The Competition Markets Authority (CMA) issues new warnings to wedding firms in relation to their refund policies for those whose big day has been affected by Covid-19. Although only a Court can decide how the law applies in each case the CMA guidance and statement may assist as many couples have not been able to get married as planned this year.
The current guidance is that:
• Businesses should NOT make deductions from refunds unless they can prove that costs have been incurred directly for the wedding in quest AND there is proof of the breakdown of such costs. Cases should be assessed on a case by case basis however a benchmark MAXIMUM deduction has been considered to be 37.2% .If the contract relates to venue hire ONLY the CMA does not expect any deductions
• There should be no additional charges where couples voluntarily agree to reschedule their wedding to a ‘comparable date and service”, as opposed to seeking a refund
• businesses need to meet their legal obligations promptly and should not unreasonably delay or refuse to provide refunds to couples when they are due
If your big day has been affected by Covid-19 and you are facing an uphill battle to get a refund OR your venue are suggesting you should pay more to move your date, please contact our specialist Dispute Resolution team to discuss your consumer rights on 0800 567 7595 or email enquiries@summerfieldbrowne.com.
