Advanced Hair Studios Mistake?

[craston]

Dear all,

 

I'm a new user, unfortunately finding the forum after already visiting and booking a course at Advanced Hair Studios.

 

I'm in my 30s and suffer from a receding hairline. It got rather noticeable over the past 6 months so I wanted to do something about it.

 

I visited them a few days ago with only of the intention of having the free consultation and then making my mind up later. Unfortunately, I wasn't that strong.

 

I was given the the same introduction and very persuasive talk as everyone else on here. Embarrassingly, I fell for it as I wasn't in the best frame of mind to be more firm with them and have been very fragile over the whole situation of my hair loss as it's recently started to become more severe

Their "salesman" recommended me a 6 month laser treatment therapy. He told me that's all I would need to stop the loss and get the regrowth I need. This is probably what won me over - being "reassured" that this would be the solution to all my problems. But when it came to signing the contract, he quickly ran through it and it quite clearly stated there are no guarantees that it will help.

I feel like such an idiot and rather abused and humiliated after my moment of weakness.

 

I paid a 50% deposit of ?1400 GBP on credit card and booked in for my first laser treatment in 2 weeks time. They already gave me the shampoos, serum and pills to take away with me.

 

The whole place just looked rather amateurish but I still cannot believe that I fell for it all.

I have been too embarrasses to discuss it with anyone and now I don't know where to turn.

 

I called my credit card company to see if I could block the transaction but I'm not sure if they will be willing to help. After all, I signed a contact.

 

The cancellation clauses are ridiculous. There is a extra 20% charge of the total cost (which would be ?2800 GBP) on top of the 50% already paid, BEFORE any treatment has taken place!! Surely, some organisation would be able to help as this is criminal.

 

What should I do and what are the legal options available to me? This contract looks a shambles and I would question whether it would be legally binding, given the unfair cancellation clauses.

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

Chris

[1966kph]

Hello Cranston.

If you have look on line I'm sure you will find a solicitor that specialises in health care industry litigation and I would suggest contacting one of them to see were you stand.

You may get all or part or non of your money back but you need to take advice just don't spend a fortune on solicitor's.

I hope this helps.

Let us know how you get on.

Have a nice day.

[craston]

Has anyone found themselves in such a position with AHS or a similar organisation before, and at this early stage in the process too?

 

I've just checked and they've already deducted the 50% deposit from my account - it only took them 1 business day!

[1966kph]

There was a dude on here not long ago who was in the UK he had a ht with miserable results paid for by credit card.

I may be remembering this wrong but I believe he got all his money back due to paying with the credit card I think the bank sorted it out.

Do a site search its only within the last month or two.

Hope this helps you out.

I may also be mistaken on this but are consumers in the UK meant to be entitled to a 7 or 14 day cooling off period were you can pull out?

Have a good day

[craston]

Yes, I l thought there would be some cooling off period (at least 7, at the most 28 or 30 days). It's supposed to be some EU consumer law.

 

I suppose speaking to a solicitor would help with this. It's just that most solicitors charge around 200 an hour so it might not be worth it if he just turns around and says I don't have a case.

 

Can anyone give any further info on the present status and personal feeling of AHS. I have read many topics on here in the past 2 days (some dating back to 2007). Has anything changed since then? Has their reputation improved at all? Am I blowing it all out of proportion and should I at least try the treatment first, to see if it MIGHT work for me? When I say "work", I mean that I want to see restoration in my hairline. The sales agent told me I would and wouldn't need anything further after a 6 month course. But from what I've read on here, there are even AHS "professionals" commenting that the laser therapy can do nothing for hairline restoration.

[hairisimportant]

Craston,

 

I had a consultation with them before i choose Dr.Pathuri Madhu. From the moment i stepped inside AHS, i felt it is not very good. They told like for me laser therapy would do and if at all it is not working out then they can do a strand by strand surgery and the cost per graft is Rs.75!! which is way too high.

 

I told them i will decide and come back. They tried to contact me and asked if i am ready and when i said the cost is too much they tried to negotiate which i believe is truly "Business motive". This made me decide against them. And il not recommend any one to go to AHS.

 

Hope you find a way to get some help with your money and treatment.

[JoeTillman]

Call your credit card company and cancel the transaction. Even if it is outside of the cooling off period the credit card company will still consider your case. If it is within the cooling off period then the laser company has absolutely no recourse. For online purchases it is two weeks but in person may be different. Call your credit card company and speak to them about it. Now.

[1966kph]

If it was going to work for everyone they would give a garuntee which they don't in fact you have to sign to say that you understand that it might not work.

If you have to see or consult a solicitor there may be a no win no fee one.

And if one of these is prepared to fight your case its because its because the verdict is a forgone conclusion.

First as Joe said contact your card company and take it from there but don't dilly dally.

Good luck.

Have a nice day.

[Postdoc]

There was a dude on here not long ago who was in the UK he had a ht with miserable results paid for by credit card.

I may be remembering this wrong but I believe he got all his money back due to paying with the credit card I think the bank sorted it out.

Do a site search its only within the last month or two.

Hope this helps you out.

I may also be mistaken on this but are consumers in the UK meant to be entitled to a 7 or 14 day cooling off period were you can pull out?

Have a good day

 

Sadly, the 'cooling off' period applies to distance sales where the transaction is done on-line and/or without face-to-face contact. Signing a contract implies that the buyer has checked all the small print and generally considered carefully before signing. You might be able to argue your case on the basis that you were mislead by the AHS salesman and/or that the contract is unfair. The Citizens Advice Bureau might have a lawyer offering free legal advice. But it's certainly worth speaking with your card company to see what they suggest. As regards the laser therapy that AHS advertise, it's been doing the rounds for years and the evidence that it does any good is slim. You'd be far better off trying Minoxidil and Propecia.

[Garageland]

As postdoc says a cooling off period of 7-14 days is only applicable if verbal contract over the phone or it was signed in your own home, the latter was put into effect in the UK to stop door to door salesmen preying on the vunerable.

 

You can try to cancel the transaction with cc company by saying it was done under pressure. You could try to contact AHS studios and appeal to their better nature by asking directly for a refund. I can't imagine this one if going to be worth fighting with a lawyer as I am sure it has been challenged before.

 

I was duped by this company many years ago when I fell for their strand by strand technique to the tune of ?1000 which was a real lot of money back in 1995.

 

Good luck and keep us updated in how you get on.