Legal Question in Consumer Law in Massachusetts

Getting my deposit returned.

My credit card was used to hold a date and hall for our wedding and my card was charged $1K. We did not sign any contract. Two weeks later, we decided that wanted to change the venue and date of our wedding. I tried to reason with the hall to obtain my $1K back since no work had been done regarding our wedding yet or any contract signed. But the Hall refused to credit me. So I called my credit card company up and explained that I did not authorize this charge on my credit card and when the card company asked how the vendor got a hold of my credit card, I said that the hall needed it to hold dates but I still did not authorize the $1K charge and the vendor now won't credit me the $1K. So my credit card company agreed to contest it but said that upon investigation we will decide if the $1K will be refunded back to my card.

This is specific to Massachusetts�s law.


Asked on 11/16/07, 5:17 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Christopher Vaughn-Martel Charles River Law Partners, LLC

Re: Getting my deposit returned.

It would seem to defeat the whole purpose of a deposit if they had to give it back to you upon cancellation.

The idea behind a deposit is that you are paying them to turn down other business and keep the date open exclusively for you while you decide.

Unless it was specifically a refundable deposit, or some portion of it was refundable before a certain date, I think they are entitled to keep it. What were the terms of your oral agreement or understanding?

If anything they did was in contravention of your oral contract, then you may stand a better chance.

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Answered on 11/17/07, 8:32 am


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