Tattoo refund query

UKTigerlily

I'm not sure if this is the right place for this, so apologies if not and please feel free to move it!

So, basically I paid £350 for a 7hr day sitting to get tattooed, this apparently is 7 actual hours of tattooing (not including drawing it up etc).

The Tattooist wasn't well, so we finished early and he worked out that he'd tattooed me for 4 hours - which I don't agree with as I timed it all, but accept - and so owed me three hours of tattooing

I booked another full day, which I had to cancel as my dog needed surgery at the same time as my cat was diagnosed with CKD and so I had to pay for her consultations, food and diagnostic tests etc and just didn't have the money to prioritise getting a tattoo!

Now i've tried to rebook, and been told if I cancel again i'll lose the £150 owed (that was used as a deposit for the next session as it was pointless to pay the £20 deposit when they already had my money iyswim)

My point is, I paid £350 for 7hrs of tattooing. I got 4 hours. Therefore 3hrs surely are owed regardless of if I cancel or not (nothing was said to me about if I cancelled i'd lose it, at the time of them saying to use that to hold the next session, or I would've asked for a refund and paid a £20 deposit as I can't lose £150!

Now, I don't know what to do. I don't feel I can go back there as it feels extremely uncomfortable and i'm upset (plus on the day I wasn't feeling they were too professional, but that isn't relevant here). I also had concerns over the tattoo plus an allergy to another they did (NOT their fault, but no concern was shown when I told them, they didn't ask if it cleared up/affected the tattoo/how bad it was etc nothing)

They are great artists and people, but I think £150 is a lot of money and I don't want them to keep it if they legally can't as I paid it in return for a service I didn't get. I suggested that I get it refunded, and then would pay £20 or more out of the refund as a non refundable deposit for the next session, and got told 'that's great, drop in with it and we'll book that' when I clearly said REFUND the £150 and then i'd pay a normal sized deposit.

Any advice? Are they right that they can keep it, even though they didn't provide the service? I did try to book to finish the job but won't do that when told i'd lose the money if I didn't turn up. Normal deposits you don't lose so long as you cancel in time, so why would I?! Should I just let them keep it and walk away? Whenever i've been in a customer service job we've done all we can to make the client happy and there are so many things here but this is the issue right now. If they can keep it, i'll apologise and accept that. But on the chance that they can't, I want it back. Sorry it was long, thanks to any who read this far!

burlington6

If you think £150 is alot of money is it wise to spend £350 on a tattoo?

Faith177

My tattooist has the same policy cancel once no problems cancel twice you lose your deposit.

You have to remember most tattooists only make money when they are actually tattooing so if they clear a whole day to put you in then you cancel at the last minute unless they are really lucky on walk ins they won't earn anything that day as they aren't paid by the hour plus some have to pay a fee to rent their chair ect so they have to protect themselves

nomoneytoday

I agree with the tattooist - you cancel twice, then lose your deposit.

bris

He owes you 3 hours but you have to remember you made a contract to go back and get those 3 hours and you cancelled. As it was a full day you cancelled technically you owe for 4 hours.


Your getting a second chance for free, so why are they in the wrong?

UKTigerlily

burlington6 wrote: »

If you think £150 is alot of money is it wise to spend £350 on a tattoo?

People spend on things they think are a lot of money daily don't they? A new car would be a lot of money, so would a holiday etc. And back then I had more than enough, right now months and months and months later I have a terminally ill cat and am unwell too. But I still think both are a lot of money regardless of how much I have

UKTigerlily

bris wrote: »

He owes you 3 hours but you have to remember you made a contract to go back and get those 3 hours and you cancelled. As it was a full day you cancelled technically you owe for 4 hours.


Your getting a second chance for free, so why are they in the wrong?

Apparently you don't owe for 4hrs because if cancelled in lots of time, there is no charge, especially as it rebooked within hours. That's not my rules, it's how it is. Apparently the charge is only if cancelled last minute so they have no time to rebook. Deposits are £20 and that I don't mind losing, £150 is a lot lot more than that. That's why i'm confused, I totally understand a second booking being cancelled would lose a deposit, but that's £20 not this much

wealdroam

UKTigerlily wrote: »

That's why i'm confused, I totally understand a second booking being cancelled would lose a deposit, but that's £20 not this much

What's confusing?

It really is quite simple... just make sure you don't cancel again.

unholyangel

Is it really wise to get a different tattooist to finish your tattoo? Tattoo artists can have different styles and you may struggle to find one that is willing (never mind able) to complete a tattoo that another artist has started.

Sorry to be blunt but when allowing someone to permanently mark you with ink, the time for doing research on their skills/professionalism is before they start inking.

Although not entirely sure what you mean by them not being too professional.

How many tattoos do you have already? Just asking as one or two things you've said strike me as someone who doesn't have any/much experience with tattoo artists.

arcon5

No different than if you cancelled a taxi already at the airport waiting for you. Or the dentist 10 mins before your appointment etc.

You are paying for time as much as anything. A 3hr slot reserved for you.

UKTigerlily

Thanks all. If I cancel a taxi and know they take the deposit i'd have no worries at all, same as if this place had told me I could either put a £20 deposit down *or* use my £150 but if I did and had to cancel, would lose the lot (in which case i'd've put the £20 down)

Of course usually a second cancellation means losing the deposit, but I hadn't been told the whole lot would be used as it was said as I already had that with them, no need to put the £20. I didn't think they'd take more than £20 if cancelled.

I have about 12-13 tattoos now, this is the 4th from this place. I did research them and they are a good place with great people. The 3 I have from another artist i've had no trouble at all with.

I also didn't cancel 10 minutes before, I cancelled well before and due to emergencies. If they'd said even that they had to take £50 i'd have no issue, but I do think they should've made it clear that if I didn't put the £20 deposit instead, i'd be using the £150 as a full one. It was made to seem that there'd be no point putting £20 as they already held £150, but I thought deposits were £20 and i'd lose £20. Not that that explains it well I know! (Also, it was rebooked)

If someone else finished, they'd be doing their own thing on blank skin all but a tiny bit that is already outlined and just needs black shading as he hadn't drawn on any outline. Usually the stencil is on but this is the first i'd had drawn on and so I assumed that's how it went and he'd add the rest later (which I think is the plan too). Should be pretty simple to be finished by another though, if they are willing.

Anyway, I have all the info I need so ty all for replying. It's cleared it up for me and i'll just let it go and learn from it x