Court case filed against Karachi beauty salon for refusing to return money

• A man approaches consumer protection court in Karachi to file case against a beauty salon 
• The salon charged advance payment but did not provide bridal makeup services to the petitioner's daughter due to lockdown
• Salon refused to return the advance when the petitioner approached it
• Up-scale salons in Karachi usually charge Rs20,000 to Rs50,000 for bridal makeup

KARACHI: A court case has been filed against a beauty salon located in Karachi's Zamzama area after the salon took advance payment from a client and refused to return it without providing any services. 

According to the petition filed at the Consumer Protection Court, South, the petitioner's daughter was about to get married before the COVID-19 lockdown and booked the salon's bridal makeup services.

Read more: Coronavirus: Karachi administration takes action against salons for operating despite closure orders

The petitioner, who is the bride's father, said the beauty salon took payment in advance, but was shut down because of the coronavirus lockdown earlier this year. 

As a result, the petitioner's daughter could not get her makeup done from the salon on her wedding day and the family also opted for a simple affair given the situation.

When the petitioner approached the salon and demanded it return the payment to him since the salon did not provide any services to his daughter, the salon refused to pay back the amount.

"The owners of the salon told us they would not return the payment at any cost," the petitioner said. "When my daughter did not get her makeup done from the salon, then what are they charging us for?"

Related:  The ugliness within beauty salons

The petitioner also claimed that the salon staff misbehaved with him when he demanded the money back, adding that legal action must be taken against the salon for violating consumers' rights.

Upon hearing the petition, the Consumer Protection Court, South, has asked the salon to submit a response to the petition. 

The salon asked the court for an extension upon which the court directed it to submit a response by January 7, 2021.

It should be noted that depending on the area and reputation of the salon, the charges for bridal makeup range from Rs20,000 to Rs50,000. This is often exclusive of waxing, henna application, body massages, and hair treatments.

Read this too: COVID-19: Punjab issues SOPs for salons, gyms and barber shops