Hair salon alleging I haven’t paid

[wellbugger]

Posting here purely for traffic.

I had my hair done last weekend. Their card machine was down. The stylist charged me over the app. I checked my bank in front of her and showed her that the money had left my account.

They’ve called me today to say that on their end, the money hasn’t come through. I’ve sent a screenshot of my bank which clearly shows that the money due has left my account and gone to them.

AIBU to think this is their issue now? I’ve paid, if they’re having issues with their app that’s not my problem

OP, I don't suppose you're in North East Scotland? Just very similar happened to me recently.

Tbh, I'd be the same as OP 😬

You aren’t screwed. If you paid through their app, using their payment details and it has left your account you have paid. It is unfortunate it hasn’t landed in their account that, but it has left yours and there is nothing you can do.

They cannot call the olive or make you pay,though I expect they will apply pressure to try and get you too as they want the money and would rather you bear the risk that’s them. I would not pay again,I would show them the app and that the funds have left your account stand say you cannot pay again but if the funds come back you will contact them to pay in a different way (by which time hopefully their card system in working again).

They may not be happy about it,but it is not your fault or problem and they will have to be patient. You can’t pay what you don’t have

They can't be bothered to chase your payment so they think you should pay again?

That sounds like fraud.

Cancel that appointment. Do not go. Do not pay again. You have proof the money left your account and the bank confirmed it. It's up to them to do the legwork from here on.

I wouldn't use them again, they sound like their business is a mess and they're shady AF.

I think you should definitely go to your appointment OP. I’m the least confrontational person in the world and I’d be there with bells on, safe in the knowledge that I had everything I needed to prove that I had paid. Your active involvement in this is over, unless the money bounces back to you. It is their problem to solve. Even if they did call the police (unlikely) you still have your proof. I reckon they’d be sympathetic to the fact that you no longer have the money available in your account and that you certainly don’t have the money to pay twice until it’s sorted.

Just to add, I think sometimes stuff gets sorted out more amicably in person, rather than via terse messages lacking any tone.

I reckon they’d be sympathetic to the fact that you no longer have the money available in your account and that you certainly don’t have the money to pay twice until it’s sorted.

I admire your optimism but nothing in any of the OPs dealings with them thus far suggests they will be sympathetic.

I meant the police would be sympathetic, in the very unlikely event they are called, as has been suggested by a couple of posters. In reality the police probably couldn’t give enough of a rat’s arse to turn up.

Don't say you cant afford to pay again.
Say you have no obligation to pay twice because of a fault with their system.
Don't say anything that gives the impression you agree this is your problem to solve.

I’m not confident or confrontational but I’d still go. Maybe the owner won’t be as scary as you think they’ll be. If you go in with bank statements printed etc to show them or ready on your phone then what can they do? Just practice what you’ll say if they try to get you to pay again. Just say as it has come out your bank it’s now between them and the app they asked you to pay with. It’s them who told you to pay that way. So I don’t see how it’s your problem.

And paid for it. If it’s left my account I will not be paying a second time until my bank confirm that it’s bounced back.

If you're sure it's left your account, turning up tomorrow isn't going to solve anything. They're going to need to sort their end. Just send them a message and say if the money returns to your account, you have no issue in paying them again.

It is definitely not your problem as the transaction has come off your bank account. They will need to take ur up with their bank, who presumably provided their payment machine.

Her appointment tomorrow is to check her hair extensions.

I would still go to your appointment because you’ve done nothing wrong. I’d say to the owner very directly - you have paid using a debit account and the funds have left your account,, you do not physically have the money. Your bank have advised that it’s with Fresha. There isn’t anything more you can do from your side. They should contact Fresha. You will monitor your account and if the money is returned to you, you’ll be more than happy to instigate another payment. However, as it stands, Fresha have the money.
Whatever you do, do not pay again because otherwise you’ll have a battle to get the money back and your bank will say you’re at fault for making the payment twice (on different days).

They are not going to call the police lol you can prove you have paid.

Maybe the manager should be using her time more wisely to contact the app that she has chosen to take her business funds, who are failing to provide the service paid for, rather than speaking to you.

Ive found this online - The issue of a missing payment to the salon a week after you were charged should be resolved by contacting Fresha's customer support directly at [email protected]. While Fresha acts as a commercial agent for the salon to collect payment, the contract for the services is between you and the salon, and Fresha will mediate to resolve payment disputes.

It also says you can use the in - app help and support option, I would do this. I'd be letting the salon know that the whole situation has been far too stressful as a customer and that I'm not happy with the way they have dealt with this. Your debt to them was discharged the moment you made payment via the app. Which was their chosen payment method. They have terrible business acumen, bunch of dicks.

I think @Funnywonder was referring to the police being sympathetic rather than the salon owner, but the police wouldn't be involved because this is a civil matter, not a criminal one.

This is an excellent point.

Go to the appointment tomorrow (you’re entitled to have your extensions checked). Push back on the salon; insist that they prove you haven’t paid. You’ve got evidence that shows the money has left your account and gone to the App that the salon asked you to use. The ball is in their court now, insist that they resolve the issue and stop harassing you.

@wellbugger google "fresha app and Payment issues" . The issues you report are known issues with the app. The business should have been aware of this and tried to resolve it with Fresha at their end rather than putting the onus on you to resolve. Unprofessional behaviour by them.

Hope you manage to get it sorted.

What did you do @wellbugger?

Went down, showed all the screenshots again. Miraculously it was resolved when I did that.

Hmmmm

I'm really pleased you had a positive ending but I agree with your hmmmm it seems mightily suspect that this couldn't be resolved by the same screenshot yesterday....