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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Hairdresser couldn’t cut toddlers hair but charged full price

252 replies

Bubblebather89 · 02/01/2026 08:33

I was recommended a hairdresser in my local area to cut my 22 month olds hair. She has a walk in only salon with one of those sit in car chairs for children. She was highly recommend from a mum whose child has ASD and she said she’s great with kids and makes them feel comfortable, is flexible etc etc. Anyway we visited his hairdresser on a number of occasions and all went well. My son sat better than expected so she was able to cut his hair with no issues.

Then last week I took him and it was particularly busy with it being near Christmas. My son decided he didn’t want to sit in the car so we moved to the chair with him on my lap. But he was particularly fussy and crying. After 5 minutes she said she wasn’t able to cut his hair. She had cut some at the back but literally hardly anything, of course I understood and I was fine with her not carrying on and I said no problem we will come back another time. It wasn’t a good time for my son and she had a line of people waiting I completely understood. As I was getting my son into his pram she said that will be £15 please darling, which was the full price of the hair cut normally. I was taken back because I thought she wouldn’t charge me anything as she literally only cut a small amount at the back and the rest of the time was me trying to hold him down as he tried to wriggle away. His hair looked worse than when we came in. Because there was a full salon of people waiting and looking at me I just paid. If I’d known she was going to charge me the full amount I would have expected her to try abit harder to cut his hair and been more patient with him. The whole appointment took around 5 mins so barely any time at all. Should I have paid full price or should she have discounted it/ let me come back and try again?

OP posts:
Ladybugheart · 02/01/2026 08:35

Not sure, did it all take the same amount of time as an actual hair cut would have done? I don't know how long to cut boys hair lol If so then yes, you pay. Time is money.

Caspianberg · 02/01/2026 08:35

I think she has to charge as you took up an appointment slot. She could have cut someone else’s hair during that time. So it’s irrelevant if hair was cut or not

Catza · 02/01/2026 08:37

I very much doubt that the whole appointment took five minutes. You arrived, he was out in a car sit, gowned up, started fussing, was moved to another chair, you and him were both gowned up, then hairdresser tried to do a haircut. Sounds like at least half hour.
I don't know if I would personally charge but I don't begrudge her charging for her time over a busy Christmas period.

Tinkerbellthefairy · 02/01/2026 08:37

You took up a slot though where she would have cut someone else’s hair?

DisforDarkChocolate · 02/01/2026 08:37

I agree, time is money. If you know your little one might struggle then you go early or late so it's quieter. I'd be annoyed too but she has to make a living.

Livelovelaughfuckoff · 02/01/2026 08:37

You’re paying for her time. I suspect it was longer than just 5 minutes. Imagine if she spent all day dealing with fussy toddlers and half haircuts and didn’t charge anything. She can’t be out of pocket every time a child refuses to have a hair cut.

ExtraOnions · 02/01/2026 08:37

Not her fault your child was crying, you are paying for her time, and she quite right to charge you for it.

ShetlandishMum · 02/01/2026 08:37

You booked an appointment. You pay. It's your responsibility to book a non busy day not to stress your child from cooperate.

Sirzy · 02/01/2026 08:38

I wouldn’t have dreamt of not paying!

we had a fair few failed attempts before we got to the point DS could have his hair properly cut but I always paid for the hairdressers time and effort!

OnlyMabelInTheBuilding · 02/01/2026 08:40

You used an appointment slot. Charging even if the kids don’t sit still is also a way to make sure people only take their kids who will sit. Otherwise she could have loads of non-paying appointments like this.

ShesTheAlbatross · 02/01/2026 08:41

If it was literally 5 mins then I think she’s being a bit unreasonable only because it’s not booked appointments but walk ins only. But it does sound like it would have been longer than 5 mins.

If it was pre-booked then obviously you’d pay because you’d taken the full slot even if you didn’t use it.

BraOffPjsOn · 02/01/2026 08:41

YABU - from experience I remember wondering why kids hair cuts were still so expensive with DS1 who was an angel there and loved every minute.
Then I had DS2 who cried and screamed and it was awful. I suddenly realised that actually kids haircuts should cost more because of the effort and patience it takes (plus all the moving when they don’t sit completely still).

Just be glad he’s usually ok and hopefully will be again. It’s taken years but I’m finally not having DS2 on my lap and getting covered in hair - I just have to hold his hand and get in the way now.

PurpleThistle7 · 02/01/2026 08:42

Yes I’d expect to pay. And have a few times when my autistic daughter couldn’t cope with one thing or another.

IwishIcouldconfess · 02/01/2026 08:42

How much do you think you should have paid for all the time it took??
Probably took twice as long as she was expecting.
Course you pay.

bigsoftcocks · 02/01/2026 08:43

You’re paying for her time.
This must happen a lot with small kids -if she didn’t charge she’d never make money

mumofb2 · 02/01/2026 08:43

This happened to me once! My son looked worse than he went in and the man charged me full price.. like you I paid and 8 years on I am still annoyed that I paid for it.

I would maybe ring up and get him booked back in and make it clear you have already paid for the hair cut.

User1606042727 · 02/01/2026 08:43

Yes you should pay. It took up a booking slot at a busy time of the year.

LamentableShoes · 02/01/2026 08:44

You have my sympathies as my kids HATED hair cuts. But she was charging for her slot so she's entitled to.

Good luck with future cuts. I found someone that came to my house and was very patient.

itsgettingweird · 02/01/2026 08:45

She charged for her time. Not her fault that time wasn’t actually cutting your ds hair because he wouldn’t sit still.

As his parent it’s up to you tk
judge if you think he can manage it or not - not up to her to lose money and time for your decisions.

blueredpurple · 02/01/2026 08:51

As it is walk ins I think it was a bit shit of her. You didn’t take a booked appointment, others will will turn up and expect a wait, she didn’t lose anybody. She could have just asked for a fiver.

BIossomtoes · 02/01/2026 08:52

Of course she charged. I suspect all this malarkey took considerably more than five minutes.

IwishIcouldconfess · 02/01/2026 08:54

5 minutes! I doubt that very much.

Dancingsquirrels · 02/01/2026 08:54

I think fair enough she charged a fee

Keroppi · 02/01/2026 08:55

I'd have paid but would have expected to be able to come back in later or tomorrow to finish it off free! At least that's what has happened before for me.

Lennonjingles · 02/01/2026 08:56

If it’s just a walk in, you would have thought she would charge you less, maybe half, especially as you’ve been there before.