Deposit paid on wedding dress, no contract was signed, now wish to cancel dress

stars125

[FONT=&quot]Hello MSE users[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]I hope some of you may be able to offer some guidance with the above situation? Specifically brides who have been through a similar situation? Of course, any suggestion from any forum user would be equally helpful![/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Last year I had placed a deposit on a wedding dress and fast forward 10 months to present time, the dress is almost ready to be collected. During this entire process, a written contract had never been produced. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]The issue is that I have now firmly made up my mind that I do not want the dress and therefore want to cut all ties with the shop.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]I have yet to speak to the shop owner about it as I am keen to find out how other brides have handled the situation.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]I have two concerns regarding this:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]- Is the shop owner legally entitled to keep the deposit?[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]- Is the shop owner also legally entitled to have the outstanding balance?[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]I know other brides are busy with their planning and I would really appreciate any advice. Thanks![/FONT]

somethingcorporate

Have a look here: https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/42873192#Comment_42873192

If they have been making alterations to a dress specifically for you I think you will be on a very sticky wicket. What is the reason for cancellation?

Lack of a signed contract is not really of major consequence.

LEJC

I am in agreement with the previous poster too...
If you have not had the dress altered in any way or it wasnt ordered in specially then I believe you are able to walk away but you will forfeit the deposit.

If the dress has been customised specifically to your requirement then the shop is entitled to ask you to pay the balance and take the dress away...ie purchase it.

What do you feel your relationship with the shop to be?
Are you perhaps in a position to suggest they sell the dress on your behalf in order to recoup some of the lost revenue.

A lot will also depend on whether the shop has actually "bought the dress"..it could be that they have had to pay a deposit for it and the balance when it is delivered to them....how far away is your wedding and are you in effect cancelling the dress only a short while before its needed....you say the dress is almost ready for collection so its likely that the shop has paid for it from their supplier.

I also agree that the lack of contract means very little....I never signed any contract when purchasing my dress...
although its very possible that a verbal contract was entered into between yourself and the shop and a subsequent order raised by the shop to their supplier

Each situation regarding cancellation of wedding dresses is probably different but I would suggest that perhaps you try to negotiate the onward sale of the dress with them rather than a confrontational approach

ellay864

The fact you paid a deposit would probably class as a form of a contract with you. Think of it the other way round...if they called you just as you were ready to get the dress, close to the wedding and said, 'sorry we don't want to provide you with the dress now, here's your money back, you can't do anything as there's no contract' you'd probably be furious and I'm sure would feel the deposit and verbal agreement would be equivalent to a contract

Ruby_Roo

Contracts don't have to be written, a verbal contract is just as binding, and the fact you've paid a deposit is irrefutable evidence that you entered into said contract.

By all means cut ties with the shop and walk away, but you will at the very least forfeit your deposit.