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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think this woman is entirely deranged?

128 replies

annoyedatotherparents · 15/10/2023 16:57

I’ve just had a big birthday, and hired a room in central London for a party. I booked a photo booth and thought I’d get a glitter backdrop for behind it as well. The first company didn’t do them so I found another one on Instagram that provides them, and booked it all months ago.
The woman in charge of the glitter wall company seemed fine, if slightly incompetent (lots of emails to me and the venue asking obvious questions) but all was ok until the day before the party when she says she’s unable to contact anyone at the venue and starts sending frantic emails again. I loop her in again, and she seems to have sorted it.
Then it’s the day of the party, and three hours before it starts she begins texting me again to say she’s too stressed about this all (ie lack of contact from venue) to come out now and wants to cancel the whole booking. I point out that’s not great to leave me with no notice, and she says her mental health has been triggered by this extremely stressful situation.
She’s now ignoring my messages asking for my money back. What on earth can I do? But also, surely proving glittery wall backdrops is literally the least stressful job ever?! How does she cope with everyday life?!

OP posts:
Barrowgirl · 15/10/2023 16:59

You already paid her In full? Before the event?

how did you hear about her?

Soubriquet · 15/10/2023 16:59

Does seem very high maintenance. Hope you haven’t paid any money or that you get it all back

xyz111 · 15/10/2023 17:01

My goodness. She shouldn't be running a business if she can't cope with setting up a venue. Hope you get your money back.

EineReiseDurchDieZeit · 15/10/2023 17:01

Good Luck getting your money back

Thebigblueballoon · 15/10/2023 17:01

Give her a day to respond to you before sending a formal email asking for a full refund before X date, or you’ll be pursuing the matter in small claims court.
Does she have a big following? Lots of reviews?

cartagenagina · 15/10/2023 17:01

Small Claims Court?

Very silly to pay up front.

ffsgiveitarest · 15/10/2023 17:03

Trading standards contact citizens advice

ThereIbledit · 15/10/2023 17:05

That sounds bonkers.

Did you pay on a credit card?

annoyedatotherparents · 15/10/2023 17:05

I did pay up front! Deposit then balance week of event. She’s got a website with lots of followers, so I don’t think it’s a scam - but she’s just entirely deranged. She also emailed the venue at the same time to tell them how awful they are and how terribly this entire process has affected her.

OP posts:
annoyedatotherparents · 15/10/2023 17:06

Didn’t pay on credit card sadly! Thank you, I’ll email formally tomorrow.

OP posts:
Barrowgirl · 15/10/2023 17:07

How much did you pay

no point pursing small claim if less than £100

Barrowgirl · 15/10/2023 17:08

You paid the entire amount before she’d done anything?

Normalsizedsalad · 15/10/2023 17:08

She’s got a website with lots of followers

Loylts of followers on SM mean absolutely nothing. Hope you get your money back but absolutely leave fair review

CesareBorgia · 15/10/2023 17:10

How much did you pay?

annoyedatotherparents · 15/10/2023 17:12

Was £250.

OP posts:
annoyedatotherparents · 15/10/2023 17:13

I will definitely leave a fair review! But I just don’t know where to start with explaining how mad she is!

OP posts:
PinkFrogss · 15/10/2023 17:13

Email giving a date you expect a full refund by. If you don’t receive it then do a chargeback via the bank.

Leave a bad review too.

CesareBorgia · 15/10/2023 17:14

I wonder if, in reality, she'd double-booked or made some other cock-up, and didn't want to admit it.

annoyedatotherparents · 15/10/2023 17:15

@CesareBorgia that would make more sense. But I don’t know why she wouldn’t just have said she was ill or something harder to dispute? The great detail on how triggering she found the emails is just so weird!

OP posts:
ThereIbledit · 15/10/2023 17:15

I would absoutely contact your bank and see if they will do a chargeback.

KaySararSarar · 15/10/2023 17:15

What we’re the reviews like? This is so odd. Could it be the first time for her providing the service in central London maybe?

MayThe4th · 15/10/2023 17:16

Report to action fraud.

It’s almost certainly a scam. TBH hiring someone from instagram and paying them up front was never going to go well,

Website with lots of followers is meaningless. It’s easy to create one of those.

Mehmeh22 · 15/10/2023 17:16

I had a deranged woman do my catering for my wedding. I couldn't back out because she turned batshit the week before my wedding. Really stressful! I feel your pain!!

YoureALizardHarry11 · 15/10/2023 17:17

My first thought is that it’s a scam business and they used any excuse not to provide the service because it doesn’t exist. They just wanted your money.

Mandoidi · 15/10/2023 17:18

What do/did the venue say? Was there some kind of problem?