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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Hairdressers payment upfront

17 replies

RedLipsticks · 19/10/2022 14:02

Hello everyone!
Looking for advice, I have paid a £20 deposit for the appointment which I didn’t mind however now they’re asking for the whole upfront cost even though I haven’t had the service yet? Is this reasonable? What if they can’t fit me in or something goes wrong with the hair appointment? I’m wary about paying the full amount (£££) upfront… am I being unreasonable?
Thanks in advance!

OP posts:

Ellie1015 · 19/10/2022 14:04

Yanbu it is really cheeky to ask. However my hairdresser is great so if she wanted payment up front i wouldn't be happy about it but i would go along with it as i want her to do my hair.

Badgirlriri · 19/10/2022 14:05

ive never had this. A deposit should be sufficient.

PeekabooAtTheZoo · 19/10/2022 14:06

YANBU it sounds iffy. I’d write off the £20.

Aprilx · 19/10/2022 14:08

Have you a track record of not turning up? It seems pretty excessive otherwise, I have to put down about a 25% deposit.

Original poster

RedLipsticks · 19/10/2022 14:10

Thanks for your responses everyone. I’ve never been to this hairdresser before so that’s why I’m also wary!

OP posts:

MrsCat1 · 19/10/2022 14:11

My hairdresser asks for full payment up fron

TeefAsseblief · 19/10/2022 14:12

Not a hairdresser - but I only used to take a deposit from my patients.

It didn't deter people from not turning up/not notifying me because people thought 'oh its only x amount'. It still meant I was out of pocket and I couldn't fill the slot.

As a result, everyone now has to pay in full. Things happen, I'm flexible, but as a self employed person, I have to protect myself. If people don't want to pay upfront, I'm not the provider for them.

dontputitthere · 19/10/2022 14:12

Nah. Deposit for a long expensive dyeing type session I would understand. But not upfront Everything

How did you find this place? Any reviews or friends who've been there?

MrsCat1 · 19/10/2022 14:12

...up front for new customers, and I've heard of it elsewhere.

MrsTumblebee · 19/10/2022 14:16

RedLipsticks · 19/10/2022 14:10

Thanks for your responses everyone. I’ve never been to this hairdresser before so that’s why I’m also wary!

Where I live there are Salons that ask for full payment upfront if your having something like a special occasion make up done. I was stupid enough to go along with it once as I’d forgotten I had a wedding to go to and needed my make up done for the occasion. It rankled at the time but was preferable to going to the wedding looking like Coco the clown which is what would have happened if I’d done it myself. I wouldn’t do it again though regardless of the circumstances.

MrsTumblebee · 19/10/2022 14:20

RedLipsticks · 19/10/2022 14:10

Thanks for your responses everyone. I’ve never been to this hairdresser before so that’s why I’m also wary!

Ask what happens if you’re not happy with the end result. How is any dispute settled. And make sure you take pictures of the finished result just in case you do have to complain and maybe even end up in the small claims court. I believe that if people are going to ask for 100 percent up front then they also have to have avery practice in place for dealing with disputes and have to accept that customers can mean business as much as they can.

Pemba · 19/10/2022 14:29

Asking for a deposit is fine and understandable. But the thing about asking for full payment upfront is how does the customer know that they can trust the service provider? The appointment, or the agreed work to be carried out might never happen. Their business might be about to go bust for instance. I think it is a bit of a red flag really.

This happened to my elderly DPs recently, with someone they were about to hire to supply and fit new downstairs curtains, costing a few thousand. When she sent her quote with the demand for full payment upfront we decided to get a quote from a local shop instead and went with them (even though it was more expensive). The independent person's terms of business were just too risky. There has to be a bit of trust on both sides, surely?

Ihatethenewlook · 19/10/2022 14:40

I would 100% not part with a penny until after it was done.

balalake · 19/10/2022 14:57

Not making it clear at the beginning seems the worst part of this.

IamThegreaterMole · 19/10/2022 15:00

I did this once and they cancelled on the morning of the appointment, then made me actually go in to get the refund. They were insistent they couldn’t do it without me taking the card to them, which I am sure is not correct. Anyway, it was a pain in the arse so I never went back there.

Yupbutnobut · 19/10/2022 15:02

I'd be wary as it sounds like they're about to go bust. Did they offer a reason why you had to now pay it all upfront?

phoenixrosehere · 19/10/2022 15:06

None of mine did that. There was a deposit as a new client, but after that, I paid for the service once they were finished and I’m usually there for 3-4 hours every appt.

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