Should we have to pay this?

cburton777

We booked a catering company for our wedding. We payed them close to £3000 up front for food, wine and staff. They had their own bar there which I'm pretty sure took a massive amount of money on the night (so much, that they won't tell us how much). Unfortunately there were quite a few mistakes that we weren't happy with that took me away from my wedding day to sort out. In a nutshell we've got a massive list of problems with the company. We return from honeymoon to find a bill for £900 for bar tabs, staff hours etc. We are NOT happy with this company and feel they don't deserve this. Where do we stand on having to pay this? Is is possible to get them to wipe it, and what if we can't or don't want to pay this bill?

Jeff_Bridges_hair

When you paid them upfront did they give you an itemised bill for what you were paying for?

cburton777

Yes they did

arcon5

Did the original quote include staffing/labour?

Who built up the tabs? Did you permit them to allow bar tabs? Is there anything in the contract about this?

cburton777

We built up the tabs. There were two, they only cover £200 of the bill. Its not the tabs that are the problem. Its the overall bill from extra staff hours, extra wine. etc. There were problems from other things though, for example. The tea and coffee they supplied came out stone cold to quite a few of our guests. Now to me that is paying for something that I shouldn't. I'd already payed for this i the first bill but I feel that should wipe the cost of that from our final bill. There's nothing in the contract about this only that if there are any complaints then they should be made within 2 weeks, thats all. Basically we're considering not paying them, and where wondering how far they could afford to take it, if they wanted to?

abbyscuito

Cold tea and coffee is very minor thing and easily sorted on the day surely?

arcon5

Did you complain about this on the day?

You need to have given them the opportunity to rectify this.

They can take it as far as they like... unless you can prove they have breached the contract in someway I can't see how you would ever win...

By all means make them aware of your complaint and try haggle to final bill. Perhaps offer them 20% as full and final settlement, work from there. But I fear a judge will have little sympathy for you not paying because the tea and coffee was cold.

cburton777

Well there was quite a few more things wrong but yes haggling a discount seems like the best way to go. Ta

arcon5

cburton777 wrote: »

Well there was quite a few more things wrong but yes haggling a discount seems like the best way to go. Ta

Make sure when you talk to them you keep it factual and objective and don't get personal. Maybe keep all correspondance in writing.

And start low and you can work yourself to the middle ground. The worst they can do is decline your offer .

fluffnutter

I know it's legally acceptable if you're unhappy with, say, a meal to offer whatever you think that meal's worth. I should imagine you can try the same here, but bear in mind that they could refuse your offer and take you to court. Provided you're confident that what you've already paid adequately compensates them for their efforts and you can argue this articulately then, by all means, advise them you're not paying any additional charges.

hcb42

Your argument that they dont "deserve" it is not really relevant.

If you consumed the drinks, or your friends did on your say so, you owe the money.

If you expected a bar service to be available for a certain period of time, staffed and they have charged extra, perhaps you dont owe that, unless they had to provide these staff e.g. to continue serving.

If the tea and coffee was cold, then withhold a reasonable amount from the bill - e.g. £2 a head if included in the wedding package. or whatever can be attributed to tea and coffee if it was priced individually. Then pay the difference. That would be reasonable.