Most hourly/session based rehearsal spaces have a policy when cancelling a booked session. Music studio cancellations may differ from space to space, but many offer a full refund or credit for rebooking. On the rare occasion when cancelling at short notice it can bring insecurity to the business. Let's dig a little deeper...
Paying upfront and deposits
The payment requirements should be made known at the time of booking, whether online or by phone. For example, some spaces allow payment when attending the rehearsal session but others have introduced full or a deposit payment at the time of booking.
This managed policy has likely come about due to 'no shows'.
Empty rooms
Those running spaces spend many hours creating an attractive space for musicians to rehearse their music. A music space can be a local gathering point where information between other musicians using the space can be shared, such as gig opportunities or musicians looking to join a band, etc. Some spaces offer music tuition, repairs and hires. They are often part of the fabric of a local music scene.
Often a space is reliant on income from practice room bookings. This income enables the small business to respond to the needs of the local music community. Like any good business, it looks to offer value for money by maintaining good quality equipment, a clean room and paying staff to accompany your session. Reduced income caused by unpaid cancellations could jeopardise the introduction of new services, such as equipment to make a live recording, a video studio or even a live venue.
Affecting business
Chicago's Mystery Street Recording neatly describes its operation on its website: "Many spaces operate as a small, boutique studio, with only a small number of practice rooms available. Changes to our schedule have a big impact on the day-to-day operations. As a personalised appointment based business, staff are often scheduled to attend specifically for a session."
A late cancellation can result in an empty room. The music space may have already refused a booking from another user. Paulshalls Studios in Glasgow has said: "Short notice cancellations cannot be sustained after the losses [due to covid lockdown] over the last two years."
In short, empty rooms from late cancellations and no shows affect business.
Legal considerations
A room user's rights when cancelling depend on the space's terms and conditions and the reason for cancelling. A cancellation can be made any time before the session starts, but a fee may be charged if it is at short notice.
The cancellation fee should be clearly stated in the space's published terms and conditions. The fee is likely to be higher the closer to the session date/time.
The space should only charge the amount it will lose. It should also try to sell the session to someone else. If you are the booker, it might be cheaper to find someone else to fill the session rather than cancelling.
Force Majeure clause
This clause in a music studio contract removes liability for natural and unavoidable events preventing participants from fulfilling obligations. London's Mill Hill Music Complex has a force majeure policy clause where for example when a snow storm disrupts traffic it will waive charges. However, if it is simply because a band cannot organise their affairs, then the space charges a fee.
The events listed in the clause may be specific or general but can be factual (eg. sudden death in the family) or legal (eg. statutory restrictions imposed in light of the pandemic). The booker must show the cancellation is beyond their control and that they do not assume responsibility in having to cancel.
The force majeure clause may simply require the parties to find alternative arrangements that are fair, reasonable and practicable.
Cancelling a session at short notice
Obviously it is advisable to cancel a session as far in advance as possible to avoid having to pay a cancellation fee. When explaining the reason for cancelling it would be a good opportunity to re-arrange another time for the rehearsal session, possibly carrying over any payment.
The music space should generally only charge an amount enough to cover its losses as a result of the session being cancelled at short notice. This could include costs already paid or loss of profit. Some spaces may offer a credit note instead of a refund. The booker does not have to accept a credit note and can insist on a refund. Bookers should ensure however they are familiar with a space's cancellation policy.
Filling a cancellation
The sooner the space has notice of a cancellation, the better the chance it can fill the room. Paisley's Brick Lane Studios' cancellation policy reads: "We are aware that emergencies happen, however.... it is extremely difficult for us to fill the slot again."
A music space is unlikely to fill a cancelled session with another band at short notice. Richard Kibbey at Oxfordshire's Green Room Studios said: "It takes time to try and refill a booking. By the time you contact the bands you have turned away, they have usually found another studio." Some spaces offer last minute slots, sometimes at a discount. Indeed, London's Bush Studios' operates a cancellation waiting list for its rooms.
One space has attempted to mitigate losses due to late cancellations. John at Soundarc Studios in Bedfordshire, in a social media post, said: "Due to rehearsals being booked up a few weeks in advance, this is unfortunately leaving some bands unable to sample the delights of Shefford. So let us know if you’d like to be informed of any availability if it does pop up... and I’ll send over any newly available slots for the coming weeks/month as they happen."
Using social media to advertise any short notice availability is perhaps a good way to demonstrate a space has attempted to fill the slot.
Sharing your cancellation policy
Most spaces' publish their booking terms and conditions, either in a FAQs section on their website or within their online booking page. For example, The Rooms Rehearsal Studios maintains a simple cancellation policy:
More than 48 hours notice - no charge
24-48 hours notice - a half fee is payable
Less than 24 hours notice/no show - the full session fee is payable
Farm Factory Studios in Hertfordshire also clearly sets out its booking terms on its website: "By booking a rehearsal or recording session at Farm Factory Studios you are entering into a contract by which you are agreeing unconditionally on behalf of the band/artist to abide by the studio's terms and conditions..."
Cancellation policy and fees
How did a music space arrive at this policy? London's Engine Rooms' website states: "We don't like to charge people for rehearsal sessions they haven't used. However, in order to sustain the studios and ensure musicians can make the most of our facilities, we operate [a] cancellation policy."
