I paid a deposit for a private operation on a specific date provided by me to the company.
The company then changed the hospital as they could not guarantee the new hospital being open, they then changed the date and again the hospital.
Just before Christmas I received an email informing me that all dates in January (including mine) were now fully booked and they would inform me of the next available date as soon as possible.
To me this is out of order, I paid my deposit in good faith for a date that suited me, I have to book travel and kennels and hotels etc, they seem unwilling to see that the fault is theirs!
I sent them an email on 22 December expressing my unhappiness at all that had gone on, but have not had a reply, I have decided to give them until the end of this week as they are stating it is the surgeon that is holding up proceedings due to his availability.
If they do not respond to me by then I would like to send them an email expressing that under so and so this is a breach of contract?
I would say they have given you enough notice of the cancellation and a reason. Also you say that 'you have to book' other services so you are not out of pocket yet. Have you checked and terms and conditions. I would rearrange as it is a medical procedure after all.
It's not like booking a car in for repair, medical procedures are subject to delay and change private or NHS, they have to allow for emergencies and the staff being available. Even in the private sector they have to allow for delays due to emergencies. The surgeon almost certainly works mainly for the HNS and that has to take priority over his private work.
The surgeons NHS work load will be very heavy at this time of year.
NHS work takes priority over his private cases, the NHS is his living, private work is 'the icing on the cake' so to speak.