Um, no. If she’s going to charge you for walk-ins, that has to be disclosed prior to the service being performed. She can’t arbitrarily decide to charge you after-the-fact. The book best situated to inform her would be (Salon Ownership & Management: The Definitive Guide to the Professional Beauty Business). You also shouldn’t be using their name and branding–ever. You’re your own business. I recommend reading this post if you haven’t already. It will help you better understand (and verbalize) your rights.

I have a similar situation, my salon owner charges me $120/3 days wk of using her bed for lash extensions. When we get a 1st time client/walk in, with no one else avail to do her services I was allowed to step in to work on her. The last minute I was told it was a 60/40 commission. I went along w it’s 2x bc u didn’t know better what was allowed or appropriate for using their name and branding. Which book should I purchase or the owner to for reference of legit practices for ya both? I need to speak up to her before I work at the salon which may happen again.

You can charge referral fees on new clients of any type (including those you personally refer from your chair to theirs). You can’t charge fees for clients who leave your chair and choose another of the salon’s renters of their own volition.

As for that problematic renter–she needs to go. You already know you have no control over her as a landlord and she’s demonstrated that she’s more trouble than her rent is worth. I wouldn’t even attempt to price her out with a rent increase. I’d just let her know that her term will be ending and replace her with someone whose professional values more align with yours and the rest of your tenants.

I personally wouldn’t agree to that. 40% is far too steep, and in perpetuity? Lol, absolutely not.

Percentages are really inappropriate, in my opinion. (But that’s all it is–my opinion. There’s no real rules or laws governing this kind of thing.) It’s not just you. I consider it a pretty steep referral fee too. I’d also have a hard time swallowing that, especially if you’re not retaining too many of them and you’re giving promotional discounts of any kind.

Yeah, 40% is really steep. Personally, I wouldn’t pay that much for access to a walk-in. I’d pay whatever I’d offer my existing clients for referring a friend. For me, that never exceeds 10% of the service value.