Help Me Howard: Bad Haircut

WSVN -- Everybody knows there are some things you just don't say to a woman like 'wow you look fat in that dress' or 'you sure look a lot older than that.' Something else you never do, never damage their hair.

Cecelia Driscoll: "My hair was a mess and I was crying."

Cecelia is in sales and likes to look her best, which is why she goes to a salon to get her hair done.

Cecelia Driscoll: "I had black hair and I wanted to look younger and I was told even by the stylist that if I go a little lighter that I would definitely look younger."

Cecelia had never been to the salon before. A friend had recommended it but near the end of her session she got a bad feeling.

Cecelia Driscoll: "I believe when she was doing the toner in my hair she realized that my hair was messed up. I do believe that."

She then looked in the mirror so did the stylist.

Cecelia Driscoll: "Cecelia look at me and she grabbed me by the face and she goes 'I am gonna fix it dont worry I am gonna fix it.'"

The good news Cecelias hair was a different color, the bad news more than one different color.

Cecelia Driscoll: "And this is black red and blonde roots OK, reddish blonde roots"

Cecelia was upset and left the salon without paying. The next morning the stylist called and told her to come in and they would fix it or they would call the police.

Cecelia Driscoll: "'Excuse me you are gonna call the police on me. Excuse me you should have the colorist police called on you.'"

Cecilia then went back to the salon where they said they could fix her hair if she paid for it before they finished.

Cecelia Driscoll: "And she showed me the amount and I couldnt believe it $286 and some change. I said 'for what for this' I said 'I am not paying it. I am not paying it.' And i just turned around and walked out."

Her hair style is not what she expected and Cecelia is not a happy woman.

Cecelia Driscoll: "I want it fixed I want the color that I want and I want it at no charge."

Well Howard, you arent satisfied with the job done on your hair legally what can you do?

Howard Finkelstein: "If you arent happy with a haircut or not satisfied with the color you chose there is nothing you can do and you have to pay. However, if they do something other than what you agreed upon, in other words instead of lightening it, they make it a different color, then they have to fix it or give you money to get it corrected somewhere else."

I then spoke to the salon owner who said it was a long process to lighten Cecelia's hair, that it took her stylist longer than expected, but that the owner would correct it herself in one more procedure if Cecelia paid. Cecelia told me she would not pay $286.

I am not the brightest guy in the world, but even I could tell neither woman really wanted to see the other again. The salon owner then agreed to not pursue Cecelia for the $286 and Cecelia agreed to pay another salon to fix her hair.

Everybody makes mistakes, but being in sales Cecelia says what amazed her the most is not the treatment of her hair, but the treatment of her.

Cecelia Driscoll: "If I had a dissatisfied customer I would bend over backwards to make sure they were completely satisfied because like I said thats how I get my referrals."

Patrick Fraser: "Of course the salon owner countered she learned something from this that from now on, customers will need to give a credit card before the treatment, so the salon does not lose any more money like they did with Cecelia. I think its a good thing that the two agreed to go their separate ways.

A hairy situation left you perm amentaly scarred? Dont wig out, let us get to the root of the problem. We arent stylists, but the law is cut and dried.

CONTACT HELP ME HOWARD:
EMAIL: helpmehoward@wsvn.com (Please include your contact phone number when emailing)
REPORTER: Patrick Fraser at pfraser@wsvn.com
MIAMI-DADE: 305-953-WSVN
BROWARD: 954-761-WSVN