Dissatisfied with the work of a barber/hairstylist

Important to know 

• You can always raise the issue if you are dissatisfied with your treatment or procedure. 

• If you agree on a price before the haircut, that price is the price you should pay, unless you have added additional services after that. 

• If the results are poor or you are harmed by the procedure, be sure to take photographs and document it. 

Complain if you are dissatisfied with the results

Are you dissatisfied after you visited a hairdresser? Did the hairdresser not do what you had agreed upon? Then you can argue that the service was faulty. Sometimes the result isn't exactly what you were expecting, but that doesn't have to mean that the work wasn't executed correctly. However, you should always be able to expect that the treatment is done in a professional manner and in dialogue with you.

If you believe that the service was faulty:

• Start by documenting the fault. For example by taking photos.

• Speak to the salon and explain that you are dissatisfied with the result. Do this immediately or at the earliest opportunity. Otherwise, it may be difficult for you to substantiate what has happened. Contact the salon in writing, for example by e-mail.

As a first measure, the hairdresser should rectify the situation. The hairdresser should be offered two attempts to redo the work. 

If it's not possible for the hairdresser to rectify the situation, for example if you asked for the ends to be cut and the hairdresser cut far more without consulting you, you can ask for a price reduction.

The possibility of going to another hairdresser 

In a situation where the cutting/styling/colouring treatment has not been done in a professional manner and the hairdresser has shown a lack of competence, for example by damaging your hair, you do not have to go back to the same hairdresser. You can instead go to a different hairdresser to rectify the problem and then after that claim compensation from the original hairdresser for the extra expense you have incurred. 

Disagreement over the price 

If you and the hairdresser have agreed on a price before the session, the hairdresser cannot ask for more money after the service has been provided. This applies whether the agreement was made verbally or in writing. 

Your obligation is to pay a fair and reasonable amount 

If you did not agree on a price before the procedure or you cannot establish that you agreed on a price, you will be obligated to pay what the hairdresser wants to charge. However the amount must be reasonable based on the services you have received and on what other similar hairdressers charge for the same services. 

If you don’t think the price is fair and reasonable, you can dispute it. 

In the event of added work, the amount due may be increased 

If while the hairdresser is working on your hair you agree with the hairdresser to have some additional work done, i.e. more than you originally agreed upon, you may be obligated to pay for the additional work. For instance, during shampooing you also accept the offer of a revitalizing and moisturizing hair treatment. 

Different prices for men’s and women’s haircuts 

It is not legally permissible to have different prices based on gender. However, it is permissible to charge different prices for different lengths of hair, or to charge based on how long a treatment or procedure takes. 

Submit a complaint to the Swedish Consumer Agency 

If in your opinion the salon has given you unclear or false and misleading price information, you can report this to the Swedish Consumer Agency. However, the submission a complaint will not resolve your individual case. 

Submit a complaint to the Swedish Consumer Agency 

Cancelling an appointment or exercising a right of withdrawal for a treatment or procedure 

Right of withdrawal when booking remotely 

When you make a booking remotely, the Act on Distance Contracts and Off-Premises Contracts will apply and you have the right to cancel the booking without charge within 14 days. No matter how close to the date you cancel the booking, the salon will not be entitled to charge you for cancelling.  

For the Act on Distance Contracts and Off-Premises Contracts to be relevant and applicable, your booking must have been made using the salon’s system for remote bookings, for example using the salon’s own online booking system or a specific telephone number for bookings. This is because the statute requires that in order for the right of withdrawal to be applicable there must be an organised booking system.  

For example, unless the salon usually uses social media to receive bookings, if you book your appointment by texting to the salon via social media, you have no right of withdrawal. 

Cancelling the appointment for the procedure 

Even if you do not have a statutory right of withdrawal, you can still cancel the appointment for the procedure. But keep in mind in such case there is no guarantee you will receive a refund of any amounts paid.

The salon has the right to charge a cancellation fee. The charge may be equal to the cost the salon incurred due to your cancelling the booking. It may even occur that the cancellation fee is the same amount as the procedure, in the situation where you cancel at the last minute and the salon is unable to find another customer for your booked time. 

If you have been injured at the hairdresser 

If the hairdresser has caused an injury that has resulted in you incurring extraordinary expenses, you can demand compensation. For instance, you may be entitled to compensation for having suffered an allergic reaction or burn injury as a result of the treatment, and have incurred expenses for medical treatment or medication.

In such a situation, contact the hairdresser, by e-mail if that works for you, and explain what you are claiming compensation for. Attach receipts or similar evidence of the expenses you have incurred as a result of the injury. 

If you want to claim compensation for pain and suffering, you should contact a lawyer for guidance. 

Report an injury you have suffered 

If you have suffered an injury, such as an allergic reaction or a burn, you can submit a complaint to the Swedish Consumer Agency. Filing a complaint with the Swedish Consumer Agency does not mean that a remedy for your individual case, but your complaint may help others by bringing the problem to the attention of the Swedish Consumer Agency. 

Report an injury to the Swedish Consumer Agency 

If you suspect that the product used by the hairdresser contains dangerous substances, you can file a complaint with the Swedish Medical Products Agency.

File a complaint with the Swedish Medical Products Agency (In Swedish)

If you have been injured by adhesive tape used for loose hair, you can inform the Swedish Chemicals Agency. 

Inform the Swedish Chemicals Agency 

If you and the barber/hairstylist have a disagreement you cannot resolve 

If you and the hairdresser cannot reach an agreement, you can file a complaint to the public authority the National Board for Consumer Disputes (ARN). ARN can examine the dispute if the cost of the hairdresser’s services exceeded SEK 500. 

When you want to file a complaint with ARN, it is advisable to have documented the problem and taken pictures that clearly show the nature of the problem. 

Even if the work is done professionally, the procedure may be in error because it is not what you had originally discussed and agreed to. In such case, you will need to be able to prove that you and the hairdresser had an agreement.

If you have been injured by the procedure, a medical certificate showing this will assist your case. 

It costs SEK 150 to file a complaint with ARN.

Submit a complaint on ARN's website