Complaints Handling Policy
We take every complaint seriously, and we'll tell you exactly what happens next
If something about your nano ring extensions, clip-ins, aftercare products, or your experience with hairisland.co.uk hasn't met your expectations, we want to hear about it. This page sets out, in plain English, how to raise a complaint, how quickly we'll respond, how we escalate unresolved issues, and where to turn for independent help if you're still not satisfied.
What counts as a complaint, and how we handle it
A complaint is any expression of dissatisfaction about a product you've bought from hairisland.co.uk, an order, a delivery, or your experience dealing with us, where you feel we haven't got something right. Raising a complaint costs you nothing, will never affect your statutory rights, and will always be looked at fairly and objectively by a real person — not an automated system.
Nano ring extension complaints
Concerns about bead slippage, discomfort at the scalp, a nano ring not matching your confirmed shade, hair shedding excessively soon after fitting, or a strand quality issue you believe falls below what was described.
Clip-in extension complaints
Concerns about a clip weft arriving loose, weighty or uneven, colour that doesn't match the swatch you ordered against, or a set that doesn't hold securely once fitted as instructed in our after care guide.
Aftercare & product complaints
Concerns about a faulty pump on a sulfate-free shampoo or conditioner, a damaged brush or storage case on arrival, an unexpected skin or scalp reaction, or a product that seems different from its listing.
Delivery & courier complaints
Concerns about a late, missing or damaged parcel, an item delivered to the wrong address, or packaging that arrived in poor condition — even where a third-party courier was responsible for carrying your order.
Billing & order-handling complaints
Concerns about being charged an incorrect amount, a discount code not applying, a refund you believe is overdue, or how a member of our Customer Care team handled your enquiry.
Website, listing & advertising complaints
Concerns that a product description, price, shade guide or promotional claim on hairisland.co.uk, or on our social media channels, is inaccurate, unclear or potentially misleading.
How to raise a complaint with us
You can raise a complaint with Hair Island in whichever way is easiest for you. There's no special form you have to use, and you'll never be charged for making a complaint.
By email
Email hello@hairisland.co.uk with "Complaint" in the subject line. This is the quickest way to reach our Customer Care team directly, and gives you a written record of everything you've told us.
By live chat
Use the live chat widget on hairisland.co.uk during our support hours below to speak with a member of the team in real time. If your complaint needs further investigation, we'll follow up by email so you have a written reference.
By post
Write to us at Hair Island Limited, 19-20 Bourne Court, Southend Road, Woodford Green, Essex, IG8 8HD, United Kingdom, marked for the attention of Customer Care. Please allow extra time for postal correspondence to reach us and for our reply to reach you.
What to include so we can help you faster
- Your order number and the email address used to order
- Which product(s) or part of your experience the complaint relates to
- A clear description of what happened and when
- Photos or a short video, where the complaint concerns a product's condition
- What outcome you're hoping for, so we can consider it properly
What happens once you've raised a complaint
Every complaint is logged, reviewed by a member of our team, and tracked through to a resolution. Here's the sequence you can expect.
We acknowledge your complaint within 48 hours
You'll receive a written acknowledgement, usually by email, confirming we've received your complaint, along with a reference for it. This acknowledgement doesn't mean the matter is resolved — it simply confirms we're looking into it.
We investigate, aiming to conclude within 7 working days
A member of our Customer Care team will review your order history, correspondence, and any photos or evidence you've provided. For most complaints, we aim to complete this within 7 working days. Where a complaint is more complex — for example, it requires a quality check on a returned product — this may take up to 14 working days, and we'll let you know if that's the case.
We tell you our decision and offer a resolution
We'll write to you confirming the outcome of our investigation and the resolution we're offering — which may include a repair, replacement, full or partial refund, a goodwill gesture, an apology, or a change to how we do things. We'll always explain our reasoning clearly.
If you're not satisfied, you can ask us to escalate
If you don't feel your complaint has been resolved fairly, let us know and we'll move it to the next stage of our escalation process, set out below.
Our internal escalation process
If our first response doesn't resolve things, your complaint doesn't end there. Here's how it moves through our business, and the maximum time we'd expect the whole process to take.
Customer Care team
Your complaint is first handled by our frontline Customer Care team, who will acknowledge it within 48 hours and aim to resolve it within 7 working days.
Senior review
If you ask us to look again, a senior member of our team who wasn't involved in the original decision will review your complaint afresh and respond within a further 5 working days.
Final response
If we can't reach an agreement, we'll issue a final written response confirming our position, and set out your options for independent help, no later than 8 weeks after you first complained.
If you're still unhappy after our final response
We hope our internal process resolves things, but you're never obliged to accept our final response if you disagree with it. UK consumer law gives you several independent, impartial routes to pursue a complaint further.
