Wedding venue cancelled

yvonne.joy.3

So we booked our wedding back in August of 2022 which was due to take place in July 2022. We received a phone call a month ago from our venue informing us that they would no longer be able to hold our wedding as they would now be housing the Ukrainian Refugees.

This resulted in a lot of panic and stress and eventually finding a venue that had our date available but meaning an extra 2K spend.

The venue have since returned our deposit but are they liable for breach of contract? Is there anyone else out there in this position.

FYI I have nothing against the refugees they obviously needed someplace to go they have been threw enough as is having to leave everything behind. My issue is the venue which made the financial decision to cancel our wedding.

Thanks desperate and stressed bride out 🤦

Deagol

Read what your contract says. If you don't have a written contract you can take it that you have no comeback.

NIMAN

I have heard anecdotal stories of hotels cancelling weddings due to them housing refugees.

It's a strange move. It really shows a lack of understanding for the bridal party and their big day, who might not be able to find a replacement. But from the hotels pov, they have the chance to have 100% occupancy for maybe a year or two, no doubt at full price on the taxpayers expense. They can't turn that down.

Xterminator

Boardsies don't have a copy of your contract, so i cant really tell you if hotel is in breach of the terms.

Read it carefully and see what their get out clauses are.. To be honest you may need professional legal advice - and that costs you

callaway92

Tell you what - the frustrating thing is, contract or not, the hotel sure as sh1t wouldn't refund you if you pulled out of the wedding this close to the date

yvonne.joy.3

I think that is the most frustrating part, over 2 years of planning and left with 4months to change everything. I understand the decision and why it was made it is obvs worth a lot more than a few weddings to the hotel and anyone would make the same financial decision for business purposes. But it's just the lack of commitment to people that were giving them a lot of money for one day..

yvonne.joy.3

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118880946#Comment_118880946

That's just it in the contract if we cancelled or fell under the specific numbers for the package we had booked we would still be liable for the total amount. It's just frustrating the double standards of it all really.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118880946#Comment_118880946

Might be worth the cost of a solicitor's letter seeking compo for the increased costs of rearranging the wedding.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118880960#Comment_118880960

It’s a frustrating situation, but they have refunded you the total amount, so it isn’t double standards.

TooTired123

When you read the small print on your contract you will see that the hotel reserves the right to cancel under special circumstances. War in Europe and a resulting refugee crisis will fall under this clause.

I would write to them and tell them that you were bitterly disappointed and whilst you’re glad that the refugees are benefitting from your misfortune, you do feel that some compensation is in order.

Firminos

I hope you het your refund

Firminos

Get your refund back*

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118887091#Comment_118887091

Stated in op, deposit has been returned.

Firminos

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118887103#Comment_118887103

Nice one!

Firminos

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118879454#Comment_118879454

Ah jaysis , some things are more important haha

Peregrinus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118887107#Comment_118887107

I don't think that the demand here is that the hotel should honour the booking but rather that, if they make a huge windfall as a consequence of not honouring the booking, they should use some of that to compensate the OP for the extra expense he has had to incur. This wouldn't adversely affect the refugees.

Firminos

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118887134#Comment_118887134

Thats fair yeah

yvonne.joy.3

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118887134#Comment_118887134

That would just be it I understand now that the hotel cannot honour the booking and I also understand that there is a crisis ongoing and that the people 100% needed someplace to go. My issue is with the hotel making a nice profit and as a direct result it costing me more money. I don't think it is too much for the hotel to offer a bit of compensation towards the new costs for this.

macvin

Think of the opposite.

If you cancelled the wedding this week, what would you think was fair.

1 - Forfeit just the deposit

2 - Hotel insisting on full payment as "compensation"

Unfortunately we are in difficult times. Hotels and other places are needed for Ukrainians who have literally been ravaged by horror. Personally I think its a small price to pay so that those fleeing atrocities can have a safe place and within a "community" of other Ukrainians.

BTW - I would suspect a hotel would make a far far far larger profit on weddings as the amount of alcohol consumed in addition to the wedding costs makes weddings the most profitable part of a hotels operation. Your remarks on the hotel making a "nice profit" is a very cheap and rather nasty bit of snideness and is uncalled for. Remember, many hotels have had an utterly appalling two years

Charles Babbage

The hotel industry has had a hard time and some will now accommodate refugees. But they would get more sympathy from people who will be their customers for many years to come if the industry worked together to facilitate people rather than just giving them their money back and telling them to f* off.

Atlantic Dawn

Is the hotel hosting the refugees at nothing more than cost price, I seem to have missed that announcement. OP is entitled to compensation if commercially the hotel is going to absolutely cream it. The government should have some conditions in place with who they have made these arrangements with that those with existing contracts are compensated.

