Client wants full refund, help!

[giorgia]

Im a newly qualified hair extensionists. I done a clients hair extensions 7 weeks ago, I have my certificates but no insurance yet. She messaged me a couple weeks ago to say she wants to try the LA weave method next that I’ve just trained in. She then said that the extensions are a bit matted but it wasn’t my fault. I offered to take the extensions out free of charge and she said she wants to keep them In and do anything she can with her hair until she can afford the LA weave. She’s messaged me today saying she’s just been to a salon and had them removed and that they have said I’ve not installed them properly and the hair quality is awful. She is demanding a full refund which I don’t have and also asked for my insurance number and said she will contact trading standards if I don’t Refund her fully. She knew I’d just started out doing hair extensions and even said it wasn’t my fault but today she’s messaging saying it’s my fault and I have to refund her and the hairdresser has said I have too. Client ha said her own hair is ruined.
Can anyone give me advice on what to do please?

 

[AcidPerm]

You shouldn't really be charging for your services if you aren't insured. That's very risky.

 

[giorgia]

You shouldn't really be charging for your services if you aren't insured. That's very risky.

I didn’t realise I had to have insurance to be able to do the extensions. I have a 7 month old and all I get is £70 a month for him and I have no other income so wanted to start earning some money to support him. Any advice on what I can do?

 

[AcidPerm]

Regardless, even if you were insured, you don't need to give clients details of your insurance. Insurance is for your benefit, not theirs.
Ordinarily, I'd wait until the client returns to check the situation for myself before deciding my next step. However, I'm guessing that she knows you're not insured so realises that you're in a tricky situation.
Maybe you'd be better off refunding her and then sorting out your insurance and registering with HMRC before you take on any new clients.

 

[giorgia]

Regardless, even if you were insured, you don't need to give clients details of your insurance. Insurance is for your benefit, not theirs.
Ordinarily, I'd wait until the client returns to check the situation for myself before deciding my next step. However, I'm guessing that she knows you're not insured so realises that you're in a tricky situation.
Maybe you'd be better off refunding her and then sorting out your insurance and registering with HMRC before you take on any new clients.

I don’t have any money to give her. She’s gone to another hairdresser and said she’s taken he. Out for her. I just find it funny how she was saying last week it wasn’t my fault and now she’s asking for a full refund. Will I get into trouble if she goes to trading standards and I don’t have insurance? I told her I will send her £70 tomorrow when I get my money and she keeps saying she wants the rest which I’ve explained to her I don’t have and it’ll take me a while to get the remaining £200

 

[AcidPerm]

Ideally you need public liability insurance. It's not expensive and you can use google to help you shop around for quotes.

See if you can persuade her to let you look at the hair? The hairdresser's comments might not be an accurately representation of what was said so don't assume anything. Always insist on seeing the client in person before agreeing to any action, inc. refunds.

Judging by the many similar posts on here, the clients only interested in cheap deals are often the ones who want refunds five minutes later (usually when they've got a bill to pay or want a night out...! )

Normally, I'd say that problems should be notified to the technician immediately and 7 weeks is far too long to leave it.

 

[giorgia]

Ideally you need public liability insurance. It's not expensive and you can use google to help you shop around for quotes.

See if you can persuade her to let you look at the hair? The hairdresser's comments might not be an accurately representation of what was said so don't assume anything. Always insist on seeing the client in person before agreeing to any action, inc. refunds.

Judging by the many similar posts on here, the clients only interested in cheap deals are often the ones who want refunds five minutes later (usually when they've got a bill to pay or want a night out...! )

Normally, I'd say that problems should be notified to the technician immediately and 7 weeks is far too long to leave it.

Yeah exactly why I though. 7 weeks is ridiculous. I’ve been looking at insurance today but obviously that won’t cover me for when I fitted her extensions. Yes it seems to be that way that everyone wants something for nothing. I have no idea what to do from here. I rally can’t afford to refund her and I’ve had no other complaints. I don’t want her to bad mouth me as everyone knows everyone around here and it’ll ruin my business. She even left a good review on my page about a week after having them done. I offered to take them out for free, she said it wasn’t my fault and she wanted to keep them in.
So now she’s decided to have them out, this hairdresser has told her to ask for my insurance number and that I’ve installed them
Wrong which I haven’t. Also forgot to mention she had Afroish hair and relaxes it herself at home so not sure whether that’s anything to do with it.

 

[EssexFreelance]

You need insurance and the course you did should have told you this if they were decent.

Ask her to send over pictures of before they are removed and after.

Why does she need your insurance details is she going to make a claim for damage on her own hair?

Say you offer to remove them but she declined and as she has now had another hairdresser touch her hair there is no longer anything you can do. You don’t know what damage the other hairdresser has caused.

This is why I don’t touch peoples extensions in issues like this I always say they need to return to the person that fitted them.

 

[giorgia]

You need insurance and the course you did should have told you this if they were decent.

Ask her to send over pictures of before they are removed and after.

Why does she need your insurance details is she going to make a claim for damage on her own hair?

Say you offer to remove them but she declined and as she has now had another hairdresser touch her hair there is no longer anything you can do. You don’t know what damage the other hairdresser has caused.

This is why I don’t touch peoples extensions in issues like this I always say they need to return to the person that fitted them.

