Posted by Phil Landis on August 25, 1998 at 13:11:06 :
In Reply to: Should they deposit be returned? posted by JP on August 24, 1998 at 21:34:11 :
JP,
No, the deposit should have been retained. We allow a client to apply a deposit to a rescheduled time. In this case it sounds like it was almost event day. You didn't say how large an event this was, but if you've turned other business away you've lost your profitability for that time slot. We do refund deposits if the cancellation is related to a death or serious injury, not to do so would be insensitive. Most of the time that event is rescheduled. YES, you should have a contract, and probably a larger deposit, especially for social catering. I know an excellant attorney who is familiar with caterers, she would probably be willing to review your current contract for a modest fee. E-mail me. Good Luck!
Phil Landis