Hotel Damage Best Man

[WhattoDO22]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? WA

So,

I just got married. The first day of marriage is not what I was expecting. I received a call from the resort/hotel that hosted my wedding. It turns out that my BEST MAN was found in a room passed out the next morning. They was no reservation for said room and house keeping kicked him out. They found physical damage to the window sill and screen. There was a cigarette burn in a leather chair and butts found in the room with tobacco found in multiple places. My best MAN said the door he used to get in the room was not locked. It was one of those double doors that two rooms could share. I don't think that helps me in this scenario but i thought i would mention it. Long story short the hotel wants to charge me $900 for damages ($500 for property and $400 for staying the night in that room.) I tell my best man this and he admits he did stay the night there and to smoking in the room over the phone. He calls the resort later and says he will not be paying anything because he doesn't think he has to. He also thinks that the resort is hustling me and cannot charge me for the damages and they have to come after him. He does not have a credit card on file for any rooms at the resort. (The resort has multiple cards of mine...the wedding was expensive lol.) The resort is not in hurry to charge me because they know I had no idea what was going on during the night. They want to charge him but he will not provide a credit card. I am wondering what my options are: Should I sue my best man and just pay the resort? It is illegal to smoke in most hotel rooms in Washington State is there anything that I can do with that. Please help because I thought I had a friend, A BEST MAN and it turns out he is a slimy piece of poop.

I signed a contract with the resort saying a) Both parties (resort and my wedding party) would follow all federal, State, and Resort rules and laws. b) Any guest charges or fees left unpaid would be the responsibility of the Wedding Party to cover.

 

[xylene]

Your contract is quite clear as to your liability to the resort.

I would put serious shame pressure on the BM and have others in the wedding party do the same on him.

I think you should definitely consider taking him to small claims. BUT:


PS - I once lost 600 dollars on a destination wedding that didn't occur, along with 15 other people or so. Maybe consider to let it go.

 

[WhattoDO22]

I've never sued anyone or dealt with small claims court. Is it lengthy to get the result I want i.e. have my BM pay me back? What do I need?

 

[adjusterjack]

I signed a contract with the resort saying a) Both parties (resort and my wedding party) would follow all federal, State, and Resort rules and laws. b) Any guest charges or fees left unpaid would be the responsibility of the Wedding Party to cover.

Seems that you are liable for the charges based on that contract.

So, yes, once you pay the hotel you have recourse to be indemnified by your best man and can sue him for the money.

Are you willing to sue your best man?

If not, then I suggest you just pay the charges and get on with your life.

 

[Zigner]

Are you willing to sue your best man?

If not, then I suggest you just pay the charges and get on with your life.

Of course, the OP could communicate with the best man and explain that he's had to pay (along with proof of it.) It's entirely possible that he'll do the right thing and pay up without further complications.

Maybe not - but it can't hurt to ask.

 

[not2cleverRed]

Of course, the OP could communicate with the best man and explain that he's had to pay (along with proof of it.) It's entirely possible that he'll do the right thing and pay up without further complications.

Maybe not - but it can't hurt to ask.

OP indicated in his initial post that he had contacted the best man and told him about the extra hotel charges.

Best man refuses to pay and thinks OP is being "hustled", and so OP is just a fool if OP pays.

Hence the reason that OP no longer views the "best man" as someone respectable. I suspect that most of us, should we have committed such a transgression, who have the good grace to be mortified that we'd caused such inconvenience to the newlyweds. In fact, had the "best man" been suitably mortified and apologetic, OP would not be here.

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? WA

So,

I just got married. The first day of marriage is not what I was expecting. I received a call from the resort/hotel that hosted my wedding. It turns out that my BEST MAN was found in a room passed out the next morning. They was no reservation for said room and house keeping kicked him out. They found physical damage to the window sill and screen. There was a cigarette burn in a leather chair and butts found in the room with tobacco found in multiple places. My best MAN said the door he used to get in the room was not locked. It was one of those double doors that two rooms could share. I don't think that helps me in this scenario but i thought i would mention it. Long story short the hotel wants to charge me $900 for damages ($500 for property and $400 for staying the night in that room.) I tell my best man this and he admits he did stay the night there and to smoking in the room over the phone. He calls the resort later and says he will not be paying anything because he doesn't think he has to. He also thinks that the resort is hustling me and cannot charge me for the damages and they have to come after him. He does not have a credit card on file for any rooms at the resort. (The resort has multiple cards of mine...the wedding was expensive lol.) The resort is not in hurry to charge me because they know I had no idea what was going on during the night. They want to charge him but he will not provide a credit card. I am wondering what my options are: Should I sue my best man and just pay the resort? It is illegal to smoke in most hotel rooms in Washington State is there anything that I can do with that. Please help because I thought I had a friend, A BEST MAN and it turns out he is a slimy piece of poop.

I signed a contract with the resort saying a) Both parties (resort and my wedding party) would follow all federal, State, and Resort rules and laws. b) Any guest charges or fees left unpaid would be the responsibility of the Wedding Party to cover.

 

[Zigner]

OP indicated in his initial post that he had contacted the best man and told him about the extra hotel charges.

Best man refuses to pay and thinks OP is being "hustled", and so OP is just a fool if OP pays.

Hence the reason that OP no longer views the "best man" as someone respectable. I suspect that most of us, should we have committed such a transgression, who have the good grace to be mortified that we'd caused such inconvenience to the newlyweds. In fact, had the "best man" been suitably mortified and apologetic, OP would not be here.

I agree. However, if the OP shows that he actually paid the amount due, it's possible that the BM will change his tune. If not, then a lawsuit may (or may not) be appropriate, depending on what the OP wants to do.

 

[WhattoDO22]

So the BM is not going to remedy the situation. The resort ended up charging me for the damages. Can I sue my BM or will I lose since I signed a legally binding contract with the resort and am responsible for my wedding party. Not sure if my BM is responsible for the damages he did.

 

[not2cleverRed]

Keep your threads together.

https://forum.freeadvice.com/small-claims-courts-24/sueing-best-man-628386.html

 

[justalayman]

So the BM is not going to remedy the situation. The resort ended up charging me for the damages. Can I sue my BM or will I lose since I signed a legally binding contract with the resort and am responsible for my wedding party. Not sure if my BM is responsible for the damages he did.

You are liable to the hotel for damages to rooms you rented. That doesn't mean the person actually responsible for the damages isn't liable to you for the damages. He quite likely is. Now you need to determine if
It is worth your time and effort to attempt to obtain a judgment against him and then take whatever efforts are necessary to collect on the judgment if he refuses to pay. If you wouldn't be able to force him to pay the judgment (some states have very little in the way of making a judgment debtor pay), you might be best served by just moving on with your life.