1996jacket
Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Virginia
I hired an interior designer a few months ago for a redecorating project. I had to pay a $2000 retainer fee. In the contract, it is stated that the amount of the final invoice for the project will be taken from the retainer fee, and the remainder of the retainer fee will be returned to the client. Also in the contract it states that either party can cancel the project at any time. I received an invoice of $657 on 5/22. Upon receiving this invoice, I told the designer that I was terminating the project for budgetary reasons (she had been on the project for over a month, and her work was good, but I suspected she was overcharging me). The designer said that she was had reduced her fees and was going to modify the invoice and send me the remainder of the retainer fee soon. I didn't hear from her for over a month, so I sent an email to her on 6/27 to let her know I had not received her check. She responded on 6/30 by giving me a new invoice for the same time period as the previous invoice, but had added costs so that the new total is $2072. Her explanation was that she had given me a reduced price on the previous invoice, but no longer had an incentive to give me a discount. I did not request any discounts and was not made aware of being given any discounts until after I terminated the project.
I filed a complaint with the BBB, but it appears that the designer is going to let the complaint go public rather than settle the dispute and honor her initial invoice as I demanded in the complaint. Should I try to take this to small claims court? I would appreciate any advice.
I hired an interior designer a few months ago for a redecorating project. I had to pay a $2000 retainer fee. In the contract, it is stated that the amount of the final invoice for the project will be taken from the retainer fee, and the remainder of the retainer fee will be returned to the client. Also in the contract it states that either party can cancel the project at any time. I received an invoice of $657 on 5/22. Upon receiving this invoice, I told the designer that I was terminating the project for budgetary reasons (she had been on the project for over a month, and her work was good, but I suspected she was overcharging me). The designer said that she was had reduced her fees and was going to modify the invoice and send me the remainder of the retainer fee soon. I didn't hear from her for over a month, so I sent an email to her on 6/27 to let her know I had not received her check. She responded on 6/30 by giving me a new invoice for the same time period as the previous invoice, but had added costs so that the new total is $2072. Her explanation was that she had given me a reduced price on the previous invoice, but no longer had an incentive to give me a discount. I did not request any discounts and was not made aware of being given any discounts until after I terminated the project.
I filed a complaint with the BBB, but it appears that the designer is going to let the complaint go public rather than settle the dispute and honor her initial invoice as I demanded in the complaint. Should I try to take this to small claims court? I would appreciate any advice.