CMA warns wedding firms over Unfair Practices

8th December 2020

... Comments

In September 2020 , the Competition & Markets Authority published a statement on wedding cancellations and refunds .

Inspite of this , the CMA has continued to receive complaints from couples , particularly about being misled about the level of refund they are entitled to or being offered the opportunity to rebook , but only at a higher price.

The CMA has therefore issued a further statement making it clear that ; -

businesses should not make deductions from the refund unless they can prove those costs were incurred directly for the wedding in question and have provided a breakdown of those costs .
where a contract is for venue hire only , the CMA would generally expect there to be any deductions .
there is no benchmark amount when it comes to providing refunds and each case must be assessed individually .
businesses should not delay refunding funds when they are due .
couples should not face additional charges when they voluntarily agree to reschedule their wedding to a comparable date and service , instead of seeking a refund.

The update is part of a wider programme of investigations by the CMA into businesses who have failed to respect refund rights during the pandemic .

Should you require any further information , please contact John Buckle at johnbuckle@hcbgroup.com or 01922 707 598 .

About the Author