Consumer rights explained: A tattoo studio cancelled my booking twice. Can I get my deposit back?
Q: Last November, I paid a €75 deposit when booking an appointment for a tattoo at a reputable studio nearby. On the morning of my appointment, 10 December, the tattoo artist texted me to cancel. We rescheduled for 20 December, but she cancelled again, this time a couple of days in advance. Because it was so close to Christmas at that point, we agreed that I would call back in the new year to book another appointment.
However, after thinking it over, I’m not confident that any further appointment won’t be cancelled again. I liked this tattoo artist’s work, so I’m not interested in booking with someone else in the studio.
I’ve called the studio three times about getting my deposit back, but it’s ignoring my calls. I paid my deposit through my digital bank’s app, but the bank said it couldn’t help when I called about a refund.
Is there anything else I can do when the service I booked has been cancelled twice?
Maria, Limerick
Maria, it’s frustrating to have a service cancelled twice through no fault of your own.
When you paid your deposit, you entered a service contract with the tattoo studio. This covered details such as the total price, the type of tattoo, who would provide the service and when it would be provided.
From your question, the studio was unable to provide the service on the agreed date (10 December). You gave the business additional time to provide the service when you agreed to a new appointment on 20 December.
However, since the business still couldn’t provide the service on the second date, you’re entitled under the Consumer Rights Act to terminate the service contract for a full refund if you wish. The business may argue that you changed your mind about the service (and so refuse to return your deposit), but you are entitled to claim that, after the business cancelled two appointments, you lost confidence in its ability to provide the service within a reasonable time.
Since your phone calls to the studio haven’t been successful and your digital bank has said that it can’t provide a refund, your next step is to contact the studio in writing to request a refund of your deposit. Include a timeline and evidence of the appointments and cancellations and outline your rights when a service isn’t provided within an agreed period. You can get information on your consumer rights and how to complain from the CCPC website.
The studio must refund you within 14 days of being told that you want to terminate the contract. If you’re not happy with its response to your written request, you can apply to recover the deposit through the small claims procedure, which is available for claims of up to €2,000. Bear in mind though that the application fee is €25 – if your claim is successful, you will only be getting a refund of €50.
Originally published in the Sunday Independent on 8 February 2026: Your questions answered on Irish consumer rights | Irish Independent
