Legal letter

[lee7smith]

I have been asked to write a letter about a stylist who is not qualified in colour. She has been ruining ladies hair and they have severe breakage and damage. They asked for my professional opinion as I have had to cut it all off and give treatments to help
I am unsure of what to write so can anyone help please ?? Thankyou

 

[CHarvey]

I have been asked to write a letter about a stylist who is not qualified in colour. She has been ruining ladies hair and they have severe breakage and damage. They asked for my professional opinion as I have had to cut it all off and give treatments to help
I am unsure of what to write so can anyone help please ?? Thankyou

If you really want to get involved then tread carefully. Only tell the facts, no opinions and enclose receipts of the services tge ladies received

 

[Baggybear]

I would think all you can do is write about the condition of the hair you saw and you can say what you feel caused it to be like that. I doubt you could say it was caused by 'Sid down the road' as you did not see that happen yourself.

If this letter is for a claim that a client is making then you could ask for her legal advisor or solicitors contact number to get advice from them on what exactly they want from you and then you will have to decide if you can provide that or not.

 

[eternalscot]

I would say out of it, you are putting yourself in a difficult position. I have been asked to do that a few times offered good money every time I refuse. You do not know what went on before during after the treatment and if you bad mouth your at risk if slander, keep away and leave it to the medical profession if it is permanent damage. Also the ones who have been looking to sue businesses have been the kind if people I would want little to do with, yes malpractice does occur but their doctor will deal with any "real" damage and insurance letters.

 

[Beansy]

Who has asked you to do this - a client or their solicitor?

If its the former, I would say that you've spoken to your insurance and they've advised that the solicitor should make a formal request for this. As it stands, you don't know the full circumstances and you don't know how they might use the letter.

If it is their solicitor, go back to them and ask for clarification on what is required & how it will be used.

To mitigate risk to yourself, deal directly with the solicitor as much as possible.

HTH

 

[Tomme]

I would steer clear. If their solicitor asks for it then keep it impersonal and only matter of fact. Keep your salon and your name out of it.
If the hair is falling apart from bleach damage for example, I would put "upon coming to myself x's hair due to misuse of bleaching agents was damaged with poor elasticity and over processed, further colouring services were not possible"
You aren't blaming anyone, or using names other than the person who wants the letter. The damage could have been caused by the person the self after visiting the salon so the above is quite safe. But unless a solicitor spoke to me I wouldn't help (and I definetley wouldn't help if it was a no win no fee company seeing as we are the new targets) xoxo

 

[LilMissEmmylou]

I would say out of it, you are putting yourself in a difficult position. I have been asked to do that a few times offered good money every time I refuse. You do not know what went on before during after the treatment and if you bad mouth your at risk if slander, keep away and leave it to the medical profession if it is permanent damage. Also the ones who have been looking to sue businesses have been the kind if people I would want little to do with, yes malpractice does occur but their doctor will deal with any "real" damage and insurance letters.

As a qualified hairdresser I would consider the OP a professional in her field and so she is well qualified to assess the condition of the hair. The client would be hard pushed to get a medical professional who deals with hair to see them and assess their hair IMO. This situation is very different from being slanderous? The OP can state the facts about what she can see and what she thinks caused it. I fail to see why anyone would advise her not to provide her professional opinion as it leaves the client unable to defend themselves properly against a possible botch job they have been subject to.

 

[eternalscot]

As a qualified hairdresser I would consider the OP a professional in her field and so she is well qualified to assess the condition of the hair. The client would be hard pushed to get a medical professional who deals with hair to see them and assess their hair IMO. This situation is very different from being slanderous? The OP can state the facts about what she can see and what she thinks caused it. I fail to see why anyone would advise her not to provide her professional opinion as it leaves the client unable to defend themselves properly against a possible botch job they have been subject to.

Because insurers are only interested in permanent damage, which a trigiolgist would be more suited to give! It's only an opinion about getting involved, but on the balance of experience and meeting these " will you write a report for court" I think it is naive getting involved. I refused £150 and have had no regrets, leave it to the medical profession and don't leave yourself open to recourse! Ofcourse feel free to ignore this too and have all the stress of lawyers, insurers and the client who you helped now that you are involved in the mess and a disgruntled professional who you really don't know the full story behind. Do what you like, but that stuff is not worth any amount of money to me, making enemies should be thought through carefully regardless of how crap you think they are!

 

[lee7smith]

Thankyou so much for all of your advise , I am going to speak to them today in regarding how any statement from me will be used . It's not for any insurance claims it is to build up evidence to why this stylist should leave the salon.

 

[AcidPerm]

Thankyou so much for all of your advise , I am going to speak to them today in regarding how any statement from me will be used . It's not for any insurance claims it is to build up evidence to why this stylist should leave the salon.

Whaaat? Definitely, leave well alone.

This sounds like there's more to it than meets the eye. If it was just a poor service performed by one stylist in a salon then the client should have spoken to the manager/owner and let them resolve the matter. Otherwise, the client can simply choose to take their business elsewhere.

I'd ask myself 'Why are they so determined to get someone sacked'?

That's not normal client behaviour to my mind and I'd be very wary about dealing with such a client.

Up to you, but I'd show her the door.

 

[lee7smith]

There is more to it really which i should of said o start with - apologies.. she is the owner and the building she works in don't wish to have her provide her services anymore.

 

[eternalscot]

I understand, but don't get involved in these underhand tactics. This stylist should have a clientele and whoever wants her out should be straight about it. Imagine if that was you, you would feel like others have plotted behind your back. Whoever wants rid of her should be directly speaking to the stylist. Sorry sound like a terrible position to be put in. I had a client who worked in an office and was asked to spy on the lad who sat next to her as apparently he's a drug dealer, she said no way she was not getting paid enough for that! Quite right!

 

[rachelt73]

So if I understand this correctly she is the owner of the salon who is trying to sack one of her employees/someone who rents a chair there who is not qualified in colour? If it were me, I'd leave well alone, it should be down to her to deal with her own disciplinary procedure and I'd be asking the question as to why she employed somebody who is unqualified and has willingly let them work on her clients to be honest Sounds like you don't know the full story and I'd be very wary of getting involved.

 

[becky30]

Is she a business owner but rents the building, and the landlord has a problem with her cos she is providing services she is not qualified to do and wants her out??
What has her business got to do with the landlord? Are you taking over the building once she has gone???
Sounds more to it than meets the eye!

 

[Tomme]

Keep out of it. Has she not got a contract in place be they self employed or employed? There would be a clause or atleast should be one for gross negligence or qualifications.
If the person is employed then its the owners fault 100% for not scrutiniseing the certificates. When I have been employed by a salon I offered my certificates at the interview stage. If they are self employed then the certificates should again be offered for viewing. As it happens I trained with my colleagues so had no need to, but anywhere else, it should be basic practice.

If it were me, keep out of it. Would you like a random hairdresser assessing your work and writing you a letter saying you shouldn't be working there.

But again, if its going down the legal route, state fact only. You still have to keep in mind that the client may have given false information during consultation, could have gone and added more colouring product at home, and you wouldn't want to be involved with someone's discipline if the client had done so xoxo