Del2005

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118892024#Comment_118892024

What else can the hotel do but refund? There's no functions rooms available in any hotels with the backlog of weddings so there's no way to move the cancelled events. We've no idea how long the Ukrainian's are going to be here and if the numbers we are getting is correct all hotels will be housing them, I can see a lot more cancellations coming. Would you rather have the Ukrainian's in tents while Irish people party in hotels?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118892040#Comment_118892040

Entitled?

The Continental Op

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118895730#Comment_118895730

I suppose the Hotel is entitled to make more money out of refugees than it would from honouring its contract with a booked wedding event.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118895772#Comment_118895772

Depends on the terms of the contract, but yes, they probably are. Given that the op’s deposit has been returned, hard to see what else he/she would be entitled to. It is very bad form, but the situation is a unique one.

Del2005

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118895772#Comment_118895772

How will hotels make more money from refugees than having weddings? The refugees will not be swilling €6 pints all night or eating €50 meals.

The Continental Op

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118900122#Comment_118900122

By being paid by the government.

road_high

This is really shocking carry on and no way to treat customers. Total bad faith charlatan type stuff.

But it clearly shows the degree to which the taxpayer is going to be rode senseless by them facilitated by their cronies in government. Bet it’s full rate full whack all round. Must be or else they wouldn’t be cancelling weddings for it ( one if the biggest rip offs imaginable in my view but that’s another story).

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118901310#Comment_118901310

This is one of those situations where the Government/State are damned if they do and dammed if they don’t. We have to accept some Ukrainians displaced by the war, and if we do, we have to house them somewhere. If hotels aren’t used, can you think of anywhere else? And if hotels are used, then of course the hotel is entitled, as a private, profit dependent business, to charge whatever the going rate is for use of their facility. Why would they charge less if they could make more from tourism/events?

Taxpayers will be picking up the hotel bill, but Irish taxpayers have received a lot of support from taxpayers in other EU countries, so don’t be a hypocrite, there is a war and these people are coming here with a suitcase and the clothes on their backs.

road_high

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118901688#Comment_118901688

Have no issues with the refugees- but I do have an issue with government cronies making a fast buck. The rates being invoiced should be public knowledge and rightly scrutinized for value for money so we can see what is going where

SouthWesterly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118901842#Comment_118901842

Put in an FOI and let's know how you get on.

yvonne.joy.3

Been MIA with all the rescheduling. Have no issue with the refugees needing someplace to go during this horrible time for them.

But I do believe if the hotel is making a profit from this then there should be some form of compensation for the people that they put out by making this decision.

Certain Hotels will make a lot more from housing refugees. Such as hotels that are usually event hotels or had contracts with the European tour operators, which are not going ahead this year due to increased travel costs. This way they have full capacity for an extended duration of time.

It is us the taxpayer that will be paying the hotels for all of this with no information as to what the hotels are actually getting for doing it. This should be public information as it is public funds being used. What help have the Irish taxpayers received from other eu taxpayers?

Anyway onto the update I have been in contact with the hotel in regards to the price differences and in looking for compensation towards the same. I received an email this week stating that they would be unable to provide any compensation at this time. Now I believe this is as I have heard of a few law suits from other cancelled events but can't be certain on that.

If I cancelled the wedding we would be liable for a portion of the cost unless we organised someone to take the date for us. This hotel didn't even try to help with finding a new venue for us.

Just fed up with the stress and now financial stress when the price of daily living is rising so rapidly aswell.

macvin

I really hate this "us the taxpayer" bull.

I can lay money that the chances are you are a net beneficiary of the tax system in Ireland.

Add children's allowance your parents got, your near free education, the very generous tax free allowances, the tax rebate if you are a first time buyer, the subsidised childcare for early years etc etc etc.

So spare us the bull and accept you have just had some bad luck and get on with things.

yvonne.joy.3

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118929201#Comment_118929201

Excuse me? Net beneficiary? How do you think you can judge what a person pays in taxes in this country?

Near free education? What is free about a third level education in Ireland? Tuition fees still need to be paid.

Generous tax free allowances for what?

And the tax rebate for first time buyers was and is only applicable to people buying new build properties purpose built as first time homes.

I'll have you know I have been working and paying tax in Ireland for 14 years so how does that equate to being a net beneficiary?

phormium

Not that it's much of a consolation but it's highly likely that even if your original booking was going ahead the price would probably have been increased. There are loads of stories on wedding forum of hotels upping the costs of already booked weddings due to increasing prices which to be fair is true, prices are increasing for everything!

Jinglejangle69

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118929201#Comment_118929201

All of us are net taxpayers?

You’re maths simply doesn’t add up.

...Ghost...