It’s been 7 weeks and she’s now asking for a full
Refund. How do I know that she hasn’t taken care of the and brushed her hair? I’ve had no complaints from anyone else and she even left a good review afterwards and said to me last week her hairs a bit matted but it’s not my fault so now she’s been to a salon today she said and the hairdresser has apparently removed them and said I’ve ruined her hair.

 

[AcidPerm]

I see that she posted on Facebook that she 'dyed them brown when I got home'.
She's a grade A numpty for publicly admitting that.
I definitely wouldn't give her any refund (partial or otherwise) and tell her that colouring the extensions has voided any warranty you might have offered.

Do you give your clients a detailed aftercare sheet?
You can then refer clients to it if they don't look after the hair correctly and it helps you stand your ground when they mess up and want a refund.

 

[Donnalm]

Which method did you use? In my training ive been told clients need to come back every 4 weeks for maintenance, for the likes of bonds/micro-rings/nanos, its to check for matting and to release any that have. 7 weeks is a long time for someone not to have them checked, id a client with micro rings in for 12 weeks before she came near me for maintenance and her hair was in a ball of matts, but i was firm in telling her it was her own fault

 

[Emm87]

I’m not hair, I’m Beauty, but I would have thought as soon as the client chemically treats their hair extensions, then surely from then on you are not responsible for any damage to the hair. Also, 7 weeks is far too long to get back to you, it is likely her aftercare (and dying them!!!!) has damaged the extensions.
I also highly doubt that another hairdresser has advised her to get your insurance details!
She’s at it. Do not refund, state that any refund is void as she dyed the extensions herself AFTER you fitted them. That’s all I would say, then cease contact. She doesn’t have a leg to stand on. You initially offered to remove them free of charge, she refused.
From now on, please get insurance and print detailed aftercare sheets to give to each client.

 

[Donnalm]

Get yourself insurance asap also. I used balens insurance when i started freelance for hair extensions

 

[giorgia]

Which method did you use? In my training ive been told clients need to come back every 4 weeks for maintenance, for the likes of bonds/micro-rings/nanos, its to check for matting and to release any that have. 7 weeks is a long time for someone not to have them checked, id a client with micro rings in for 12 weeks before she came near me for maintenance and her hair was in a ball of matts, but i was firm in telling her it was her own fault

I did micro Rings. She even left me a good review messaged last week saying it’s a bit matted it’s not my fault and I offered to help her out free of charge she said she wanted to keep them in and do anything she could until she could afford the weave

 

[Donnalm]

View attachment 206370
I did micro Rings. She even left me a good review messaged last week saying it’s a bit matted it’s not my fault and I offered to help her out free of charge she said she wanted to keep them in and do anything she could until she could afford the weave

It's her own fault then, definitely no refund, if you give her a refund you're admitting you done wrong when it clearly isn't your fault, she shouldn't have coloured them also.
I was told in my training that even though you installed them if another hairdresser touches them they now have to take responsibility for them, you're no longer liable for them

 

[RED STAR]

Always invest in quality training.....
As a priority on any training course, should be how to deal with situations like this.
Insure yourself....or do not work on the paying public!

You have to be EXCELLENT at what you do - regardless of what you are charging......
Folk will find fault if it is there - or not - and will come to you for compensation.
And alway's remember, they can 'smell' your fear.........

 

[meerubrooks]

If you don’t pay her - what can she exactly do?? She’d have to actually take you to court to get the money from you - which I doubt very much she would do
If she did take you to court you have all the evidence that you offere for help and remove the extensions when she complained - also the 7 weeks would be taken into consideration by the judge (she’s having a laugh leaving it that long) also the judge would clearly see that she’s just blackmailing you for money - ie if you don’t pay me I’ll go to trading standards
If I were you I’d just let her get in with what ever she thinks she can do - cause believe me she can’t do a lot!!

 

[giorgia]

If you don’t pay her - what can she exactly do?? She’d have to actually take you to court to get the money from you - which I doubt very much she would do
If she did take you to court you have all the evidence that you offere for help and remove the extensions when she complained - also the 7 weeks would be taken into consideration by the judge (she’s having a laugh leaving it that long) also the judge would clearly see that she’s just blackmailing you for money - ie if you don’t pay me I’ll go to trading standards
If I were you I’d just let her get in with what ever she thinks she can do - cause believe me she can’t do a lot!!

I haven’t refunded her and she’s been sending me a abusive messages now. Writing on my personal Facebook and sending me messages trying to break up my little family saying her friends told her my boyfriend hates me and is only with me because we have a 8month old so my boyfriends messaged the girl that’s apparently said this. I ignored her messages of her getting personal and blocked her from sending anymore. Apparently she goes on 4 day benders, doesn’t go home so clearly doesn’t brush her hair and that’s how it’s Become matted

 

[emilywithers]

If I were you, don't contact her and neither your boyfriend, stay professional (it could be detrimental). If it carries on, I would seek legal advice xx

 

[Sploo]

Ignore her, keep all her messages including the ones where she admits she dyed it the day of install, messed it up herself ( not your fault); loved it and also the personal insults. Asking for your insurance no is a way of scaring you into giving her what she wants, don’t fall for it. She doesn’t have a leg to stand on to make a claim so don’t worry about that. She didn’t look after them, got someone else to remove the before you could help her with aftercare so take back any offer of any kind and ignore her. If she wants to take you to court then tell her she is welcome to as she does not have a valid case. Call her bluff. She’s a bully don’t stand for it. People can see all your nice reviews and talk to clients who are happy with your work. Try not to worry xx