It doesn't happen often, but occasionally I get some that arrive early and I will see if ready. Although I notice some of them seem to arrive early e.g 11:50 and see it as free time, as they still stay for the full booking. E g 12 - 1pm.

Anyone else get this? I should make a point of keeping to the booked time.

Other appointments in life, you don't usually get seen any earlier just because you arrive early.

Ten minutes before and I just don't answer the phone; I had so much trouble with them turning up early I put on my ads now that if they're here (and trying to contact me) fifteen minutes or more before their booking time they'll be cancelled. I still get the odd one, but nowhere near as bad as before.

What I did used to do if they were in the flat early (and I would let them up rather than have them hovering about outside my building) is make sure I said something bright and cheery about it suiting me to get finished a bit earlier as I needed to nip out for something/have lunch or whatever. That way they're aware the time has started and that one hour means one hour.

I was once told years ago by a punter who turned up ten minutes early that he always did this and more often than not got to stay until his original booking ended, so he got a free hour for every sixth time. He was out on the dot.

I always text them “start early finish early” so they know they will be sent packing after the hour. Just be firm on them going when they have had the allotted time.

I had one arrive 35 mins early the other day, he rang and said I'm parked can I have the house number.

I laughed and said my dear you are a whole booking early, I said I would be ready if you were a few mins not 35 mins

I then told him to sit in his car and chill while I got organised and I would call him when ready.

I let him in 15 mins early, made sure he understood that he was still only getting his planned 45 min booking and he was out a bit before time as he was done, that was his choice.

5 to 10 mins I don't mind as long as they are aware they may have to wait a couple of mins, it's the ones like above who are a pain.

I get this very often, sometimes as much as 40 minutes early and I have zero tolerance. I always text back and tell them I'm not ready as wasn't expecting them til X and that when I am ready I'll send them my room number and directions to get to it. I hate being made to rush, they won't get the best from me if they do.

Occasionally it actually suits me to see them a bit earlier than the booking was due to start. If I do have them in earlier I'll point out what the time is and say something like "It's X time now so that brings us round to...(30mins / 1 hour etc from that time) ok?"
It sounds a bit more harsh the way I've written it than it is when I say it!

I once had one turn up a full three hours early, so basically he's got into town before he expected and just decided he'd come then instead. I think he'd booked for 5.30pm and called at 2.30 with 'I'm here now'.

He also rang to tell me this from a phone box several streets away so he wasn't 'here' (I was getting ready for another booking) and when I asked him what he thought he was doing he honestly couldn't understand why he couldn't just turn up when he wanted.

Apparently the phone box was because he didn't want me to have his phone number, which I reminded him I already had from when he booked the day before. I hung up and blocked him for the sake of my sanity 

The occasional early arriver is welcomed if I am all ready and prepared but I'm only talking five or ten minutes. This is only if they phone to tell me they're early!  The few over the years who just ring my doorbell too early without phoning first (returnees who knows my door number) are told via the intercom to come back in ten or whatever. Am lucky that my accommodation arrangement doesn't pose any awkwardness regarding men hovering at the door or outside my building.  Those being let in early get their booked and paid for time with perhaps a few minutes over. I don't do back to back so am fine to give a few extra minutes at the end just chatting. It's often ME who keeps them talking 🫢

Anything more than 10mins early and I tell them to go wait at a shop nearby until the agreed upon time. This is mainly to stop them from drawing any unwanted attention from neighbours if they're sat loitering in their car, or on the odd occasion they arrive 30+ mins early to stop them crossing paths with another client on their way out.

I've had a few clients manage to be both early and late for the same booking, I send them off somewhere a 3min drive away with instructions to come back at the time they booked and some just don't? Or come back 10mins late with an attitude but their session ends at the agreed upon time if they're late and when they've had the time paid for if they're early (Heads, I win! Tails, they lose!)

The worst for me is when they get a taxi and don't pre-warn me. Obviously taxis are a law unto themselves in terms of timing and if they're early they can't wait in the car. There's nowhere sheltered and out of the way for them to chill til the appointment time so I always suggest a nearby bus stop for those coming by public transport if the timings don't line up. It's very rare that they communicate this kind of info to me though