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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think this surely isn’t entirely my fault….

34 replies

sunrise16 · 17/10/2025 14:46

Ok hard hat on and will expect a flaming…to be told I’m a total idiot etc. Which I know! But I am totally in shock about this.
At the start of this year I signed up to a (local business, not a chain) beauty salon offer to pay a subscription every month - as part of that you got money off treatments and monthly facials as well as gifts a couple of times a year.
I went a couple of times and both times there was a bit of confusion with the system - finding me on there etc, and the last time (March!) the girl working there said she couldn’t find the subscription at all and wasn’t sure it existed. I asked them to call me to sort then to be honest it entirely went out of my head (unwell parent and usual busy life with three children etc….)
Fast forward to today and I went in there for another treatment. When I went outside to pay the woman said - ah you actually have this subscription already. I checked my account and they’ve been taking the money out every month - it came up as something else on the statement and I thought it was something to do with my DH. (Yes I know I’m an idiot, yes I know I should have checked sooner.)
I said to the woman - I’ve now missed seven months of these - did you never think to call to ask if I still wanted the subscription/to book in etc? This is a small local salon with maybe three rooms so I wouldn’t imagine they have unmanageable numbers of clients?
She said ‘oh we tried to call a couple of weeks ago but there was no answer…and it’s our policy not to give any refunds/credit etc’.
She’s not the manager and the manager’s not back in til next week - I appreciate I’m at fault for not realising this money was going out but do I have a leg to stand on with regards to them keeping it all?! At the very least it seems incredibly dishonest on their part and not a very sensible idea for a local business that relies on goodwill?

OP posts:
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Original poster
sunrise16 · 22/10/2025 22:40

Just to update in case anyone else finds this - I had a very civil conversation with the owner and she’s agreed to credit the full sum. Very much appreciated but also she admitted it wasn’t entirely my fault.

OP posts:
purpleme12 · 17/10/2025 20:29

I actually don't think they're being unreasonable here

I think this is your responsibility here

purpleme12 · 17/10/2025 20:29

I actually don't think they're being unreasonable here

I think this is your responsibility here

Rumpledandcrumpled · 17/10/2025 20:27

Blueberry911 · 17/10/2025 18:44

the girl working there said she couldn’t find the subscription at all and wasn’t sure it existed

Is what I read in the OP

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Yes. Which does not mean the definitive you have no subscription. Being unsure one exists means she is unsure if one exists. It may, it may not, she can’t find it, if she said there was no subscription different words would have been used. Ie she was sure one didn’t exist.

it is basic language,

Changingplace · 17/10/2025 18:59

Faceonthewrongfoot · 17/10/2025 15:50

But they told her they couldn't find her subscription and didn't think it was active the last time she went in, so what would she have been cancelling? OP's error is in not noticing that they were in fact taking the monthly subscription despite telling her she didn't have one.

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If I was told by a company I didn’t have a subscription when I knew I’d set it up I’d make more effort to work out whether it was set up on my account, you can easily search payments by value, even with a different name it wouldn’t take too much time or effort to figure out.

Blueberry911 · 17/10/2025 18:44

Rumpledandcrumpled · 17/10/2025 18:04

But she didn’t say that, and the op never said the woman said that.

Show quote history

the girl working there said she couldn’t find the subscription at all and wasn’t sure it existed

Is what I read in the OP

DiscoBob · 17/10/2025 18:07

There is no subscription service that I can think of that would encourage you to use it. To renew it sure, but it's in their interests if you don't actually use what you've paid for up front.

Did you try to cancel at any point prior to the seven months? As you were acting as if you thought the subscription had stopped. It wouldn't have unless you told them surely.

Anyway it is sadly fully your fault. As a goodwill gesture they could chuck in something to try and encourage you to stay I guess.

If it's any consolation I booked a block of sunbeds sessions and then didn't go back, it's now been three years and I've wasted about £60. Not even because I forgot, just cba to walk there!

Rumpledandcrumpled · 17/10/2025 18:04

Blueberry911 · 17/10/2025 17:56

I'd only say you have a small leg to stand on because the receptionist told you you weren't a member in March, but even then this is a bit of a stretch.

But she didn’t say that, and the op never said the woman said that.

Rumpledandcrumpled · 17/10/2025 18:03

Livelaughlurgy · 17/10/2025 17:43

The gym analogy is only comparable if you go in March and they tell you that you're not a member and then you're shocked 7 months later to realise you in fact are a member.

But they didn’t say she wasn’t a member, she said the woman wasn’t sure and fheir tills were down, likely part of the issue. But not sure does not mean you’re not a member,

Blueberry911 · 17/10/2025 17:56

I'd only say you have a small leg to stand on because the receptionist told you you weren't a member in March, but even then this is a bit of a stretch.

Livelaughlurgy · 17/10/2025 17:43

The gym analogy is only comparable if you go in March and they tell you that you're not a member and then you're shocked 7 months later to realise you in fact are a member.

