Rent a chair in a salon

[Thisyearcandoone]

Hello,

I'm posting this about a friend as I would like to be able to offer her some useful information.

She rents a chair in a salon, but is due to have a period of 4-6 weeks off work because she is having an op. Salon owner says she needs to pay rent for chair while she is off work.

Is this right?

Thank you.

I would say yes it is. It really depends on the Contract they set up but normally, the chair renter is self-employed and a contractor to the salon. The salon owner is happy to rent the chair because of the rental income from the contractor. If the contractor is not able to pay the salon owner for the 4-6 weeks, then the salon owner is losing income and will be free to rent the chair to another contractor. If I was the friend, I would negotiate a "chair holding" fee so that I could return when I was well enough.

Self-employed persons/contractors do not have the same rights as employed people therefore no holiday pay, no sick pay and no employment rights.

She'd have the check the contract she has with the owner.

Thank you both. I will ask her to check contract and encourage her to negotiate a holding fee x

Checked the contract, no mention of sickness / holidays.

@Thisyearcandoone

Checked the contract, no mention of sickness / holidays.

Does it say anything about there being any circumstances under which she is entitled to stop paying rent and still retain the rights to the chair?

That is an unanswerable question without seeing her contract. However I would very much expect she cannot duck out of the contract for a few weeks at a time. If that is the case, the chair needs to be left empty and available.

I don't think this should be in employment issues, as she is not employed by the salon. She's renting a chair, so it's up to the agreement between her and the salon owner what happens in times when she cannot attend, but I'd have thought she'd have to pay regardless as the salon owner will have rented it on that basis (or they will be out of pocket)

The tent is payable even if she is off. Just as your home rent is payable even if you are off work or away on holiday.

Yes, it’s normal. I know someone who had to pay for her chair while she was on maternity, and because of that could only afford to have 6 weeks off with her baby before she want back to almost full time.