Hi Clive,
I know what you mean, I've been getting a few cancellations lately, especially on a Saturday. I didn't used to work weekends when I first started working for myself 8 years ago but so many people can't make it in the week so I started doing Saturday mornings. That makes Saturdays quite precious and they get booked up quite a few weeks in advance. The other week I had a job booked in for Saturday and it had been booked in for a few weeks, on the Friday night about 9.30 the guy rings to cancel!! Grrrrrrrrr!
Also, a while ago now I was on my way to do a job that was about half an hour away and the guy rings me to tell me not to bother as he and a mate had now fixed it! I wouldn't mind so much if I hadn't already loaded the van but I was nearly there! so I sent him a bill for a £40 call-out charge. He phoned me a couple of days later to ask what the bill was for and I explained that as he hadn't cancelled a reasonable time before I was entitled to charge him a call-out. He replied "I'll pay your petrol money!" "That's very good of you, and what about my time!" was my reaction. Some you just have to smile at and when you can make a little more on some jobs it partly makes up for all the ones that don't pay very well.
Regards,
Derek