Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think this hairdresser is wrong...

42 replies

Bobyan · 31/05/2012 13:12

My friend went to a hairdresser in Central London during her lunch hour yesterday and had a dry hair cut taking less than an hour.

She was charged £80. The next day she noticed that their price list said that dry cuts are £40, so she went back in and asked them to refund her the difference as there had obviously been a mix up at the till.

They then told her (bearing in mind that she was there for less than an hour) that they charged her more because she has "black" hair and it takes longer. If she had "Caucasian" hair it would have been less.

Her hair is relaxed and poker straight, so how on earth they can justify this?

OP posts:
Original poster
Bobyan · 31/05/2012 15:17

Thanks for all the feedback:

Birds she is going to contact them thanks.

Macchiato her hair is relaxed and straight, the hair cut took less than an hour, so it's not like she has hair that needs either extra time (which if she had a more natural afro hair I could agree with it costing extra due to the time and skill involved). Plus the hairdresser said that she was happy to cut black hair.

The head office still haven't bothered to call her back...

OP posts:
Dprince · 31/05/2012 15:18

I am at work. My friend is advises this happens a lot. That's why she uses a hairdresser that specializes in afro Caribbean hair as it works our cheaper.

Eglu · 31/05/2012 15:18

If it was going to cost so much more than their list price she should have been informed in advance.

I agree with others, she needs to take this far and shout it from the rooftops.

Macchiato · 31/05/2012 15:23

Even if her hair is relaxed, it is still Afro. It still needs to be treated differently.

The haircut took less then an hour, which IS double the time of a haircut, we are only given 20-30 mins to do a cut.

I really hope she's not going to go down the racist route with her complaint.

I do think she needs to complain though, but target the complaint on it being double the price.

To me it looks like the cut took longer, so she's paying for the hairdressers time really, they could have done 2 Caucasian cuts in an hour. I know it's not fair, but that's how salons work.

Original poster
Bobyan · 31/05/2012 15:24

I've been to the same salon as have many of our friends and it's ALWAYS taken an hour.

OP posts:
Beamur · 31/05/2012 15:25

Surely though, they should have pointed out before cutting her hair that it would take longer and cost more?

Macchiato · 31/05/2012 15:26

An hour to do a cut? Really? I'm taking that it was a restyle and not just a trim then?

PenelopePipPop · 31/05/2012 15:34

My haircuts always take an hour, sometimes more. Short pixie style cut always the same every 6 weeks.

Regardless, if cutting Afro hair was an issue for them they should have said so initially and discussed prices then, not snipped away and charged her double afterwards. But I agree with Macchiato if head office comes back and says 'Oops sorry we handled that badly, here's £40' it wasn't racism just poor customer service.

Original poster
Bobyan · 31/05/2012 20:03

Well, my friend called the Head Office as it was clear they weren't going to call her back and they said "it's not because your black it's because your hair is tightly curled and Afro"?!?

Rush hairdressers on the Strand in London should be avoided, by anyone with curly or straight hair, especially if you not Caucasian!!!

I'm disgusted by them.

OP posts:
CrispyCod · 31/05/2012 20:12

They deserve the naming and shaming. If they knew the price would differ from the listed price due to the texture of her hair then they should have informed her before they started. Cheeky rip off feckers!

ScarletLadyOfTheNight01 · 31/05/2012 20:14

Afro hair is different. My hairdresser works from home, and she has had to take specialist courses in dealing with afro hair. I don't think it's a race issue.

That said, she should have been informed if there was to be a different charge at the time, and to charge double is incredibly unfair in my opinion.

monkeymoma · 31/05/2012 20:16

well I wouldn't pay that much for any hair do.. but that was her choice
but DH gets afro hair cuts (he's white but has wierd hair that non afro hairdressers don't know how to cut properly) and it does tend to cost a little more as it takes longer

ScarletLadyOfTheNight01 · 31/05/2012 20:19

My DH's hair is a bit like that as well monkeymoma. If he lets it grow it turns into a serious 'fro (he's ginger). He has to go to a certain barber who specialises in afro hair or they end up making it look pants. Either that or he cuts it himself.

CHOOGIRL · 31/05/2012 20:53

She has been overcharged. I've been to Rush where a wash and blow dry on my relaxed hair is no more than £50. I've just had a relaxer cut and colour for £120 in a top Mayfair salon.

Floggingmolly · 31/05/2012 20:57

It's not the colour of the hair, it's the texture of Afro hair that makes it more difficult to work with (apparently). I've got a wild curly mop of red hair and I'm usually charged more because it takes longer.

merrymouse · 31/05/2012 21:00

Yes, he is wrong. Even if technically her hair is more difficult to cut, the price should be specified on the list.

I think it is a trading standards issue.

Cabrinha · 31/05/2012 21:29

But she only noticed next day it was £40?
Did she not ask the price when she booked, or went in on the day?
I don't see that she can complain about the price, whatever her race or hair type, if she went in for a cut without asking price and then paid what they said.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread