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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

Original poster

to think this is mean

25 replies

scot1984 · 15/11/2011 19:26

Booked a Christmas party at a hotel. Had to pay a hefty 50% deposit which was non refundable.
Now some party members have had to cancel due to an accident.
AIBU to hope hotel could have met us half way.

OP posts:

JaneFonda · 15/11/2011 19:28

YABU, the deposit is there to cover the hotel in case situations like this arise - of course it's sad that there was an accident, but the hotel won't really care because it's not really anything to do with them.

Can some other people attend instead? How many people can't go?

StrandedBear · 15/11/2011 19:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

thisisyesterday · 15/11/2011 19:31

yabu

you knew when you booked it that the deposit was non-refundable. you can't turn round later and say "oh that's mean"

squeakytoy · 15/11/2011 20:00

I would have thought like with weddings, there is the option to take out some sort of insurance to cover this, and people should be advised to take it when they pay non-refundable deposits. How many people out of what party size is it?

ilovesooty · 15/11/2011 20:02

YABU. You made the booking knowing what the terms were.

HuwEdwards · 15/11/2011 20:04

I would think most Xmas parties are organised by now - and the hotel may well have turned down other requests on the back of your booking. They could still lose a lot of money through lack of bar sales etc.

It's a business, after all.

herbietea · 15/11/2011 20:17

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piratecat · 15/11/2011 20:21

yes

cruelladepoppins · 15/11/2011 20:57

YABabitU - but did you pay everyone's deposit yourself?

I sympathise as I have been organising a works Christmas do and I absolutely would not pay anyone else's deposit - it took me nearly a fortnight to collect everyone's and I appreciate we could've lost the booking but that would've been the late payers' fault and not mine. On this occasion we were fine. And if anyone can't make it they lose their deposit and I lose nothing (except their company obv).

Sorry to hear about the accident. Can the rest of you still go?

ShellyBoobs · 15/11/2011 21:10

YABU.

To be honest, I'm struggling to understand why you'd even question their reluctance to help you.

The whole idea of taking a deposit is to cover against cancellations, so why would they not keep the money?

BluddyMoFo · 15/11/2011 21:13

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

slavetofilofax · 15/11/2011 21:17

YABU.

How is the hotel supposed to know whether you have a good reason to change the booking or if you just found a better deal?

Why do you think they bother asking for a deposit in the first place?

Original poster

scot1984 · 15/11/2011 22:15

I am not questioning the fact they ask for a deposit or that it non refundable. I think the annoying bit of me is the amount of deposit in relation to the cost of the evening. Hotel charges same amount for all functions where prices differ greatly. Our booking is only a small family gathering. I have paid deposits so now have the unenviable task of getting money from the 2 people cancelling.

OP posts:

mayorquimby · 15/11/2011 22:22

I'd seek to negotiate with them.
Essentially a deposit holds the room for you and it's there in case you don't show up and the hotel lose money (obvious I know).
However you could try and reach a settlement with the hotel where by if they manage to re-book the room then they refund you some or all of your deposit.
Allude to the fact that if they are keeping your deposit then you will be retaining your reserved slot as if you are paying 50% regardless you're sure you can sort something out, which would guarentee that the hotel will only get their 50% for that night and if they do hire it out to someone else while your deposit is still valid they will be breaching the terms of the contract. This at least gives them an incentive to try and find a replacement for your party (you may wish to negotiate that they can offer your slot out at 75% to attract offers seeing as it will be on short notice and that way you'd pay the other 25% by way of deposit)
When does the balance need to be paid in full?

Xmasbaby11 · 15/11/2011 22:25

Is it a lot of money? If they have been in an accident, i would not want to ask them either. is there any way the rest of the group would be willing and able to chip in to cover the rest of it. If it were me, I would happily pay a bit more. I do hope the accident was not serious.

Original poster

scot1984 · 16/11/2011 12:21

Thank you Xmasbaby. Accident not life threatening but very painful. Realistically there is only one other person who may be in a position to chip in.
Will have to give it some thought.

OP posts:

Original poster

scot1984 · 16/11/2011 12:22

About £30 in total

OP posts:

BluddyMoFo · 16/11/2011 12:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TroublesomeEx · 16/11/2011 13:41

But this is what the deposit is for!

In case you need to cancel it, it protects the venue.

You also knew that the deposit was 50% when you paid it because, you paid it and knew it was 50% so complaining about that being high now in relation to other places is a bit odd.

And a £30 total deposit is hardly hefty!

ThePathanKhansWitch · 16/11/2011 13:44

Did you mean £300 OP .? It is horrible when plans go norks up, but your gonna have to suck it up i guess, can't see them giving the deposit back.

mumofthreekids · 16/11/2011 14:47

The problem from the hotel's POV is that anyone who cancels probably claims it is because of an accident, even if in reality they've just changed their plans.

HalfTermHero · 16/11/2011 16:24

An unfortunate situation but this is exactly why venues take deposits.

duckdodgers · 16/11/2011 16:29

Why oh why did you pay everyones deposit, that was a disaster waiting to happen really. Everyone should pay their own then if they need to cancel its their money they are losing and not some other poor soulswho has paid the lot yours.

Original poster

scot1984 · 17/11/2011 21:28

£30 was the deposit for the 2 cancelling. I paid them as it's family.

OP posts:

Original poster

scot1984 · 17/11/2011 21:30

Not saying its high in relation to other places. Problem is depost same at venue whether you are doing a basis event or the more expensive options.
Guess I a b u so will let it go.

OP posts:

Flip