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Do you have to pay your vet upfront?

S

sillyrabbit

Wise Old Thumper
Just wondered really what most vets do

I called to make an appointment and was told that the vets have changed their policy, pretty much if you can't pay your bill on the day you bring your pet in don't bring them in

I always pay mine the same day anyway just thought it might put people off bringing their pets in if they can't pay the bill right away :(
 
Our vets say you have to pay at the time, but it depends on the client. If it is somebody known to be a bad debtor or new we try and get them to pay. If it is a regular, well paying client, who is in for a series of appointments we tend to let them pay at the end. It is all dependant on how the client is.
 
I think its probably to stop people from walking off without paying their bills. My vets usually give you until the end of the month before they send a bill out. Though when i take Dillan in i will pay the bill straight away. Good to keep on top of the bills.
Helen xx
 
I pay up front and assume that's policy. However, our vets are very small and use their discretion. When we took Ruby to be PTS, and I went to pay they said "we don't have to do this now you know", which I thought was lovely and sensitive. I'm a good customer though, with a good record with them.
 
My vets let me pay it up because I'm a regular client.If someone brings in a pet that isn't a regular or if the pet isn't registered with them, they have to pay at time of treatment.
 
HS said:
I pay up front and assume that's policy. However, our vets are very small and use their discretion. When we took Ruby to be PTS, and I went to pay they said "we don't have to do this now you know", which I thought was lovely and sensitive. I'm a good customer though, with a good record with them.
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Yeah ive had that, when Harry was put to sleep I was in the line waiting to pay for about 5 minutes crying and they were just like we will send you a bill you can just go

Just thought most vets would allow you to have a bill sent out rather than pay at the counter each time, like every time I go to the doctor I just ask for them to send me a bill I never pay there on the day I have been. If your at the vets anyways you will most likely need to go to the counter to collect medication so its not like people just walk straight out the door when the vet is done

I am a regular customer too and have eleven animals registered under my name and have never not paid on the day unless its been an emergency call out where their till is shut or a put to sleep, but the lady just said I have to pay on the day if I want an appointment. Doesn't really affect me just wondered if it was normal
 
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My vets usally ask for payment up front, if your wanting to pay at a later day, its at the practice managers discretion.
I didnt pay for Piper's cremation straight away, they told me to come up another time to pay, I think thats probably to do with the fact i was hysterical after having my rabbit die in my arms!
I usally alway pay for everything up front though! Id rather pay it off and know i had a clean slate!
I think my vets will only offer to let you pay at a later date if youve been a client a while though! I think thier brill and wouldnt trust any other vet to treat my fuzzys!
 
sillyrabbit said:
Yeah ive had that, when Harry was put to sleep I was in the line waiting to pay for about 5 minutes crying and they were just like we will send you a bill you can just go

Just thought most vets would allow you to have a bill sent out rather than pay at the counter each time, like every time I go to the doctor I just ask for them to send me a bill I never pay there on the day I have been. If your at the vets anyways you will most likely need to go to the counter to collect medication so its not like people just walk straight out the door when the vet is done
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It costs vets time and money to send out a bill's so they would rather avoid it. Our vets say they will add 15% onto overdue bills to try and encourage people to pay, but they never do.
The large animal bill comes out at the end of the month anyway, so I pay my small animal bill at the same time.
Mind you, it might not be as scarey if I paid in drib and drabs, rather than a big bill all at once.:lol:
 
sillyrabbit said:
Just thought most vets would allow you to have a bill sent out rather than pay at the counter each time, like every time I go to the doctor I just ask for them to send me a bill I never pay there on the day I have been. If your at the vets anyways you will most likely need to go to the counter to collect medication so its not like people just walk straight out the door when the vet is done
Click to expand...

So if most people are at the counter anyway, surely it's most efficient if they just pay there and then while they are standing there? It will increase their costs in administration, paper, envelopes, postage, people who don't pay, or who pay late, if they do that.

I think it's normal practice for most vets to ask for payment at the time of consultation, although many will use their discretion from time to time.
 
halfpenny said:
It costs vets time and money to send out a bill's so they would rather avoid it. Our vets say they will add 15% onto overdue bills to try and encourage people to pay, but they never do.
The large animal bill comes out at the end of the month anyway, so I pay my small animal bill at the same time.
Mind you, it might not be as scarey if I paid in drib and drabs, rather than a big bill all at once.:lol:
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:lol: Yeah I can see that, was just thinking about say when we had the other cat in we thought was Hunter :oops: My mum didn't have the £60 spare to pay the vet that day to bring both the cats in to see if they were chipped and didn't get paid until the following week. I paid so it doesn't matter but if someone was told on the phone don't bring them in if you can't pay the bill that day and they don't get paid until the following week it might put them off going in :( I might have just spoken to someone who was a little rude in the way it was worded really
 
Santa said:
So if most people are at the counter anyway, surely it's most efficient if they just pay there and then while they are standing there? It will increase their costs in administration, paper, envelopes, postage, people who don't pay, or who pay late, if they do that.

I think it's normal practice for most vets to ask for payment at the time of consultation, although many will use their discretion from time to time.
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Yes but not everyone can if its an unexpected trip and don't have the money available at a short notice. Fair enough if people just don't pay, but if someone says please could you send me a bill I will have the money Friday is what I was thinking

I just thought it was normal to not have to pay right away if you request a bill, looks like I was wrong :oops: :lol:
 
If people say they don't have the money, the vet is still obliged to treat if it is an emergency, not at any other time though. If somebody says they don't have the money, what are we (receptionists) going to do, we can't come round the counter and frisk you.:lol:
On the whole most people are honest, up here anyway, so you just hope they will come back and pay, and most do.:D
 
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I always pay straight away at my vets, except when they PTS. However I know if the bill is over £100 they do offer a payment plan but I have never bothered with it :)
 
We normally pay upfront too, although when i was presented with that unexpected bill yesterday she did say i could pay in installments :D
 
:lol: I think its just the way it was worded to me on the phone because she was very rude really with her tone and the way she said it :shock: She kind of went 'If you don't intend to pay your bill on the day DO NOT make the appointment' and I said thats ok I pay when I am there and she went 'yes well our policy now is that everyone pays upfront so do not ask to pay at a later date...' I felt like I had been told off when I hung up the phone :oops: I was only trying to make an appointment :lol:
 
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