Rumpledandcrumpled · 17/10/2025 17:34

sunrise16 · 17/10/2025 16:10

thank you for all the messages - especially the nice ones! (I already know I’m an idiot, don’t worry…!)
I’m not expecting a refund and I understand that subscriptions make more money if people don’t use them. I think this one feels worse as the salon pride themselves on offering such a local service etc - I’d guess there’s likely only around 20 people in total who do this so not a huge amount of admin for them to notice a regular customer hasn’t used it for eight months.
They obviously did clock it as they apparently tried to call me a couple of weeks ago (why wouldn’t they have left a message if that were the case?!)
I will as a PP suggested very sensibly come at this very politely and ask them to make an offer of what they think might be fair which I would hope would be some free treatments. Not sure how many….!

I’m sorry I think getting nothing is fair. You only have you to look at one subscription, your own. but are criticising them for having 20 and not rushing after you to get you to use it. How you even came up with 20 is unknown.

the bottom line is you paid a subscription and then didn’t use it. Which is on you not them.

SummerInSun · 17/10/2025 16:58

I think the gym analogy is a good one - gyms only stay in business because far more people sign up than ever go!

Original poster
sunrise16 · 17/10/2025 16:11

Re the treatment in March I paid in cash as their tills were down….so I don’t have a record unhelpfully! They should have a record but not sure how likely they are to be honest about it!

OP posts:
Original poster
sunrise16 · 17/10/2025 16:10

thank you for all the messages - especially the nice ones! (I already know I’m an idiot, don’t worry…!)
I’m not expecting a refund and I understand that subscriptions make more money if people don’t use them. I think this one feels worse as the salon pride themselves on offering such a local service etc - I’d guess there’s likely only around 20 people in total who do this so not a huge amount of admin for them to notice a regular customer hasn’t used it for eight months.
They obviously did clock it as they apparently tried to call me a couple of weeks ago (why wouldn’t they have left a message if that were the case?!)
I will as a PP suggested very sensibly come at this very politely and ask them to make an offer of what they think might be fair which I would hope would be some free treatments. Not sure how many….!

OP posts:
arethereanyleftatall · 17/10/2025 16:04

I’m sorry op, but this has to be entirely on you. You cannot expect a small business paying an admin person to spend time getting paid less by a customer. It’s not in their interest.
tou might have a small window of chance given the march instead. Did you pay twice for that?

BobLemon · 17/10/2025 16:03

This is how the subscription business model works. You’re totally daft to ask for money back. Maybe you could ask to squeeze in an extra facial or two.

tragichero · 17/10/2025 16:00

Also, have they given you the free gifts? How is that supposed to work - do they send them to you or are you meant to pop in to collect them?

You can surely at least claim the gifts you've missed......

FionnulaTheCooler · 17/10/2025 15:59

Faceonthewrongfoot · 17/10/2025 15:50

But they told her they couldn't find her subscription and didn't think it was active the last time she went in, so what would she have been cancelling? OP's error is in not noticing that they were in fact taking the monthly subscription despite telling her she didn't have one.

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She must have known she set up a direct debit and then didn't cancel it though?

tragichero · 17/10/2025 15:58

DaisyChain505 · 17/10/2025 15:45

This is on you OP, no one else.

I don't understand why everyone thinks this when they told her she didn't have the subscription! Just a shame she doesn't have that in writing .... But she could perhaps prove from her bank statements that on that occasion she had to pay for a treatment that should have been free?

tragichero · 17/10/2025 15:56

It's not her fault, as last time she tried to use the subscription they told her it didn't exist! And I assume made her pay for her treatment!

So they are in the wrong, yes. They need to apologise to you, refund you for that former incident, and in my opinion at least come to some arrangement with you regarding the month's you have paid for and not used, because they had told you you didn't have the subscription..... I doubt they will refund it, but maybe give you some extra free months?

Faceonthewrongfoot · 17/10/2025 15:50

FionnulaTheCooler · 17/10/2025 15:22

YABU. You signed up for the subscription, presumably you never told them to cancel it as you haven't mentioned doing so. It's your responsibility to book in your appointments, not theirs.

But they told her they couldn't find her subscription and didn't think it was active the last time she went in, so what would she have been cancelling? OP's error is in not noticing that they were in fact taking the monthly subscription despite telling her she didn't have one.

DaisyChain505 · 17/10/2025 15:45

This is on you OP, no one else.

ScaryM0nster · 17/10/2025 15:35

I think you’ve probably got grounds for a ‘can we come to a sensible agreement’ given you were told by a staff member you didn’t have it, and that the billing details don’t reflect the salon name. So as far as you were aware, you didn’t have one. And they kept taking your money.

A sensible way forward could be to pause the charges for the number of months you missed, while giving you access to the scheme, then resume paying.

BlueMum16 · 17/10/2025 15:34

This is why it's a subscription, they are hoping people don't use it.