Expect money back as not had a service

[Whymejustwhy]

We went out our way to book with a local organisation for our wedding caterer and not a big catering company.

We paid him £1200 for our wedding in early March and we were due to get married 17/04/2020. However that is not going ahead and we contacted them as the lockdown came into effect to advise we would be cancelling and not rescheduling. He offered a £300 good will gesture payment back even though no contract and he had not taken any action to get anything to cater the wedding.

We have since spoken to Consumer Advice who have advised as no contract in place we should be getting 100% of our money back. We have advised him of this and he is now saying we have until tonight to accept the £300 or write off the money or give him a new date.

The caterer says that as we paid £1200 we accepted a contract, even though he never issued one. Apparently he doesn't have to show it for it to be valid according to him.

Despite trying to speak to him, he will not discuss and has now blocked our number and just wants to take our money.

We appreciate everyone is facing tough times but treating a consumer like this when you are trying to run a business is really not in the spirit of it all.

Any advice welcome.

You cancelled a few weeks ago and expect your full money back??????

Are you not rescheduling your wedding?

OP it is my understanding that if your wedding is your cancelled due to the lockdown restrictions that is beyond both parties control and the contract, whether verbal or otherwise, is now frustrated.

Neither party can fulfil the previously agreed obligations therefore you are entitled to a refund.

However your supplier may offer a reasonable payment plan to return the balance - you have no automatic entitlement to an immediate, full, refund.

Look up Stanford Gould Limited on Facebook - they specialise in legal matters surrounding weddings and they have been discussing such things at length since lockdown was first announced.