8.2.1 Causative structures without an agent

HAVE + object + past participle

This structure is generally used when we talk about professional services provided for a customer. It means that we are not doing something ourselves but arranging for someone to do it for us:

I had my hair cut this morning. (A hairdresser cut my hair.)
I'm going to have my apartment painted. (I'm going to ask someone to paint my apartment.)

Compare:

I cut my hair this morning. (I did it myself.)
I'm going to paint my apartment. (I'm going to do it myself.)

Have + object + past participle is different from have/has + past participle (present perfect tense) and had + past participle (past perfect tense):

I had my hair cut. (causative: have + object + past participle)
I had cut my hair. (past perfect tense: had + past participle)

In this structure, have is not an auxiliary but a main verb and can be used in the same way as ordinary verbs:

I'd like to have my photo taken.
Could you have this jacket cleaned?
When are you having the heater installed?
Have you ever had your ears pierced?

Have + object + past participle can also have the non-causative meaning "experience something unpleasant". In this case, the subject of the sentence did not initiate the action:

I had my bike stolen. (My bike was stolen.)
He had his leg broken in a car crash. (His leg was broken in a car crash.)

GET + object + past participle

This structure has the same meaning as have + object + past participle, but get is more informal:

I got my hair cut this morning.
Could you get this jacket cleaned?
They finally got the car serviced.

It can also be used to express accidents or misfortunes happening to someone in the same way as have + object + past participle can:

I got my bike stolen. (My bike was stolen.)
He got his leg broken in a car crash. (His leg was broken in a car crash.)