Unhappy with haircut

ProjectColossus

Hi just looking for some general advice here, and I should point out that this did not happen in Ireland, but in Sydney Australia. Still I think any advice should apply the same.

So, my other half has returned from a hair salon and is upset as she was charged $150 (which is about €110 at the moment), and is unsatisfactory for a number of reasons.

First of all, she specifically asked at the start how much for x,y,z and was told $35. She says that it is possible that she misunderstood somehow and did not clarify "Oh, $35 OK". The person who cut her hair was asian with broken english, so the possibility of mishearing the price is real, but unlikely I think.

Secondly, there are several problems with the cut itself. OH wanted highlights, originally mentioning that it should be a close enough match to her current colour, ie nothing too striking. The woman cutting her hair simply picked a colour and put it in without asking or offering a selection of colours to choose from which seems unusual to me. When she expressed confusion and asked for a lighter colour, she was pretty much told too late it's in now.

OHs hair was cut dry rather (is this required for highlights?) than being washed first, and was asked did she want it cut "straight accross" at the back (she has long hair) which she agreed to as that is what she usually gets. The ends of her hair do not appear to have been cut at all, and it is certainly not straight accross at the back.

OH is also unhappy with the layers that have been cut, she says she was not really given an opportunity to discuss what she wanted, and that it looks like a pretty unprofessional effort that she could have done herself at home. It was a very half hearted cutting effort, and little time was spent doing it.

When it came time to pay the bill, my OH unfortunately was feeling pressured and panicked and paid up which is likely our biggest problem. She is very non confrontational, and did not want to make things worse with complaints after she had tried to complain about the highlights.

All in all, the cut is not great and not worth the money paid for it. It would be fine for the price that was originally quoted. It certainly doesn't look bad, as in, it doesn't need to be fixed asap, but it looks almost exactly the same as when she went in, and will have to be cut again soon, properly.

I don't need to be told "your OH should have spoken up when...", I realise that

So, my question is this: Would there be anything to gain, now, after the event, to write a letter of complaint to the manager of this salon? Or to go back in and challange them? Should we request a refund? Since there no proof of the original $35 quote, I think they could easily just say "no that never happened", as well as the fact that there is a remote possibility that my OH got it wrong.

As it happens, I have a couple of photos I took 2 days previously which may help show that the hair has barely been touched, not $150 worth of styling and cutting at least.

Or, do we simply chalk this up to a learning experience? Do not hand over laser card, say "wtf this is not right" when it comes time to pay. The salon is in a fairly busy shopping center, what would have happened if she just walked out? Should she have just done that?

Advice appreciated.

Nody

How do you prove what your wife asked for when she got the haircut? You'll end up with word against word including color, that she did not request more cuts etc.

In short I'd simply cut my losses and find a better place.

Bicycle

I'm going to comment with the proviso that I'm not even an amateur in consumer affairs let alone an expert. Nor am I an expert in things hair.

But I do have highlights and get them done every few months or so.

I have short hair, at the moment its roughly half way down my neck. A cut and colour costs €100 - €105 in a Limerick City salon (so I'm sure Sydney would be far more expensive).

When I started going to my current stylist (after many, many years of unhappiness with others), I was asked what colour I would like and we had a chat. I'm fairly laid back about hair because I know it always grows out so if something isn't quite right - well all you have to do is wait a few weeks.

If I do a lot of swimming or sit out in the sun, my hair colour will change because of the sun or the chemicals, so I know not to get too precious about the colour. I know that when I go back that I can always get the colour that bit darker (as I did last time, following a sun holiday).

Your girlfriend should have known that €35 was far too little for cut and highlights. To be honest, €35 would be good even for a cut on its own.

If I saw a place advertising €35 for cut and highlights, I'd discretely avoid.

