Legal Question in Civil Litigation in Florida
Wedding Reception
If I never signed a contract with a caterer can she keep my deposits, even if she acknowledges that I did not sign the contract?
1 Answer from Attorneys
Re: Wedding Reception
Generally speaking, once someone has accepted your money as a deposit, there is a contract, signed agreement or not. They took your money for some reason - what are they saying now? The bottom line is that you will need to go after them in small claims to get your money back if they won't return their (unearned) deposit. Depending on the circumstances, how far out the date was, what was left to be agreed to, did you discuss refunds, etc., you probably are on the right side of this.
If it isn't the money, but the principle of the thing, you can contact the Better Business Bureau as well.