Re - billed weeks after the event

ThumbRemote

Any discussion of what may have been included in the money already paid is speculation, and until the venue provide a full breakdown of costs they shouldn't be paid a penny more. It's utterly unreasonable for them to demand money without any account of what it's for. 

The venue can complain and hassle all they like, the ball is in their court to provide the breakdown. 

pinkshoes

The numbers seem confusing so absolutely insist on a breakdown.

What was the initial £650 for? I'm thinking this was race day admission for 14 adults and 2 children? Plus a private room? Kids are often free for these things.

Or was the £650 inclusive of food? The £500 is probably the bar bill for 16 people although at over £30 a head I guess the drinks were pricey??!

Next Steps:
I suggests your father in law WRITES to them (email is fine) stating what has been paid so far (The £650 and the £500) plus what he was under the impression this was for e.g. the £650 for entry and food and the £500 was the bar bill. He then needs to state that he believes that no further money is owed and the bill was settled, so could they please send him in writing an itemised breakdown of the costs to show why they feel more money is outstanding.

Manxman_in_exile

I don't think anybody can really help until the OP finds out what hospitality package his FiL purchased, the estimated cost (confirmation emails or website as Andy_L suggests?), the actual itemised cost, and the total of what they've already paid.

They also need to clarify whether they are liable for booked 17 + 2 attendees or actual 14 + 2

But if the OP is talking of a total amount around £2k (£650 + £550 + £800) I would have thought that's quite possibly correct in total terms.  (Room hire, entry to race course, buffet lunch and - according to the OP - "lots of drink"!)

HeinzVarieties

£97 per head is hardly obscene for a box with a buffet at a sporting event.

Sausmeister

I appreciate all the questions and comments.

I know a little more in that the deposit totalled £675 was paid in advance against the total cost.  There was no charge for the room expected.  This was an upfront payment against food and drink.

Buffet was £55 per head for adults, less for the two kids, but originally the a la carte was booked and this was more expensive.  It was the race course who twice switched the a la carte menu (food was pre ordered on both occasions and then cancelled by them).  Finally they cancelled the a la carte menu completely due to “staff shortages”.  The reduction in our guests ( -4 adults I have now confirmed) was known by them well in advance of race day.

On the day, at the conclusion of the event, my wife asked to settle the bill.  She didn’t ask to settle some of the bill, or to just pay a random contribution, she asked for the bill, to cover food and drinks minus the £675 deposit. 

She was presented with a bill of £500 which was paid immediately by debit card.

it was over a week later that the first demand for over £800 arrived.

No champagne was ordered and there were a few non drinkers in the group. Lager and wine plus soft drinks is all we had.  

I know I am repeating myself quite a bit with very little actual new information, but this race day was the first weekend in September and we still have not had a breakdown of the mathematics used to explain the post event demand for over £800.  Today is December 1st, and I will aid my FIL in making a further request for clarity before we do anything else.

I won’t name and shame the venue just yet, but I have checked their website and there is zero pricing available on there.

Manxman_in_exile

I know it can be very difficult disentangling all the different charges when you are trying to help somebody sort out a booking that you were never involved in from the outset, but what you are saying is still very confusing.  For example:

Sausmeister said:

I appreciate all the questions and comments.

I know a little more in that the deposit totalled £675 was paid in advance against the total cost.  There was no charge for the room expected.  This was an upfront payment against food and drink...

What does that mean?  Does it mean that the room booking (and entry to the course?) was entirely free and your FiL was not expecting to pay anything at all for the booking, or does it mean that the room fee was not included in the £675 deposit, and was going to be billed for and paid later?

Also:

Sausmeister said:

...Buffet was £55 per head for adults, less for the two kids, but originally the a la carte was booked and this was more expensive.  It was the race course who twice switched the a la carte menu (food was pre ordered on both occasions and then cancelled by them).  Finally they cancelled the a la carte menu completely due to “staff shortages”.  The reduction in our guests ( -4 adults I have now confirmed) was known by them well in advance of race day...

So when the venue notified you (or your FiL etc) that they could not supply the agreed a la carte menu, was there no discussion or exchange of emails about a reduction in price to account for this?  Ditto when the numbers were reduced by four adults?

And presumably the £500 your wife paid at the venue wasn't accompanied by an itemised bill?

I think the first thing you have to do is try to piece together exactly what your FiL agreed with the venue that he was booking and paying for.  Has he any emails etc confirming the original booking and any subsequent changes (eg the switch from a la carte to buffet)?.  Then you need to try to work out what you've paid for so far and whether there is anything left outstanding.

Then follow the "Next Steps" suggested by pinkshoes at 5:27pm yesterday afternoon.  If you can work out what you should have paid versus what you have paid, it will be alot easier to do that.  But even if you can't, you need to challenge the venue to account for the extra £800 over and above what you can prove you've already paid.

(Can you prove what you've paid with receipts etc?  I'm wondering if the venue has "lost" one of your family's payments and they can't now account for it... )