Its probably a bit late now, but I'd only ever go to a hair salon on a personal recommendation. I found my current stylist because I followed the lady cutting my children's hair to her new salon and spent an afternoon watching another stylist - my current stylist - cutting and colouring hair while my kids were being done, before I approached her to do my hair.

keithclancy

Bicycle wrote: »

I'm going to comment with the proviso that I'm not even an amateur in consumer affairs let alone an expert. Nor am I an expert in things hair.

But I do have highlights and get them done every few months or so.

I have short hair, at the moment its roughly half way down my neck. A cut and colour costs €100 - €105 in a Limerick City salon (so I'm sure Sydney would be far more expensive).

When I started going to my current stylist (after many, many years of unhappiness with others), I was asked what colour I would like and we had a chat. I'm fairly laid back about hair because I know it always grows out so if something isn't quite right - well all you have to do is wait a few weeks.

If I do a lot of swimming or sit out in the sun, my hair colour will change because of the sun or the chemicals, so I know not to get too precious about the colour. I know that when I go back that I can always get the colour that bit darker (as I did last time, following a sun holiday).

Your girlfriend should have known that €35 was far too little for cut and highlights. To be honest, €35 would be good even for a cut on its own.

If I saw a place advertising €35 for cut and highlights, I'd discretely avoid.

Its probably a bit late now, but I'd only ever go to a hair salon on a personal recommendation. I found my current stylist because I followed the lady cutting my children's hair to her new salon and spent an afternoon watching another stylist - my current stylist - cutting and colouring hair while my kids were being done, before I approached her to do my hair.

Cut, wash, colour and blowdry cost my OH 70 euros in the Hague in the Netherlands at a reputable salon (endorsed by L'Oréal)

The most shocking thing here is the salon didnt even wash her hair and cut it dry. I'm a bloke and even I know a dry cut is rubbish, on top of that a wash is necessary for women as they would usually have products in their hair, they need to be removed before hand.

In terms of rights I think you would have to go through more hassle than its worth.

1. I'd talk to the manager and list everything you've listed here, i'd be looking for all of my money back as that really is an unsatisfactory job.

2. If you get nowhere with the manager, then post online a bad review of the place stating the full story and tell every single person you know not to visit the salon.

dh0661

ProjectColossus wrote: »

I don't need to be told "your OH should have spoken up when...", I realise that

OP - I think your OH definitely need to be more assertive. I find it incredulous that she would accept this treatment, let alone pay for it.

MrsA

Was the cut done before or after the highlights? Highlights go in on dry hair and are rinsed out and the hair is then washed, so I don't get that bit at all.

Jev/N

I'm nearly sure that quotes are unenforceable in consumer law, unless accompanied by a deposit and some sort of written evidence (which is obviously not applicable in this case).

Quality is a different issue though

ProjectColossus

Thanks for the replies.

I think at this stage, it's just going to be an expensive lesson to learn and left at that. While accepting the cut and paying up in the first place was a mistake on our part, it's clear that the cut shoddy work at best.

I think things might have been different had I been there personally and able to challenge the hair dresser myself at the time, but debating it after the event is unlikely to be successfull. OH reckons the person who delt with her was likely the manager or person in charge and given her general attitude would simply say "you should have said something, tough luck" which is unfortunately true.

Live and learn.

Thanks.

dh0661

ProjectColossus wrote: »

I think things might have been different had I been there personally and able to challenge the hair dresser myself at the time, but debating it after the event is unlikely to be successfull.

OP - I'm a little confused here, I thought you told us it was your OH who had a problem with the hairdresser.
From the reply above I presume you meant child ?.

ProjectColossus

dh0661 wrote: »

OP - I'm a little confused here, I thought you told us it was your OH who had a problem with the hairdresser.
From the reply above I presume you meant child ?.

You presume wrong, and I did say OH. I meant that since she is so non confrontational, I might have been better able to deal with things had I been say, collecting her afterwards or something. I wouldn't have had a problem getting into an argument about it, or maybe she would have if I was there for moral support. It doesn't matter.