Freaking Out.. help?

yuengling58

I'm at my wit's end with our reception venue. I just pulled up a copy of the cashed check to be sure, but we met with them on April 17th and they cashed our deposit check on April 21st. At the meeting where we booked them, they said they would draw up a contract and have it mailed out by the end of the week... didn't happen. On 5/3 I sent them an email saying that I recieved a voicemail asking to confirm the time of the reception and gave them the requested information. I have to pull my phone records to see when I've called them, but they have yet to send me a contract. I've spoken to them at least 5 times and they keep making excuses as to why we don't have a contract.

I finally lost it today and sent them a very strongly worded email explaining my feelings and that I'm extremely disappointed with them thus far as a vendor and am considering taking my business elsewhere. They are obviously extremely unorganized or something sketchy is going on. Either way, I don't feel comfortable letting them host the reception. I also noted that since no sort of paperwork was ever signed, I would like my refundable deposit of $1000 back if we choose to go with a different vendor. Nothing is set in stone without a contract, right?

What do I do now? They have yet to respond to my email and I'm extremely disappointed because I've heard so many good things about this company and they're failing miserably. It's Banquets Unlimited btw. We have four months and might need to find a new venue and it's causing me a minor freak out especially if we don't get this deposit back.

jrsygrl10

well.....first tip would be to never hand over money without handing over the signed contract at the same time. but it's too late for that.

so in that case, if it were me, i would be in the car and driving over there and screaming my head off until someone handed me a signed contract.

if you prefer to ditch the venue, then call your bank and see if you can file an affidavit to dispute the check that you wrote them. not sure if that is possible, but it's worth a phonecall.

kwynn

Can you go there in person to speak to them? Or at least send a certified letter so that you are sure they received the information?

I'd be really careful burning any bridges with them because, with only 4 months left, you might not be able to find anything in the same budget-range.

KimWard

Wow, I'm so sorry this is happening to you. So you put down a deposit before signing a contract? That's a red flag right there, IMO. Nothing is set in stone without the contract, but that also means they aren't entitled to give you your refund back (just my point of view). Can you call and ask to speak with the coordinator directly? Or maybe visit the venue? Those are more direct approaches than email. I don't know how easy it would be to find another venue 4 months out, so I'd try to call or visit them as mentioned above.

I'm sorry I don't have better advice, but good luck! Let us know if you need venue recs or if we can help in any way.

yuengling58

I'm really trying not to burn bridges - I just wish they would hold up their end of the deal. I'm just very frustrated with their lack of communication. I don't want to do anything else over the phone in case I need a record of it to get my money back if they bail. There is no reason this should take over two months to get a contract mailed out.

yuengling58

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_pennsylvania-pittsburgh_freaking-out?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:116Discussion:18a61548-feaf-440c-bf34-41ddb37859b0Post:36398708-663c-4c40-b902-bb4b5d290412">Re: Freaking Out.. help?</a>:
[QUOTE]Wow, I'm so sorry this is happening to you. So you put down a deposit before signing a contract? That's a red flag right there, IMO. Nothing is set in stone without the contract, but that also means they aren't entitled to give you your refund back (just my point of view). Can you call and ask to speak with the coordinator directly? Or maybe visit the venue? Those are more direct approaches than email. I don't know how easy it would be to find another venue 4 months out, so I'd try to call or visit them as mentioned above. I'm sorry I don't have better advice, but good luck! Let us know if you need venue recs or if we can help in any way.
Posted by KimWard[/QUOTE]

Yeah, unfortunately we've heard nothing but good things about them so they asked for a deposit to hold the day and we didn't think twice. My FI's family even used them before to book a luncheon with no problems. I wrote on the check memo what it was for, so hopefully that would be enough evidence that they're not fulfilling their part of the verbal agreement?

The 5 times I've called I've spoken to the owner/president.

jrsygrl10

verbal agreements are not actual agreements, so that wont get you anywhere.

have they responded to you at all?

yuengling58

Would it count at all that the check memo stated it was for a wedding reception on 11/6/10 and they cashed it? I have no idea.

I haven't gotten any response yet, so I'm going to give them another call on the way home from work.

jrsygrl10

i dont think so. i'm pretty sure that i have heard my lawyer husband say a zillion times that verbal contracts mean nothing. but maybe i heard him wrong, always possible (i do tune him out sometimes!).

at the end of the day-are they holding the venue for you? are they planning on having your reception there? or are they saying no?

LaFemmeRousse

Be sure that you're keeping records of all the phone calls you've made along with brief notes of the discussion.  Yes, I think your check's memo line would be worth something, but not enough to entirely ease my mind at this point.

I would go over in person.  Be calm but firm, for now.  Vibes that this is straightened out quickly!

LaFemmeRousse

Oh yes, good question- what exactly are they saying to you when you call?  I'm so sorry, we'll have the contract to you ASAP?  Or is it more like- we have no record and can't hold your reception?

yuengling58

They are saying that they are holding the venue and have plans for my reception that day, they just haven't gotten the contract out yet.

I called them on my way home and they said the contract was mailed out today and I should get it tomorrow or Friday. If I don't get it by Friday I'm going to give them another phone call.

Ash2985

It's really unfortunate that you gave them the check before the contract was signed.  Jrsygirl's right in that verbal contracts are very tricky, and frequently don't amount to much.  I think contracts for the sale of goods over $500 have to be in writing, but I don't know if this would fall under that... my legal learnings are still in the beginning stages.  A certified letter might be just enough to either get the contract to you finally or get your money back to you, if they haven't gotten you the contract by Friday.  Definitely don't just take their word for it that they have everything planned for the reception without the contract; this is an easy way for them to renege on anything and everything they've promised you.  Good luck, I really hope everything works out OK.

yuengling58

Yeah.. it's an unfortunate situation. Shows me not to trust anyone anymore though. We'd heard nothing but good things about this company and they turn around and do this. One way or another I'm calling on Friday and expressing my disappointment with how everything has turned out so far and give them the opportunity to fix it.

Ash2985

Hopefully they will, they must have done something to gain the good reputation.  Maybe this is just a misstep on their part, and they'll correct it quickly.  I just don't understand how hard it can possibly be to get a contract together & sent out to you... it's for their benefit, too.

jrsygrl10

if they arent denying you the venue for the day you put the deposit down for, then i am not really sure how much of a problem this really is. obviously the contract is important, but if they aren't denying you then at the end of the day.........