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Hi everyone
We have booked a wedding venue in January 2020 for a wedding in August 2020, but due to COVID, things got messy….!
The company - ARK ROYAL VENUE T/A SMM(UK) LTD (Company No. 09439491) have been very difficult to say the least. I got the company number from company house search as they do not publish this info on their documents or website, which I believe is a legal requirement. They are also failing to confirm the company number.
Every time we called for clarifications in terms of what’s happening, their representative (or could even be their owner MUHIB RAHMAN pretending to be someone) kept encouraging us to send email to request to ‘cancel’ to info@arkroyalvenue.co.uk. We suspected that it is some sort of legal trap for them to keep the money, but nonetheless sent emails asking for clarifications/assurance, but had no response (7 June 2020, 18 June 2020). A google review implies that they have been doing this for other customers.
We eventually had a reply from MUHIB RAHMAN on 19/08/2020 to our email of 17 Aug 2020, just 6 days or so before the actual wedding’, claiming deceptively that we have cancelled, with what seems like copy and pasting from different sources T&C and offering part refund or re-schedule the venue. We have already made it clear on 18/06/2020 in writing that we are not in position to delay any further, which he of course ignored and ignoring.
We have replied and highlighted clear points and gave him 7 days to refund or we take the matter further. The fact of the matter is, not only Ark Royal Venue have you shown unprofessionalism/dishonest tactics, but more significantly we feel Arc Royal are in breach of contract of not providing any services. Ark Royal Venue have not provided any pre-wedding services i.e. food tastings, choosing deco and so on as per the contract. Ark Royal Venue representative confirmed verbally that they will not be able to provide the service on the agreed date per contract - for 500 guests (he claimed 150 people can be accommodated – not sure how). How can they provide a service even for less guests when they have not been in touch to arrange pre-wedding services in any case?
MUHIB RAHMAN’s response been the same, and of course ignoring all our points and making things up more to keep the money. He will not provide full refund. We have responded again.
MUHIB RAHMAN’s approach has been one of deception and ignoring facts with the intent of keeping the money illegally and immorally. He deceptively trying all approach - claiming that we have cancelled, when we did not. Claiming cost incurred for even pre contract (i.e during sale) “arranging viewings, tours of the venue, preparation of contracts’’ – presumably he would have sent us an invoice if we did not choose his venue? Of course, he is claiming cost incurred of ‘…answering your queries, consultation in respect to decor suppliers, food tasting, chasing deposits etc.’ which never happened! They have been ignoring emails until recently when we requested full refund, and never even called us. Some of his arguments are mind boggling – sheer stupidity. For example, he even claimed that once contract is signed, they are locked into a contract. If that is the case, why not respond from day one. Why leave it to the last? Why not arrange the weeding as per contract? Can you legally arrange wedding for 500 guests during the lock down? His rep claimed that they will be able to accommodate 150 people, is that as per government advise?
The partial refund that Arc Royal have offered is not only devoid of any facts and immoral, but has no legal standing whatsoever when they in breach of contract, and especially when they have not incurred any costs! The only thing that you have done so far is hard sale to take our money, kept it in their bank account and tried/trying to keep it using all sorts of tactics!
We will escalate the matter to CMA and may end up taking them to small court (deposit paid by Bank Transfer so chargeback and section 75 will not apply). Wondering if anyone has been in a similar situation and can advise how to get our refund?
Can we report them to
We have booked a wedding venue in January 2020 for a wedding in August 2020, but due to COVID, things got messy….!
The company - ARK ROYAL VENUE T/A SMM(UK) LTD (Company No. 09439491) have been very difficult to say the least. I got the company number from company house search as they do not publish this info on their documents or website, which I believe is a legal requirement. They are also failing to confirm the company number.
Every time we called for clarifications in terms of what’s happening, their representative (or could even be their owner MUHIB RAHMAN pretending to be someone) kept encouraging us to send email to request to ‘cancel’ to info@arkroyalvenue.co.uk. We suspected that it is some sort of legal trap for them to keep the money, but nonetheless sent emails asking for clarifications/assurance, but had no response (7 June 2020, 18 June 2020). A google review implies that they have been doing this for other customers.
We eventually had a reply from MUHIB RAHMAN on 19/08/2020 to our email of 17 Aug 2020, just 6 days or so before the actual wedding’, claiming deceptively that we have cancelled, with what seems like copy and pasting from different sources T&C and offering part refund or re-schedule the venue. We have already made it clear on 18/06/2020 in writing that we are not in position to delay any further, which he of course ignored and ignoring.
We have replied and highlighted clear points and gave him 7 days to refund or we take the matter further. The fact of the matter is, not only Ark Royal Venue have you shown unprofessionalism/dishonest tactics, but more significantly we feel Arc Royal are in breach of contract of not providing any services. Ark Royal Venue have not provided any pre-wedding services i.e. food tastings, choosing deco and so on as per the contract. Ark Royal Venue representative confirmed verbally that they will not be able to provide the service on the agreed date per contract - for 500 guests (he claimed 150 people can be accommodated – not sure how). How can they provide a service even for less guests when they have not been in touch to arrange pre-wedding services in any case?
MUHIB RAHMAN’s response been the same, and of course ignoring all our points and making things up more to keep the money. He will not provide full refund. We have responded again.
MUHIB RAHMAN’s approach has been one of deception and ignoring facts with the intent of keeping the money illegally and immorally. He deceptively trying all approach - claiming that we have cancelled, when we did not. Claiming cost incurred for even pre contract (i.e during sale) “arranging viewings, tours of the venue, preparation of contracts’’ – presumably he would have sent us an invoice if we did not choose his venue? Of course, he is claiming cost incurred of ‘…answering your queries, consultation in respect to decor suppliers, food tasting, chasing deposits etc.’ which never happened! They have been ignoring emails until recently when we requested full refund, and never even called us. Some of his arguments are mind boggling – sheer stupidity. For example, he even claimed that once contract is signed, they are locked into a contract. If that is the case, why not respond from day one. Why leave it to the last? Why not arrange the weeding as per contract? Can you legally arrange wedding for 500 guests during the lock down? His rep claimed that they will be able to accommodate 150 people, is that as per government advise?
The partial refund that Arc Royal have offered is not only devoid of any facts and immoral, but has no legal standing whatsoever when they in breach of contract, and especially when they have not incurred any costs! The only thing that you have done so far is hard sale to take our money, kept it in their bank account and tried/trying to keep it using all sorts of tactics!
We will escalate the matter to CMA and may end up taking them to small court (deposit paid by Bank Transfer so chargeback and section 75 will not apply). Wondering if anyone has been in a similar situation and can advise how to get our refund?
Can we report them to
- Trading Standards (Tottenham or registered company address area London E1)?
(2) Company House – not publishing or confirming their company number?
)
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