Refusing prom bus money

[purpleboy]

My DD has organized her school prom (entirely on her own)
She has also organized a 16 seater Limo for her group of friends (about 9) and then invited anyone else who wasn't going with another group totaling 16 people. The cost was £45 per person.
Everyone paid then 2 people dropped out. DD was told they couldn't get a refund from the company so the 2 people didn't get their money back. They understood no problem. Then a 3rd dropped out she however wants her money back. She has been told that the company won't refund therefore there is nothing DD can do.

The girls is sending very abusive personal messages to DD demanding she pays her back?

If DD pays her back it would be out of her own pocket. I don't think this is right as the girl could still go if she wanted, she has just decided she would rather go with another group.

So is DD/myself unreasonable is saying we can't refund her?

TIA

Why is the school not involved in organising the prom?

The Limo is a side issue. The other girl, she's lost her deposit. Its up to her to sell her place on. OR the other 15 girls all agree to pay an extra £3 to keep the peace. That is unlikely to happen and it will just create another administrative nightmare.

The girls is sending very abusive personal messages to DD demanding she pays her back? I would take that to the police, but thats just me.

She also tried to get school involved but they said they wanted nothing to do with it. It'sstepped into cyber bullying territory now - and I appreciate Y11 will legally be off the schoools books on the last Friday in June and they don't want the issues BUT they havea moral obligation to deal with bullying.

O/T why are there so many drop outs?

Got needs to learn you make a commitment you cantthen pick and choose. Life lesson.
If girl persists send email to girls mother explaining this saying bullying is inexcusable. Also phrase it to school in the context of bullying. This is surely inexcusable mid exams more so than ever.
Daughter should send final message to girl explaining this and then block.

Do you know the parents? You need to forward the company's detail for them to chase the refund. State clear that the money isn't with your DD!

Poor DD, hope things will get better.

Block her and tell her parents to sort it out

I wouldn't bother to mention contacting the company as really the refund lies with you not them, the limo company don't care they have been paid they will just say sort it out with the people who booked it! Which will mean it comes back to you. You need to say the below! I agree with both these posters & agree with comments re bullying! What a horrible girl to get personal over this, hope the parents are not involved, this is a life lesson right here.

^The other girl needs to find a replacement to take her place or lose the money

^^ This. And also learn an important lesson if you choose to do something like this, once you've said you'll go, and bookings have been made on that basis, you've committed to paying the cost, unless the booking is refundable, which most aren't. And don't expect others to lose out financially due to your flakiness.

I dont think people are grasing the limo costs X pounds to hire. The Limo its self is hired, not on a seat by seat basis

There wont be a refund. The Limo company wont care, their contract is with the OPs daughter, and the balance has been paid. Exactly why do people think they will give money to a random who phones up and says ' blah blah I cant go now' ?

Your DD has been foolish. She should have understood the terms of conditions before she booked and she should have communicated them.

She is going have to be firm and tell this girl that her options are pursuing a small claim against her but she will not accept harassment and the next email she sends will be forwarded to the Police. The issue the girl has with your DD is a civil one (unlikely she’d succeed) but if she persists with the harassment it will be a criminal case.

I would suggest that you contact the company directly because terms and conditions don’t suddenly change because of demand.

As they are only 16, I would try to find out the girls parents phone number and speak to them. I think that at 16 they don't always understand the way the world works and maybe if her parents explain she will get it.

I would definitely contact the mother.

There is a point, very expensive lesson learn from both sides. I would only refund half with involvement of their parents.

Exactly why do people think they will give money to a random who phones up and says ' blah blah I cant go now' ?
I don't think the limo company will pay, but that's why I suggest this girl calls up with her sob story to be told "sorry love but we have the money and aren't refunding". Life lesson: you can't book and cancel things on a whim

School don't get involved in prom arrangements like limos but they would be interested if any of the drama and nastiness is coming into school.

Why would she even think she'd get her money back? I'd phone the mum and say you've spoken to the company and it's no refunds and mention the harassment.

I would contact the parents with the company details what a total drama.

When mine were doing prom school laid on a coach and strongly advised against Limos and sent out letters saying school would not get involved in drama disputes.

It may be her mum putting pressure on her to get the money back.
I know mine would and in similar situations has bullied people into refunding her to shut her up.

Some people have no concept of how these things work.

Just be aware that might be the case.

Block, ignore, repeat.

And report for harassment if it carries on or escalates.

Well done your girl for getting something so fun sorted.

But am I the only one thinking FORTY FIVE QUID EACH at their age!!!

£45 on transport is nothing for some proms.

Some of our y11s spend several hundreds on their outfits plus professional hair and makeup and spray tans etc. It's a running joke that by the time they're all dolled up many of the girls looks old or older than staff in their 20s and 30s.

The expense is ridiculous and fairly comparable by area as well even schools I've worked at with poorer catchments seem to go all out on prom.

This girl has learned early, probably from her parents, to be a bullying, CFer entitled bitch. Keep all the messages. Send one more, 'It is NON-REFUNDABLE. You need this. STOP harassing and abusing me NOW.' Then I'd block her. If she finds a way to carry on, I'd go to the police. No way I'd contact this girl's mother, she's probably the one egging her on. And NO way I'd refund her when the other 2 lost their deposits. Tough shit.

This is nothing to do with the limo company no point giving their details.

I would contact the mother and explain that her daughter agreed to go, agreed to pay an equal share for a place and has now changed her mind. Whilst she doesn’t have to travel with them if she wants a refund she needs to find someone to take her daughters place. End of story. Then block completely.

My DD organised her prom transport six years ago, I recall it being very stressful and all ours paid and turned up!

There is a point, very expensive lesson learn from both sides. I would only refund half with involvement of their parents.
That’s an interesting point of view. What lesson do you think the OP’s daughter should take from this and why do you think she should be out of pocket? She got the money off everyone which is a sensible move - their dropping out shouldn’t impact anyone else financially.

This is nothing to do with the limo company no point giving their details.

There’s absolutely a point. OP’s DD hasn’t made the rules. If girl wants to take it up with someone, she can take it up with the company who have the policy of no refunds.

What lesson do you think the OP’s daughter should take from this and why do you think she should be out of pocket

Well, she'll probably be taking the lesson of never bother organising anything fun and nice for a group again because it's quite stressful, there's too many flaky idiots in the world but she'll heave a sigh of relief that she had the foresight to get the money up front and not trust people who she thought were her friends, who in fact just expect her to take the hit for them changing their minds after committing to the limo.

If my daughter told me this was going on I'd be poking my beek in and stopping the abuse whether dd told me not to, put the little b%tch in her box, I'd contact the girls parents and let them know of her poor behaviour and I'd be letting school know how the situation has went to bullying.

Oh and I dont care I've got no shame my dd was getting abuse via txt and in person at school we tried contacting school but to no avail so the next call my dd got I answered and had a talk with the little madam, problem sorted