Bridemaid dress cancellation

Tracey_m

Katrina I copy and pasted one of the emails for you and private messaged you with it.

BooJewels

Tracey_m wrote: »

Boojewels I agree with everything you have said.. I am in a very difficult situation and it’s causing me a lot of stress.. I have had legal advice and trading standards are investigating this matter as they have said the shop is breaking a criminal law by not releaseing my wedding dress.

With the caveat that I'm not a lawyer, I'd be surprised if anyone was treating this as a criminal matter - it would be my understanding that this is a civil matter, as it's a contractual dispute between individuals.

Do you have legal cover on your house contents insurance - as that often covers contractual disputes and insurers often have legal helplines where you can get some initial legal guidance over the phone for free. They might outline some of your potential options to bring it to a speedy conclusion - because I think it's quite complicated.

I'm at a bit of a loss as to why the shop are adopting this approach, if all is as we're being told, it seems a high risk strategy in a market where each individual customer represents a high value sale. Surely the point of taking a [presumably non-refundable] deposit before ordering the bridesmaid's dresses is to cover such eventualities - bridal sales must fall through periodically for a number of reasons. Have a look at the Ts&Cs that you got with your gown purchase (might be printed on the back of the receipt or order form), they'll be the nuts and bolts of the contract between you (and/or your SIL).

Tracey_m

There is no terms and conditions on my receipts
For veil or wedding dresses. just what was paid when dress was first ordered and remaining balance. My wedding dress and veil were both paid by my dads credit card.

They never gave me a form to read over terms or conditions etc.. and nothing signed with signature. Only my name on top of the order form..

Trading standards said she could be entering a criminal offence because of her aggressive matter in dealing with the situation.. also they are holding 2500 worth of goods which have been paid in full over a 600 pound order.
They did tell me that unless she was at a loss of earnings and because I didn’t hand any money over or officially sign a contract that I’m not liable for the remaining payment.
They told me to write a formal letter by recorded delivery. Meanwhile they would look into the matter and will investigate.. I have the email with the case ref number stating they are looking into the case for me ..

CakeCrusader

If you went to see a solicitor the very first thing they'd do is establish who made the contract. From what you're saying here you didn't actually order the bridesmaids dresses or pay any cash, so you didn't make the contract. The dress shop has a contract with your sister in law, not with you, it's irrelevant if you're the bride or the Queen of Sheeba, you didn't make the contract (the wedding dress is a totally different contract so it's not relevant here). It may be worth your while to speak to a solicitor and to ask them to send the dress shop a letter to let them know this, it'll cost you £100ish (depending on the firm). The shop need to speak to their own solicitor regarding your sister in law breaking her contract with them and they need to release your dress.

elsien

That must be some aggression they're showing if it "could" be a criminal offence. Although that does in part depend on the accuracy of how it's being described.
Whatever trading standards say they are or aren't investigating, I still think that looking at changing your dress fitting to give you more time to get the money is a more sensible approach than going all legal on them at the stage.

Bermonia

Sorry, have I understood this correctly - TS have advised it could be a criminal matter because of the shop owner’s aggressive manner... unless there were threats of harm then this is surely absolute twaddle!

Either you’ve neglected to convey some very important information in your posts, or you’ve embellished to TS... or more likely there has been a misunderstanding.

This is ultimately a civil matter that will either be dealt with amicably or need to play out via the courts. You may well have received a TS we will review this response but I certainly wouldn’t hold your breath if there has only been one complaint of this nature as they are inundated with much more serious cases.

Find the money, argue the toss later.

gettingtheresometime

Many many moons ago a similar thing happened When a relative of mine was getting married.

Dresses were ordered and following an argument one of the bridesmaids pulled out.

The relative tried to cancel the relevant dress but was told that as the dress was non refundable it was basically tough luck. What made it worse was that my relative had paid 50% of the dress rather than the required 25%.

I think I can see why the shop is holding onto the wedding dress; for all intents & purposes the OP ordered both her dress & the bridesmaids dresses.....the SIL just made the payments as anyone could do in reality?

The shop is, in effect, saying that they don't trust you to honour your promise to pay the balance.

What sort of amount are we talking here for the balance?

Tracey_m

My dad paid 2500 for wedding dress and veil.
8 months later bridemaids dresses were ordered 50% of the bridemaids were paid £600 so remaining balance is 600.. 2 separate contracts
I could have taken my wedding dress home with me but as I didn’t want to have it hanging at home I asked could they hold it until my alterations which they agreed to even before bridemaids were ordered.

There 600 left to be paid on the bridemaids dresses
50% was paid

Tracey_m

Yes TS is telling me this. So I’m only replying what they are telling me.
I am not with holding any other information as it would be stupid to ask for advice but with hold important information back. that would not help my situation at all.

Tracey_m

Elsein again I have not made anything out to be anymore than what it is..
I’m not withholding any information, I’m am only telling the situation for how it is. by telling lies or with holding information would not benefit me as I’m at a lose. No matter what way I look at it. I’lve unfortunately been put into an awful situation and I’m trying to work with everyone to sort it out. But no one wants to resolve it, it seems.. I’m just a bride trying to get her wedding dress that my dad has paid for for me for a gift for my wedding.
It is causing me a lot of stress that I really don’t need and to be honest the dress shop has changed there story about 3 times..
I one minute there telling me the designer still have the bridemaids dresses until full payment is made..

There then saying they have the dresses and if I come down with full payment they will release my wedding dress

Then they said both orders are on one account which is BS.. they are to separte accounts

I think the shop have cash issues and are pushing for this payment from me as they knw I’m at a lose for time to go to court or to get a new wedding dress