Had to cancel hairdressers appt because I tested positive... they are trying to charge me

[MyWeddingFund]

Had a hairdressers appointment for today. Had symptoms yesterday and test which came back positive. I phoned the hairdressers to let them know I had tested positive and would not be attending and would call to rearrange when feeling better as didn't know when that would be I didn't want to rearrange right now. They told me because it is short notice...I have to pay half the price of the service. Fair enough if I had to just cancelled but there is no way I can go

[pinkksugarmouse]

@ToughLoveLDN

If you gave less than 24 hours notice you should pay. The moment you had to get tested you should have called and rescheduled to a later date

She did let them know as soon as she had symptoms and told them she was going to be getting tested. I wish people would read the post properly before commenting.

[ItsAlwaysSunnyOnMN]

Hope you feeling better op

Of course you shouldn’t have to pay.
If they want to work in that way then they need to take a deposit that isn’t refundable unless x about of hours given

I understand it’s a business and that may be struggling but it’s poor customer service I personally wouldn’t go back there

And I’ve never had to pay a cancellation charge (your appointment time could be taken be someone else)

[Weebitawks]

I work in a completely different industry but we have a lot of people cancelling appointments due to Corona etc. And we wouldn't think if charging. It's really important to us that people cancel if ill because we wouldn't want our staff to become ill. And it doesn't exactly breed good client relations.

[FloraButterCookie]

I’m not a hairdresser, but work in a similar field. Under the circumstances they should not be asking you to pay fee, I wouldn’t. Plus it would only encourage people to come in if they had it

[Kalula]

@Ariela @ToughLoveLDN I wish people would RTFT, she did call them when she showed symptoms, and again after she got the results. They didn't reschedule her. They themselves also cancelled on her when a hairdresser had symptoms.

[pinkksugarmouse]

Don't pay and go somewhere else. If they have your credit card details then tell your company that they don't have your permission to take money from you.
Unless you signed something there isn't a thing they can do and even if you did I doubt they could then.
You are legally required to self isolate. You cannot be expected to break the law.
There are plenty of hairdressers who will happily take your business.

[BubblyBarbara]

Plus imagine if a restaurant charged you half because you cancelled. Get a grip.

[BubblyBarbara]

This is why I refuse to tell them the full details of what I want doing till I get there because otherwise they can pull this sort of stunt. And I have never had a salon refuse to add on a blow dry, wash, and numerous other things on the day because they want the money!

[GabsAlot]

@LadyEloise

Thank you *@GabsAlot*.
They reopened here in Ireland but were closed again from last week.

oh yes your o lockdown again. stay well

[Ariela]

I think you should have told the hairdresser you had symptoms and were testing.
Chances are they'd have said no to the symptoms and cancelled you anyway.
I think it's perfectly reasonable for them to charge you half - you didn't tell them you had symptoms, and you could have cancelled then and probably not been charged.

[LadyEloise]

Thank you @GabsAlot.
They reopened here in Ireland but were closed again from last week.

[GabsAlot]

@LadyEloise

Are hairdressers open in the UK ?
Here in Ireland they are shut as are barbers snd beauty/nail salons.

since july i think

[MimiDaisy11]

You should have phoned up when you had symptoms but maybe that still would have been too late notice for them. I think unless you've paid already they can't really enforce it like others have said as they know pursuing it could make you stop coming. I think businesses should handle this better although I do feel for them.

[ToughLoveLDN]

If you gave less than 24 hours notice you should pay. The moment you had to get tested you should have called and rescheduled to a later date

[LadyEloise]

Are hairdressers open in the UK ?
Here in Ireland they are shut as are barbers snd beauty/nail salons.

[Duemarch2021]

@KaptainKaveman

Sorry but as harsh as you may think this sounds.. the general public are not responsible for paying businesses that are going out of business to to covid.... its extremely unfortunate what is happening to the economy and peoples businesses at the moment but people shouldn't be expected to go around failing businesses and giving them handouts!??..

The OP could be struggling financially too? ... she did say that her hairdresser cancelled on her a few weeks beforehand due to having symptoms.. was she handed back the money she paid for childcare that afternoon? (Hypothetical) NO

If you choose to open as a business, you are aware of the implications beforehand. Thats why poeple tend to go into business for a service that will always be needed no matter what (hairdressing isn't essential unfortunately)

[londonscalling]

Even if you DID want to pay, you shouldn't be charged for products and colours etc that weren't used. You should only be charged the for the portion that is profit. However, you weren't told there is a cancellation charge.

The hairdressers need to print out their cancellation policy and get all clients to sign it!

[Duemarch2021]

And anyway... she's lucky to still be open.. she's going to be losing a hell of a lot more money when the goverment close her business again as it is non essential..

[Duemarch2021]

@AdoreTheBeach

She didn't have to pay a deposit though.. this is the point. If she had been asked to pay 25% (or whatever) non refundable deposit for late cancellation then fair enough she just doesnt get it back....

but.. she wasnt asked for one!.. shes now being told that she has to pay half of the appointment fee?? NO!

Its different that you have had to pay for a full meal before you go... you dont turn up and you lose your money.. simple. That's something you agreed to.. she did not agree to paying half of the cost of she didnt turn up..... id like to say because of covid people!!! Not a headache!!

[Dillydallyingthrough]

I think it's a bit short-sighted of your hairdresser to ask you to pay. I'm sure if you said in that case you would go in (not saying you would) then they would waive the fee. This is what life is like at the moment, having to cancel meals, events, seeing friends and family at short notice because of having symptoms or confirmed cases of covid.

[Kalula]

@MyWeddingFund

I let them know the day before I had symptoms and was having a test. Results came the same day of the appointment and I let them know.

@Tessabelle1 I guess you missed this.

Your apology is accepted.

[ThisIsntMeHonestGuv]

Theta no one general rule. Every business can choose how it deals with that, but cancellation fees are not uncommon.

[londonscalling]

What is the situation generally if people can't make a hairdressers appointment as they are unwell? Do they pay?

[Tessabelle1]

@Kalula the OP'S very first post states she had symptoms, got a test, which came back positive the following day, she THEN told the hairdresser it was positive. It does NOT say she phoned the day she got symptoms so I shall await your apology

[ThisIsntMeHonestGuv]

I might be wrong, but I don't think there is anything illegal in charging a cancellation fee, whether or not notice has been given. I would imagine it would come under civil proceedings rather than criminal, and if there was no notice then it would be hard to pursue it in court, but I don't think that would make it illegal. But as I say, I could be wrong.

There was nothing PA about my comment. Your comments were many, frequent and impassioned (nobody else posted with anything like that frequency). Thankfully you do seem more chill now, which is great. But I do genuinely get concerned for people when they post in such a (what looks like) over-reactive way. I've seen that kind of behaviour in real life, and it ultimately ended up with someone getting sectioned, so I'm probably over-sensitive to it. (I'm not saying I think you will be, it was an extreme case, but it just sets my alarm bells ringing).