CMA Tells UK Wedding Firms to Issue Refunds for COVID-19 Cancellations

Saddened brides and grooms with cancelled weddings are now entitled to receive their money back from called-off nuptial celebrations.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is now requiring wedding firms to issue refunds to couples who had their weddings cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to The Guardian.

The CMA now backs couples who have struggled to recover deposits on weddings that had to be cancelled.

In an open letter to wedding firms, the CMA has demanded refunds for couples who were previously denied or only given a partial refund for COVID-19 cancellations.

The CMA has been bombarded with grievances over COVID-19 cancellations, many of which are cancelled weddings.

Some of the complaints the CMA received were from soon-to-be-wed couples who were forced to cancel their wedding due to lockdown and social distancing measures.

However, instead of receiving their money back, they were denied. Some couples lost thousands of pounds, while others were given only a partial refund of the money they spent. Still others faced additional charges to reschedule weddings.

On average, wedding costs run about £30,000 in the U.K., according to The Guardian, so some couples lost a large amount due to their cancelled wedding.

As of July, 650 complaints about cancelled weddings had reached the CMA. The average loss for couples was £3,200.

The only exception to the CMA’s demand that wedding funds issue refunds is a situation in which services were already provided and the wedding firm incurred costs of an event that already took place. 

“Where lockdown laws prevent (or prevented) a wedding from going ahead as agreed, the consumer should be offered a refund,” the CMA’s letter said. “The CMA’s view is that the starting point under the law is that this should be a full refund, and a refund would be due even where the consumer has paid what the business says are ‘non-refundable’ deposits.”

According to the CMA guidance, wedding firms also do not have to make a full refund in certain circumstances.

For example, if a wedding firm that has spent money on food or flowers that cannot be reused may retain those funds. Or if a wedding firm spent money on overhead expenses related to the specific cancelled wedding, they do not have to return funds for it.

One other stipulation is that wedding firms do not have to give a full refund if a bride and groom already received an insurance payout for their COVID-19 cancellation, News Break reported. 

Some wedding firms might offer or encourage wedding insurance, but if couples were not covered, wedding firms cannot use that against them. 

“This statement sets out the CMA’s view of consumers’ rights to refunds from the wedding business they had their contract with, whether or not they have insurance (although the CMA would not expect businesses to refund consumers who have got their money back from an insurer, because they should not be able to double-recover what they have paid),” according to the CMA.

One wedding firm is committed to giving “fairer refunds” for COVID-19 cancellations.

Initially, Bijou Weddings Group allegedly offered to reschedule for free, but they were only giving back a portion for cancelled weddings, according to News Break.

Reportedly, the CMA would have taken Bijou Weddings to court if they had not complied with giving full refunds where they were due. 

“It is good news that Bijou has agreed to offer fairer levels of refunds to its customers, and we encourage other firms in the industry to follow suit,” the CMA’s Andrea Coscelli said.  

Did you have a cancelled wedding or other COVID-19 cancellation during the pandemic? Were you able to receive a full refund for your cancelled celebration? Tell us your story in the comments.

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