Independent guidance and Alternative Dispute Resolution
Hair Island is not currently registered with a specific Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) provider. This means we're not obliged to use ADR to settle a dispute, and you're not obliged to use it either — but the option remains available to you at any time, and we won't refuse to engage with a certified ADR provider you choose to approach.
Citizens Advice consumer service
Free, independent guidance on your consumer rights and how to word a complaint. Visit citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer or call their consumer helpline.
Trading Standards
Your local authority Trading Standards service can investigate unfair trading practices. Reports are coordinated via Citizens Advice and the Chartered Trading Standards Institute.
Certified ADR providers
A full list of ADR bodies approved by UK Trading Standards is published on gov.uk, should you wish to pursue independent adjudication.
If a product safety concern is involved — for example, a reaction to an aftercare product or a fault you consider dangerous — you can also report it to the Office for Product Safety and Standards. As a last resort, unresolved disputes over goods or services can also be taken to the small claims track of the county court via Money Claim Online.
Making a complaint never affects your statutory rights
Regardless of how we resolve your complaint, your rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 remain fully protected. If a product is faulty, not as described, or not of satisfactory quality, you may be entitled to a repair, replacement, price reduction or refund — separate from, and in addition to, this complaints process.
The UK law behind this policy
This Complaints Handling Policy has been written to comply with the following active UK legislation and regulatory guidance.
What governs how we handle your complaint
- Consumer Rights Act 2015
- Sets the quality, fitness-for-purpose and description standards your products must meet, and the repair, replacement, price-reduction and refund remedies available if they don't.
- Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008
- Prohibits misleading or aggressive commercial practices and underpins our commitment to accurate product listings and honest handling of complaints.
- Alternative Dispute Resolution for Consumer Disputes Regulations 2015
- Requires us to tell you about ADR options once our internal process is exhausted, and to be clear about whether we're obliged to use them — as set out above.
- Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013
- Requires us to give clear pre-contract information about how to contact us and raise concerns before you complete a purchase.
- Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024
- Strengthens fair-trading enforcement for UK online retailers, including honest presentation of reviews, pricing and complaint-handling commitments.
- General Product Safety Regulations 2005
- Requires us to treat safety-related complaints about physical products — such as extensions, brushes or aftercare items — with particular urgency and, where appropriate, to report them.
- UK GDPR & Data Protection Act 2018
- Governs how we store and use the personal information you give us when raising a complaint, solely to investigate and resolve it and to improve our service.
- Electronic Commerce (EC Directive) Regulations 2002
- Requires us to provide clear, accessible contact details so you can reach us about an order or a complaint at any stage.
A few specific scenarios, answered
What if my complaint is about an allergic reaction to a product?
Stop using the product immediately and, if needed, seek medical advice. Then contact us with your order number, the batch details from the packaging if available, and photos of the reaction. We treat safety-related complaints as a priority and will investigate promptly. Serious safety concerns can also be reported to the Office for Product Safety and Standards.
Will making a complaint affect my ability to return or cancel my order?
No. Raising a complaint runs entirely separately from your cancellation rights and our Refund Policy. You can still cancel an order within the statutory 14-day cooling-off period, or return an eligible item within our 30-day returns window, regardless of whether you've also raised a complaint about it.
What if my complaint is about a courier, not Hair Island directly?
As the retailer you contracted with, we remain responsible for making sure your order arrives as expected, even where a third-party courier handled delivery. Tell us what happened and we'll take it up with the courier on your behalf — you don't need to contact them yourself.
How do you use the information I give you in a complaint?
We only use the details you share to investigate and resolve your complaint, and to help us identify recurring issues so we can improve our products and service. Full details of how we handle personal data are set out in our Privacy Policy.
What if I haven't heard back within the times stated here?
If you haven't heard from us within the timeframes set out on this page, please email hello@hairisland.co.uk quoting your original complaint reference, and we'll chase this up for you and treat it as a priority.
Company details & how to reach us
Hair Island Limited
Hair Island is the trading name of Hair Island Limited, the company you're contracting with when you place an order, and the correct entity to address any complaint or written notice to.
| Company number | 16790985 |
| VAT number | GB522646694 |
Registered address:
19-20 Bourne Court, Southend Road, Woodford Green, Essex, IG8 8HD, United Kingdom
| Monday – Friday | 09:00 – 17:00 |
| Weekend & bank holidays | Closed |
The rest of our policies, in one place
Last updated and effective from 6 September 2026. Hair Island is a trading name of Hair Island Limited (company no. 16790985, VAT GB522646694), 19-20 Bourne Court, Southend Road, Woodford Green, Essex, IG8 8HD, United Kingdom.