Seven things you didn’t know you could get compensation for up to £520 – from potholes to a bad haircut

THERE are few things more frustrating than not getting the service you paid for, or having to stump up extra cash when things go wrong. But whether it’s a shoddy haircut, a power cut, or hitting a pothole – there are plenty of everyday inconveniences Brits don’t realise they can get money back for. You may be able to get money back if you’re not happy with your haircut Credit: Alamy You can also claim if your car is damaged by potholes Credit: PA:Press Association It might seem like a faff, but some refunds take just minutes to apply for – and you could get up to £520. Here are seven things you probably didn’t know you could get compensation for: Sign up for the Money newsletter Thank you! Potholes Potholes can cause serious damage to your car – and you may be entitled to compensation if this happens. According to the RAC, average payouts for pothole damage were £390 in 2024. If your car or van has been damaged by a pothole and you think the local authority is at fault, you can claim money back to help cover the cost of repairs. The pothole will normally need to be at least 4cm deep in order to make a claim. Firstly, be sure to take a photo as soon as you can of the damage caused to your vehicle and the hole itself. You should then report the pothole to your local authority on their website. Most read in Money In order to claim, you’ll need to prove that it was the pothole that caused damage to your vehicle – you can ask your mechanic to put it in writing for you. The quickest way to make a claim is by using the council or authority’s claims process. This is called a “fast claim” and can be done by filling out a form on the council’s website and submitting your evidence. A bad haircut If you’ve gotten a botched haircut, you can ask for some money back. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, you can ask your hairdresser for a discount if you believe the service you’ve paid for hasn’t been carried out with “reasonable care and skill”. You must also give the business the option to fix the problem by doing your hair again – although this can’t always be done! However, if you told the hairdresser you were happy with the service at the time they did it, you lose your legal right to get it done again or get a discount. The same rules apply for other services such as home cleaners, painters and nail salons. Water shortages Households can usually get automatic compensation if they’ve been left without water. According to Citizens Advice, if water head pressure falls below of seven metres static head for an hour or more on at least two occasions in a 28-day period, you’re entitled to a payment or credit of £25. Only one payment of £25 can be made in any one financial year. Plus, no payment will be made if the fall in pressure is due to industrial action or not the fault of the water company. The water company should pay you this compensation automatically. Power cuts If your home is left without electricity or gas, you may be entitled to cash, depending on how long it lasted for. If there is a power cut affecting less than 5,000 homes and you are without power for more than 12 hours, you can get £95. You can get an extra £45 for each additional 12 hours you are left without power. For a power cut affecting more than 5,000 premises, you can get £95 if you’re left without supply for over 24 hours – and an extra £45 for every 12 hours after that. If your home or business is cut off more than four times in a year for at least three hours each time, you can get an extra £95. If you lose power because of a storm, you may also be entitled to compensation. For a category 1 storm, you can get £85 if your power has been cut off for 24 hours, and an extra £45 for every six hours afterwards, up to a maximum of £2,165. For a category 2 storm, You can get £85 if your power has been cut off for 48 hours. Broadband outages Under regulator rules, you can claim compensation if your broadband stops working after two full working days. Under Ofcom voluntary rules, which most major interenet providers are signed up to, you are entitled to £10.34 for each day it’s not in use after this time. If your broadband or landline service stops working, you will have to report the fault to your provider to start the process. If it’s not fixed after two full working days a compensation payment will automatically be made, you don’t need to chase your provider for it. Compensation should be issued 30 calendar days after a delayed start of resolved (or service is cancelled), after the loss of service is resolved or after the date of the missed appointment. Delayed flights Under UK law, airlines have to provide compensation if your flight arrives at its destination more than three hours late. If you’re flying to or from the UK, the company must let you choose either a refund or an alternative flight. You may be entitled to a refund of up to £520 for flight delays with a UK or EU airline, according to Money Saving Expert. However, you may not be entitled to a refund if the flight was cancelled due to reasons beyond the airline’s control, such as extreme weather or strikes. If you can’t claim compensation directly through the airline, your travel insurance may refund you. You can claim for any delayed flights you took in the last six years – or five in Scotland. Delayed trains If your train is delayed – even for as little as 15 minutes – you may be entitled to some money back. How much you will get depends on the company you are travelling with, but all rail providers offer some form of compensation. According to National Rail, you will need to request compensation directly from your train company. Claims can be made online, or by post using a form that you can download from a train company website or get from a staffed station. You can also use Delay Repay to get compensation more easily, as it tracks your train automatically and tells you what you’re entitled to. Again, you’ll normally need to do this on the company’s website. Comment now