Wedding Problems - Covid 19

IrishLass36

Hi,
I had a wedding booked for May 23rd. I have paid £7000 out of £8000, the hotel has now closed until June 30th due to covid 19. Hotel are offering us a 'date rearrangement' which means the contract is simply moved from one date to another. The date they propose is January 2021. To hold a wedding in January costs £5500 in this hotel. We have stated we  do not wish to transfer the date if the price is not amended as we are not paying for a May service which we will not receive until January (this hotel bases prices per guest on peak and off peak season, May is peak, Jan is off peak). 

We believe if we come out right and say that we do not wish to go ahead then we are cancelling the contract and will receive no refund for the monies we have already paid. We believe what may be best is to tell them we are sticking with our May 23rd date, knowing they can not fulfill this requirement, and force them into having to give us a refund as they have no choice.

I have also read these sort of circumstances mean the contract is legally 'frustrated' and nill and void. Therefore, no matter what the contract says we are entitled to our money back. Can anybody clarify or help me. We are in in serious need of help, solicitors are either closed or up to their eyes in work and we stand to lose £7000.

Thank you. 

IrishLass36

I also wish to state the hotel has refused to alter our price - we will stand to pay £3000 extra for our wedding in January or refused to refund us the £3000 difference. We offered to accept rooms free of charge for our wedding night for guest to use and a 3 course meal for 14 the following date (day after wedding), this was also refused. We worked out based on their website costs that if they gave us our request of rooms and meals for our family the following day they would still profit over £1500. 

Jeremy535897

I assume you have no wedding insurance? Your question is one of contract law and the answer will depend on a detailed examination of the paperwork. I understand your frustration but remember that the wedding venue is losing out as it won't be booking someone else in for a wedding on your date in January, which it could have done.
Are they asking for the remaining £1,000? I am assuming not.
On a practical level, ask yourself whether you would rather get married in January at this hotel, or get married at some other hotel. If the former, it may be best to live with the proposal, recognising the possibility that they could go bust beforehand anyway, and you would probably lose all your payment. If the latter, be prepared for a fight in the courts, and still have the risk of getting nothing if they go bust.