One of Canberra’s premier barbers is urging customers seeking quality haircuts to do their research amid concerns around the training standards of barbers across the ACT.

Dan Gaitau, owner of Locker Room Barber Shop, said he believes the quality and training of barbers in Canberra are slipping, not due to the quality of training available, but rather to the level of qualification that’s actually required to professionally cut hair.

“In Canberra, you don’t actually have to be qualified to run a shop,” Mr Gaitau said.

“For people to get an affordable haircut, it means that they’re bypassing completely anyone who’s trained. A lot of the barbers representing the industry, especially here in Canberra, aren’t the best, but they’re the most affordable.

“If you’ve got two or three kids, you’re spending hundreds of dollars on haircuts, that’s not always possible; therefore, you’ve got to go somewhere that’s more affordable.”

Mr Gaitau said the difference between a barber who has been properly trained and one who is not is night and day, with qualified barbers giving customers not only better trims, but a more comfortable experience in the chair.

Mr Gaitau said the barber industry is at a crossroads and that fixing the problem isn’t as easy as just showing off qualifications.

“I’ve been cutting for 17 years now, and there were a lot of barber shops that would actually put fake certificates on the wall,” he said.

“I think there needs to be more responsibility placed on the barbers themselves by the consumer.

“If the person who has had their haircut isn’t happy with the results, they shouldn’t have to pay for it.

“In my opinion, it’s no different to seeing a doctor. If you see a doctor, you should be able to trust that they can do the job without needing to show off their qualifications.”

Mr Gaitau said that people getting their haircuts should have a relationship with the barbers who cut their hair.

“People should do their research and give feedback on their experiences. It helps everyone,” he said.

“If you don’t like a haircut, it doesn’t make sense to go back and pay for another one by the same people in the future.

“Not enough people are going on to companies’ review processes and actually holding them to account.

“If we see more of that, you’re more likely to see barbers look for ways of improving and standing out, and a big way of doing that is getting the proper qualifications.”