m at the airport right now and my flight that was scheduled for 9 am has been moved to noon. Hence, I will not be able to make it to our 12:30 pm meeting…”
- You’re sick: If you’re feeling under the weather and will not be able to honour the appointment, you should email other participants. In your email cancelling an appointment, you could include this:
“I’ll have to cancel our appointment scheduled for tomorrow as I have come down with something and have been directed by my doctor to be on bedrest till I feel better…”
There are a lot more excuses to cancel an appointment. Each is unique and specific to different individuals.
If you don’t feel like attending a meeting, you should reschedule or cancel. Because it is better to reschedule a meeting than to have a bad meeting.
How to Write a Cancellation Email
When writing an email to cancel an appointment, your focus should be on the recipient of the email. The other participant may have moved things around to accommodate the appointment and cancelling this appointment may stir up some unwanted feelings. So, when writing an email to cancel an appointment, always place yourself in the shoes of the recipient.
When writing an email to cancel an appointment, there are things you need to be mindful of. Some of these include:
- Your email should be personalized: If you’re cancelling a meeting with one person, you should start the email with their name. If not, it’s okay to simply address it to everyone.
- Your subject line should tell the full story: It is standard practice when writing an email to express as much as you can about the content of the email in the subject line. This is because most people scan their email subject lines before deciding whether or not to read them. So, if you’re sending an email to cancel an appointment, your subject line should read as such. Your recipients should know the content of the email from taking a glance.
- Cancel appointments well beforehand: Unless the reason for cancellation comes up unannounced (even if does, your email should express this), you should cancel an appointment well before the due date.
Cancelling an appointment well before the due date can give the participant time to rearrange their schedule ad fix other appointments they may have cancelled to accommodate yours. - Sincerely apologize: As said earlier, cancelling an appointment may cause great inconvenience to the other party. This why you must begin your email by apologizing for any inconvenience you may have caused by cancelling the appointment.
- State the reason for cancellation: After apologizing, the next thing to do is state the reason for cancelling the appointment. If it’s a family emergency, a health emergency or anything beyond your control, be sure to mention this briefly and apologize again in your email.
The best apology for a cancelled appointment is to immediately work towards rescheduling it.
- Suggest a new date and time for rescheduling: If you hand to cancel the appointment for reasons beyond your control and would like to continue with some other time, you should make this known in your email. Automatically working towards rescheduling the appointment is the best way to show you’re sincerely sorry about cancelling and are still interested in the appointment. Ask them when they’d like to reschedule and be willing to adjust your schedule to accommodate theirs.
- Send the email immediately: People usually sit on emails for a day before sending them (depending on the urgency). But when writing an email cancelling an appointment, you should completely disregard that practice. Your appointment cancellation email should be sent immediately you find out you’re not going to make the meeting and would be cancelling.
- Call them if they don’t acknowledge your email: Your recipient might have a really busy schedule and may not check their emails frequently. If they don’t respond to your email, chances are they missed it and still think the appointment is still on. To eliminate this possibility, call them to make sure they acknowledge the appointment has been cancelled.
How to Cancel an Appointment Sample
Dear Abel, I'm sending this email regarding our appointment scheduled for the 25th of August at 10 AM. Regrettably, I will not be able to make it to the meeting due to a family emergency. I sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. I would like to call to schedule this appointment. Looking forward to your response. Best Regards, Steven Rogers
How to Cancel an Appointment with a Doctor Sample Template
Dear Dr Jones, I'm writing this email with regards to my dental appointment which is scheduled for Saturday, June 28th at 2 PM. I'll like to cancel this appointment because of a family emergency. I'll like to reschedule sometime in the future, I will call to set a new date. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. Sincerely, Natasha Rogers
Cancel Appointment Message
Subject: Appointment Cancellation Dear [Recipient's Name], I regret to inform you that I must cancel my upcoming appointment scheduled for [Date] at [Time] for [Reason]. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and understand the importance of keeping appointments. I would like to reschedule our meeting at your earliest convenience. Please let me know your availability, and I will do my best to accommodate. Thank you for your understanding, and I appreciate your flexibility in this matter. If there are any cancellation fees or procedures I need to follow, please inform me. Once again, I apologize for any disruption this may cause and look forward to our rescheduled meeting. Sincerely, [Your Name]
Cancel an Appointment by Text Sample
Hi [Name of person you are canceling with], I am writing to cancel my appointment on [Date] at [Time]. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. [Optional: Explain the reason for canceling, if you are comfortable doing so.] I would appreciate it if you could please confirm that my appointment has been canceled. Thank you for your understanding. Best regards, [Your name]
Cancel an Appointment Politely Sample
Dear [Recipient's Name], I hope this message finds you well. I would like to extend my apologies for the inconvenience, but I must regretfully cancel our scheduled appointment for [Date and Time]. Unfortunately, unforeseen circumstances have arisen that prevent me from attending as planned. I value your time and professionalism, and I deeply appreciate your understanding in this matter. Please advise on the procedure for rescheduling, and I am eager to set a new appointment at your earliest convenience. Thank you for your understanding, and I apologize once again for any disruption this may cause. Warm regards, [Your Name]
Email Subject to Cancel an Appointment
1. "Appointment Cancellation Request" 2. "Change of Plans: Appointment Cancellation" 3. "Rescheduling Needed: Appointment Cancelled" 4. "Update: Cancellation of Upcoming Appointment" 5. "Regrettable Appointment Cancellation"
Cancel an Appointment Email Example
Dear [Name of person you are canceling with], I am writing to inform you that I need to cancel my appointment on [Date] at [Time]. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. The reason for my cancellation is that [Optional: Explain the reason for canceling, if you are comfortable doing so]. I understand that you are busy, and I appreciate your understanding. I would like to reschedule my appointment for a more convenient time, if possible. Please let me know what times and dates work best for you. Thank you for your time and consideration. Best regards, [Your name]
Cancellation Email for An Event Example
Dear [Attendee Name], I am writing to inform you that the [Event Name] scheduled for [Date] at [Time] has been canceled. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. [Optional: Explain the reason for canceling, if you are comfortable doing so.] If you have already purchased tickets, you will be issued a full refund. Please allow 7-10 business days for the refund to appear in your account. Thank you for your understanding and support. Sincerely, [Your Name]
Meeting Cancellation Message Example
Subject: Meeting Cancellation Dear [Recipient's Name], I regret to inform you that, due to unforeseen circumstances, our meeting scheduled for [Date and Time] needs to be canceled. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding. These unforeseen events have made it impossible for me to attend as planned. I value our collaboration and would like to reschedule this meeting. Please let me know your availability for the coming week, and we'll find a suitable time to reconvene. Once again, I apologize for any disruption this may cause. Your flexibility in rescheduling is greatly appreciated, and I look forward to our continued partnership. Thank you for understanding. Sincerely, [Your Name]
Conclusion
When canceling an appointment via email, some email etiquette should be followed. This article covers excuses for canceling an appointment, etiquette for writing a cancellation email, and samples.
Check out more Email Templates and Samples for Cancelling an Appointment
