waiting for restaurant to take payment - how long reasonable

Tiddlywinks

tir21 wrote: »

....
the bill came and instead of saying 30-10 =20 to pay it said £21-10 = £11 to pay

i thought i was in luck and kept my mouth shut.

It's actually fraud - you failed to disclose an important material fact (that you had received an incorrect bill and knew it to be incorrect)... in order to gain a financial advantage (as in, paying less than owed).

You wanted a 'legal' answer... here it is:

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/35/section/2

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/35/section/3

ecombo

Well maybe OP you shouldn't of kept that mouth of yours shut.

Maybe you should have discussed it.

frugal_mike

Tiddlywinks wrote: »

It's actually fraud - you failed to disclose an important material fact (that you had received an incorrect bill and knew it to be incorrect)... in order to gain a financial advantage (as in, paying less than owed).

You wanted a 'legal' answer... here it is:

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/35/section/2

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/35/section/3

The link says its fraud to fail to disclose information you have a legal duty to disclose, but is there a legal duty to tell the restaurant they might have made a mistake?

OlliesDad

OP, did you leave contact details for yourself?

You would have been entitled to walk out after so long (I would be tempted to) but only if you leave some way to contact you.

tinkerbell28

Well honesty is always the best policy.....you kind of caused this yourself by noticing and error and not fussing up.

As you handed over the vouchers, then that will be deemed as payment.

You can't just walk out and not pay, without leaving contact details. O matter how long it takes. You did, they could've reported you if they didn't have the voucher code.

Fosterdog

tir21 wrote: »

but its not my responsibility to work out what i owe them. I cant see any problem in paying them what they ask me to pay

the prices they charge for coke and chips i should imagine they still would have made a profit

You would have been quick enough to shout about it if they tried to overcharge you. By your reckoning if they got the bill wrong and accidentally put a lower amount you should only have to pay the lower amount so equally if they made a mistake and put a higher amount you are then obligated to pay the higher amount.

If you didn't like the prices of the food, which I'm assuming were provided before ordering as most restaurants do, you were within your rights to get up and leave.

If you were happy with the prices but not the amount of food then complain before starting to eat your meal.

If you saw and agreed to the prices upon ordering and then consumed the food you owe them for it, as you walked out without leaving details and left your voucher behind (so how were you going to reuse it anyway if it was on the sheet you handed over?) they were within their rights to use that to cover the costs.

You may have made them aware that you'd be leaving in two minutes but you should still have told them as you were leaving and left details to arrange payment, had you been reasonable and done this they may have reduced the bill as a way of apology.

Valli

tir21 wrote: »

i was thinking more in terms of what the law says


but its not my responsibility to work out what i owe them. I cant see any problem in paying them what they ask me to pay

the prices they charge for coke and chips i should imagine they still would have made a profit

And what the law says is -

'If you leave a restaurant knowing you have been undercharged for a meal or that items you have had were not added to your bill you can be charged with theft' under the Theft Act 1978'. (Making off without payment)

You had a £30 meal; you have paid for a £30 meal, albeit with codes.

tir21

Valli wrote: »

And what the law says is -

'If you leave a restaurant knowing you have been undercharged for a meal or that items you have had were not added to your bill you can be charged with theft' under the Theft Act 1978'. (Making off without payment)

You had a £30 meal; you have paid for a £30 meal, albeit with codes.

it would be impossible to demonstrate in a court of law that someone knew they had been undercharged

Valli

tir21 wrote: »

it would be impossible to demonstrate in a court of law that someone knew they had been undercharged

Oh no it wouldn't.

Bills are itemised.

tir21

Valli wrote: »

Oh no it wouldn't.

Bills are itemised.

how would you demonstrate someone had looked at the bill?

or if they had looked at it how would you demonstrate they had registered the information it contained?