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Original poster

Help! DD getting sued for £1Million for rubbish hair do!

133 replies

dolldaggabuzzbuzz · 30/07/2011 20:48

Eldest DD has just phoned from her bf's house in floods of tears. She recently qualified as a hairdresser and had just started her first job as a 'self employed hairstylist' last Monday. She should have received her first wages today. She won't be receiving anything this week. She has done a perm today on a lady who insisted on having it done despite DD advising her that her hair was not in good enough condition and the end result would not be good. DD should not have gone ahead but she did and the result was worse than she had expected. The lady's hair broke and had to be cut an inch short. The lady is going to sue DD. I have tried to reassure devastated DD over the phone. What should she do now?

OP posts:

midori1999 · 31/07/2011 18:34

Tbh, you don't seem very sorry considering this client ended up having to have her hair cut an inch long all over.

There is one person at fault here, and that is you chocolatebananas. You were the supposed professional here and if you didn't deem the client's hair in good enough condition to perm, you shouldn't have done so. Also, why just leave the perm lotion on for 15 mins? Did you not check it prior to that? It's perfectly possible a perm on porous/damaged hair would take well before the suggested processing time.

If you want a career in hairdressing you do need to learn to say no to clients. You also need to learn that clients will actually lie about what they have already had done to their hair in order to get you to do something and you need to know how to deal with that effectively. Probably the best way for a newly qualified hairdresser who has trained at college to start in the industry is to get an apprenticeship/job at a salon where you can gain the NVQ level 3 qualification 'in house' and proper experience with clients on a day to day basis in the 'real world' and they should also be happy to keep you one once you have finished that and even pay for further training for you.

youarekidding · 31/07/2011 18:36

I've only read first page so apologies if I repeat anything.

Have you tried posting this in legal? Someone should be able to give you advice on the law regarding how you DD is employed/self employed.

I would be surprised if someone could sue a hairdresser because their hair didn't accept a perm due to it's condition if their are witnesses who can prove she was advised against it?

Could you ask a solicitor to look at her work contract? You may find one willing to do a free consultation?

prettyfly1 · 31/07/2011 18:37

Midori totally agree with you but was thinking about this whilst doing the kids tea and the one thing I will say, is that as a seventeen/eighteen year old girl I would have found it very difficult indeed to stand up to a very assertive older women and I made rubbish judgement calls through sheer inexperience - I think her salon really needs to accept some responsibility for leaving her unsupervised so early in her career to be honest. Not a good bet and op if you can,try and find a salon that does what midori suggests - your career will be far better in the long run for it.

BlimminEck · 31/07/2011 18:42

there is a forum called UK Business that deals with legal issues of this type

do a post on there and see what they say - there are a few employment solicitors on there

www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=57

midori1999 · 31/07/2011 18:42

prettyfly1, yes you are right and perhaps I was a bit harsh, I do think the salon need to accept some responsibility and were clearly taking advantage in the first place.

LineRunner · 31/07/2011 18:43

I think you've all given great advice against barkingly mad odds.

amothersplaceisinthewrong · 31/07/2011 18:46

How can she be self employed and receiving wages from the salon? WOn't the salon's PI insurance cover this disaster?

LineRunner · 31/07/2011 18:47

Who knows? Apparently the mother got that wrong.

I'm still laughing at the million quid.

TheMagnificentBathykolpian · 31/07/2011 19:05

It will be that the salon carries liability insurance to a million pounds. which is the minimum small businesses must carry, I believe.

LineRunner · 31/07/2011 19:08

Precisely. My home insurance comes with up to £1m for personal liability. It doesn't mean that I have to pay it out to everyone who gives me a wounded grimace.

The 'friend who is a solicitor' is bollocks.

TheMagnificentBathykolpian · 31/07/2011 19:11

Well, yes. It's a very common line.

Sort of the grown up version of "my dad's bigger than your dad and he's gonna beat you up"

HairyBeaver · 31/07/2011 21:05

I have just qualified as a hairdresser and it was YOUR fault

Not only did you not read her consultaton sheet, you failed to do a strand test.

Im sorry but they are basic things you do and you didn't even do them!!

She is well within her rights to sue you and will win as you failed to do these.

These procedures are the first thing you learn at college!!!!!

