Withholding wedding photos

pipsim

I got married in May and hired a wedding photographer for the day. I paid £1050 for a package that included the photographer on the day and a professional wedding album. It was all arranged by email and paid in advance by bank transfer. The photographer has just been in contact 3 months later to say that the wedding album is ready for collection. Unfortunately he has recently moved to Newcastle – a 180 mile round trip! I requested that he send it by courier and offered to pay for this. However, he is now insisting that we pick it up or do not get the album at all.


I would really welcome any thoughts about my consumer rights on this! Many thanks.

arcon5

Tell him to refund you or supply the goods purchased. I doubt any judge would consider his actions reasonable unless he lived so far away at the time of hiring his services.

How long did he say it would take to arrive in the first place? As even 3 months seems excessive.

paddyrg

What a bizarre situation! You've kept your part of the deal, he hasn't. He can either deliver it if he wants to come face to face, or use a courier at his own expense to my mind - HE moved.

He clearly wants face-to-face to upsell you on some big canvases etc, but I would hardball back threatening to sue for the value of his whole package if he refuses to supply the goods you paid for in advance which he is withholding. And I don't mean suing for the cost of the album, but for the whole fee as having a photographer is pointless if they do not provide the photos. IMHO

NeverAgain_2

Mmm, I wonder if all is not well with the photographer's business.

Legally and morally you are in the right, but it might be simplest to nip up to Newcastle and collect the album, rather than risk not getting it all.

You are recently married, which may mean you are young.

Newcastle is a rockin' place for a night out, so treat the trip as a mini break.

Guardsman

These are wedding pictures we are talking about here they are something that cant be replaced.
Don't ask him for your money back just in case he does that and destroys the pics.
Personally I would go and collect the pics there is no way I would give something so precious to a courier company

bod1467

Where do you live? I'm near Glasgow but I'm actually going to Newcastle tomorrow afternoon for the weekend, to see family.

/Just saying.

Hintza

Out of interest how far away was the photographer when you hired him?

Valli

if it were me I would go and get them, then send a Letter Before Action requesting a refund of cost to travel to pick them up.

maninthestreet

It seems like he doesn't want you to have the photographs for some reason. Is a 3 month wait for wedding photographs normal?

Olokia

maninthestreet wrote: »

It seems like he doesn't want you to have the photographs for some reason. Is a 3 month wait for wedding photographs normal?

No, I got my wedding photos 3 weeks after the wedding and it was only delayed so long because he wanted us back from the honeymoon first. He probably could have done it in 10 days otherwise.

Take_it_like_a_man,_sonny

Three months ... Dear Dear

I normally have the prints ready after 2 weeks, if that is the order the customer wants for a standard album. A flat album that needs printing can take between 4 to 6 weeks and I tell the client about this when we go through what the happy couple want.

Of course, they always get the best print when they return from the honeymoon regardless of what they ordered. That keeps them sweet for later ..,

I suppose this is another case of Look, I have a camera and suddenly they has become some superlative colour supplement photographer. Except that the work involved to do the prints or album is brushed aside because of the day job.

Oh yes, and sometimes I get it wrong, and have to do extra work, but I always treat the customer with respect.

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