A cancellation fee may be charged rather than the price of the rehearsal session. Labyrinth Studios states on its website: "In the event of cancellations, the deposit paid will be taken as a cancellation fee. This is to cover any potential losses we may incur due to not being able to cover the cancelled dates with other client bookings."
The cancellation fee is the cost of keeping the music practice room running. Roger Tichborne at London's Mill Hill Music Complex said: "We had to bring this policy in as customers were booking studios and simply not turning up. Like most studios, we run on a very tight budget. If customers do not turn up, then this means we are not covering staffing, rent, rates and other costs."
The policy should clearly state if there is a fee, for example no refund, full or partial refund or if another booking can be offered. Rewind Rehearsal Rooms in Leicestershire operates a policy where a user cancelling ‘on the day’ is charged the full booking fee.
Cancellation period
The fee amount usually depends on how much time is given in advance of cancelling the session. This period is counted from the time the user notifies the music space and the session start time. London's Bush Studios' cancellation policy states: "When you are cancelling you must ensure you speak to a member of staff and obtain a cancellation number. We do not accept cancellations over the answer phone or by email. Your cancellation number is a record of the phone call and your proof that the cancellation was made, so keep it safe."
Those customers who cancel outside the hours listed in the late cancellation policy are usually not charged. But depending on the cancellation policy, any period between 24-120 hours (1-5 days) in advance is counted as a late cancellation and usually a pre-paid booking is non-refundable. Below are eight examples from different spaces' cancellation policy notice times and the fees charged:
Space name | Location | Session cancelled within | Cancellation fee charged |
Glasgow, Scotland | 4 days | Full | |
Peterborough, UK | 1 day | Full | |
London, UK | 3 - 5 days 2 days | 50% credit No credit | |
Rivington Music Rehearsal Studios | New York, USA | More than 2 days Less than 2 days | Full credit No credit |
Guildford, UK | More than 24 hrs Less than 24 hrs | None Full | |
London, UK | Less than 72 hrs | Full | |
London, UK | Less than 48 hrs Less than 24 hrs | 50% fee Full | |
Hinckley, UK | More than 24 hrs Less than 24 hrs | None Full |
Comparative hire
Rising energy and utility prices have forced some spaces to increase their session rates. Despite this, a band rehearsal can still work out, per band member, a cheap night out. You may find the back room of a pub or bar for free, but you will not have access to all the gear and other services offered by a music space. Many spaces have rooms designed to prepare performers for a live gig or at least encourage them to think about presenting themselves professionally.
Generally the cancellation period for a music rehearsal space is more favourable compared to a general storage facility. For example, Big Yellow Storage, the UK-wide general storage facility, has a longer cancellation period. Its website states "...we require 7 days written notice to move out of a storage room..."
Lockout or sub-let
Some spaces offer monthly sub-let rooms or lockouts to secure a regular income such as Manchester's Brunswick Mill Studios or Main Street Studios near Glasgow. If more session-based spaces went this way, it may limit the availability of practice rooms. Many spaces offer a mix of permanent and hourly/session rooms. London's Resident Studios require bookings that last 8 hours or more a full 5 days notice to avoid incurring the full fee.
Discretion
Hourly or session practice spaces offer a range of services to help and support musicians on their way to gigging and recording. Those who run spaces aim to offer a warm welcome to users and to foster a positive and respectful culture. Oftentimes, those running spaces are musicians themselves so have a good understanding of what is needed for a productive rehearsal session.
It can be difficult striking a balance between requiring bands to pay for a cancellation and encouraging them to return. Perhaps those managing a space may consider a little discretion due to unavoidable circumstances beyond the bookers control, for example a death in the family, serious accident, etc.
A discretion clause may even be included in the space's (force majeure) cancellation policy. The Riff Factory in Stoke-on-Trent states on its website an unattended rehearsal will be treated as a cancellation... [but] a cancellation fee may be waived at the manager's discretion. Whenever possible, it is perhaps best for a space to re-arrange a session as a one-off goodwill gesture to maintain a positive relationship.
Sanctions
To discourage late cancellations some spaces operate a sanction. For example, So Called Studios in Birmingham posted on its Facebook page: "We know sometimes things go wrong that cannot be helped. However, if you cancel on the same day, your band will be given a yellow card. If your band has been given a yellow card, you will be required to pay upfront for your next rehearsal. If it happens again after this and you get a second yellow card, you will need to pay upfront for each rehearsal after this."
In March 2022 Rewind Rehearsal Rooms reported an "altercation which ended with banning someone who didn’t agree with this [the terms of its cancellation policy] and became abusive." Rewind Rehearsal Rooms prides itself on operating a safe space where abuse to anyone while they are on the premises will not be tolerated.
The UK's Association of Independent Rehearsal & Recording Studios has operated a naming and shaming system. The names of musicians/bands that flout the rules of a space or are abusive to staff are circulated amongst the association's members. As a band you do not want to get a bad reputation.
Conclusion
Many musicians are serious about their music-making. They often block-book sessions to get in to the habit of attending regular rehearsals which is both good for the musician and the music space. So long as a music studio's cancellation policy is fair, consistent and reasonable, and everybody knows its terms, you can't go wrong.
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