I'd rethink your career tbh

happy4eva · 31/07/2011 21:11

OMG hope her face blew up for a million quid!!
Dnt be daft :P

StayingDavidTennantsGirl · 31/07/2011 22:07

I think telling chocolatebananas to change career is a bit harsh, to be honest. Yes, she has made a big mistake, and she needs to learn some lessons from it:

always do all the proper tests ie strand test.

don't let a client browbeat you into doing something you know is a bad idea.

if neccessary, get another colleague to give a second opinion, and make sure you state your opinion in front of the colleague. In this situation, it would mean that chocolatebanana would have a witness to the fact that she'd advised the perm was a bad idea.

I think she has hit a precipitous slope on the learning curve - it could have been avoided, but if she learns the lessons from it, there is no reason she shouldn't carry on and be a good hairdresser.

ChocolateBananas · 31/07/2011 22:12

Not sorry?! I spent 2 hours apologising to a woman who was screaming at me and a husband who had his solicitor on the phone, I've been a hairdresser for 3 years! I have just newly qualified as a level 3 hairdresser! I haven't done a perm in over 2 years, and honestly do NOT think that it is ENTIRELY my fault! Yes I did check the perm during the processing time, and if you read properly I said I left it on UNDER 15mins! I spent an entire night worrying about that woman, not only was she threatening to sue, but I was worrying about how she felt! I couldn't imagine if my hairdresser did that to me. This is the first big mistake I have EVER made in hairdressing! I am absolutely HORRIFIED by what has happened, it's the worst experience of my life, as for choosing another career, I doubt that, I have won competitions for hairdressing for many things, obviously perming and saying no isn't my strong point, and I am still learning some things! I have sincerely apologised to her, which was very difficult for me to speak to her as I was distraught, there is nothing else I can do for her! I've never had anybody complain about me or to me before and I cannot believe how depressing it can make you feel!

A1980 · 31/07/2011 22:15

I haven't read this whole thread but what a load of bollocks.

Damages in this country are restorative, they are not punative. £1million is laughable.

The woman was warned and accpeted the risks and she hasn't lost anything as her hair will grow back. She will have to pay a solicitor privately for this and she will be advised that it will be throwing good money after bad to sue someone without the means to satisfy a judgment.

HairyBeaver · 31/07/2011 22:17

It is entirely your fault as you failed to read the consultation sheet and do a strand test.

You failed the most basic of hairdressing "laws" and if you have been a hairdresser for 3 years then that makes it worse tbh, you should of known better!!

Once this gets around your rep will be shot

PacificDogwood · 31/07/2011 22:20

Christ on a bike - it's hair, not a limb; it will regrow.

People ought to really get things into perspective.

The OP made some errors of judgement, will/has already learnt from this, the client is venting to make herself feel less of a tit.

ChocolateBananas, you will get over this, and so will this lady.

ChocolateBananas · 31/07/2011 22:27

I meant I have been doing hairdressing for 3 years!

AmyStake · 31/07/2011 22:27

Yes but it will take time to regrow. If her hair really is 1 inches short it will no doubt cause her great distress. And that's if the hair that's left isn't damaged, and/or falls out.

Would you leave the house with 1 inch long burnt, damaged hair?

ChocolateBananas · 31/07/2011 22:38

It actually really suits her, it similar to Sharon Osbournes hair, stylish and manageable!

StayingDavidTennantsGirl · 31/07/2011 22:39

Well - if I had been warned that a perm was a bad idea, given the condition of my hair, but had browbeaten the hairdresser into doing the perm, I would be taking some of the responsibility myself. I wouldn't be happy about going out with inch-long, burnt, damaged hair, but neither would I be threatening £1 million law suits.

HeatherSmall · 31/07/2011 22:42

They haven't paid her this weeks wages ? Thats a crock for a start unless they have fired her they must pay her the rest is down to the salon owners solicitors and this woman's if she wants to take it that far.

StayingDavidTennantsGirl · 31/07/2011 22:48

If I am correct, the non-payment of the wages happened as an oversight during the kerfuffle, and is not deliberate. I think chocolatebanana said she'd get the money next week.

Pancakeflipper · 31/07/2011 22:54

So her hair is now an inch short and you sent her off with loads of hair products ??

What did you give her? Superspeedysupergrowth shampoo?

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