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118967122#Comment_118967122

Obviously the poster making claims about tax net beneficiaries is speaking of personal experience, as he surely wouldn't know what a positive tax contributor is, judging by that statement.

For the OP, if I were you, I would be making an appointment with a solicitor. The hotel management are doing this for profit, not to be good Samaritans. Great for the refugees of course, as they need accommodation, but the hotel needs to close the gap in cost they have caused. You would have been expected to cover their actual costs, so it's only right they cover yours.

Treppen

I'm just wondering if you could probe the hotel further.

Ask them would the function room be available and you'll get your guests to sort accommodation externally. Maybe just keep the Bridal Suite for the couple.

I can understand accommodation might change with refugees but don't see why they wouldn't want to still host ye in the function room.

Unless they are planning on handing over the whole hotel for a nice sweet juicy government contract which could last for months... years.

CPTM

This is a strange situation. What am I missing here? Why can't they host the refugees and use the function room for your wedding? Grand you lose rooms for your guests, but plenty of weddings are in hotels which are booked out. What'll they be using the function room for exactly? Are the refugees sleeping there?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118967360#Comment_118967360

You are probably missing the fact that not many brides and grooms want to get a taxi from their reception to an Airbnb.

macvin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118967030#Comment_118967030

Ohhh, I seem to have touched a nerve or two.

You college tuition fees of €3-€4k are a pittance to the actual cost of about €20k per year per student.

Most people earning under €60k are net beneficiaries of the state even after paying PAYE and prsi.

So this "our taxes" rubbish is exactly that. Utter rubbish.

I suppose the next whine will be that it's the "gubberments" fault.

CPTM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118967737#Comment_118967737

That still doesn't add up for me. Surely, either they can spare a room, or they can give the bride and groom the option of choosing a taxi to an air BnB over a complete reorganisation of their wedding.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118968151#Comment_118968151

I’m guessing you are not married, if you are, ask your wife if she would be ok with that, if she says yes, you married a classy bird.

Ginger83

A local hotel to me is cancelling bookings made to house people from Ukraine.

At first they were lying to guests claiming they had a flood from a leak but got found out.

The dishonesty has left a sour taste with locals who I doubt will forget.

CPTM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118968275#Comment_118968275

Is that your answer to my question? Either you're right, or my wife, whom you've never met, has no class?

Actually she said that maybe the function room needs to be setup as a play area for the kids.

Maybe the refugees will mainly eat their breakfast lunch and dinner there, and it will be a busy communal area for them to socialise.

Maybe the hotel staff are low on numbers and their kitchen can't handle feeding a wedding as well as a high number of refugees.

She said she'd be surprised if it were over a taxi.

She also said to stop talking to morons on the internet who slag off wives they've never met whenever a point they've made makes no sense.

JP Liz V1

I would speak to a solicitor

Shelflife

So the Op had a contract with the hotel to have a wedding there. Deposit paid and everything in order.

Hotel gets a better offer and cancels the contract at short notice resulting in higher costs and id image a lot of stress and extra cost to the OP.

If the OP found a cheaper venue (better offer) and tried to cancel they would have lost their deposit - cost of cancelling the contract.

I see no reason why there shouldn't be a similar cost of cancelling the contract to the hotel.

Id be contacting a solicitor, the hotel have acted in bad faith here

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119001777#Comment_119001777

The hotel are not part of the contract between the op and the new hotel, so have no responsibility for the cost difference. The op has been refunded in full, what more can a solicitor get?

Shelflife

Hi Dav010, the Op being refunded simply means that they got their own money back.

An agreement was in place that the hotel would host the OPs wedding. The hotel broke that contract in order to pursue a more lucrative contract. As a result the OP incurred costs as a result of having to rearrange their wedding venue at short notice.

The OP is perfectly entitled to pursue the hotel for those costs.

The hotel cant be allowed to simply walk away from a contract in order to make more money from a different offer.

JayPS 2288

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118901688#Comment_118901688

Do tell? Where and when?

but Irish taxpayers have received a lot of support from taxpayers in other EU countries

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119001822#Comment_119001822

On what grounds?

The hotel were unable to fulfill the contract and refunded the op in full, the op has not suffered a loss on that agreement. The op picked a new hotel, but it could have been one cheaper than the original one, the point being, the original hotel is not a party to that contract so has not responsibility for the costs negotiated.

Consumer law allows for refund/repair/replace where disputes arise between consumers and retailers/service provider. In this case, the op got a refund, in full, so I don’t see what else you think he/she can get. Financially, the op has not lost on the contract between him/her and the hotel, the money has been repaid, but the new hotel is more expensive, that is a completely separate contract, nothing to do with the first hotel.

Its a terrible situation to be in, but this is an extraordinary situation. The hotel should have been descent enough to offer a payment for inconvenience, but that is not to say they had to.