Alabama - I was involved with the planning of my high school reunion. We started the planning with $100 that was left over from the previous reunion and had to use our own money to pay for everything else and would be reimbursed later. This is how we've always done it. This reunion included 3 classes so we expected a big reunion. We got several emails and calls about everyone being excited and would be there
For this reunion, things didn't go so well. We did not have enough people to register to be able to hold the reunion. Our deadline for registration was 2 weeks before the event because that was when we were to meet with the venue and pay a deposit (non-reundable). Exactly one week before the deadline we made the difficult decision to cancel. There was a total of 30 people to include the committee registered.
After the adminstrative costs and the non-refundable portion of the DJ's deposit was reimbursed we had enough to refund 75% of the registration. There was a clause on the registration that the fee was non-refundable. (no stipulations given) but we wanted to refund as much as we could even if it meant losing money ourselves.
We have been getting nasty emails from a disgruntled classmate who is demanding a full refund. She even sent an email to everyone in the class who had an email address making statements about how unethical we are etc. She keeps throwing around how she is talking to a lawyer etc. The refunds were sent last week and she hasn't gotten hers yet but still she talks like we are trying to keep her money. It's been really hurtful and embarassing since she is sending these statements to everyone and all we tried to do is hold a nice reunion. We never dreamed we'd have to cancel. We actually were getting calls the day the reunion would have taken place because people were wanting to pay at the door.
We don't feel we've done anything wrong. I woud like to know if that "non-refundable clause" truly means anything. It's not like we are trying to keep everyone's money. We refunded what we had left. That's not being unethical or illegal. Should I be worried she'll take us to small claims? Each classmate to include the committee will end up losing $12.50 per person.
For this reunion, things didn't go so well. We did not have enough people to register to be able to hold the reunion. Our deadline for registration was 2 weeks before the event because that was when we were to meet with the venue and pay a deposit (non-reundable). Exactly one week before the deadline we made the difficult decision to cancel. There was a total of 30 people to include the committee registered.
After the adminstrative costs and the non-refundable portion of the DJ's deposit was reimbursed we had enough to refund 75% of the registration. There was a clause on the registration that the fee was non-refundable. (no stipulations given) but we wanted to refund as much as we could even if it meant losing money ourselves.
We have been getting nasty emails from a disgruntled classmate who is demanding a full refund. She even sent an email to everyone in the class who had an email address making statements about how unethical we are etc. She keeps throwing around how she is talking to a lawyer etc. The refunds were sent last week and she hasn't gotten hers yet but still she talks like we are trying to keep her money. It's been really hurtful and embarassing since she is sending these statements to everyone and all we tried to do is hold a nice reunion. We never dreamed we'd have to cancel. We actually were getting calls the day the reunion would have taken place because people were wanting to pay at the door.
We don't feel we've done anything wrong. I woud like to know if that "non-refundable clause" truly means anything. It's not like we are trying to keep everyone's money. We refunded what we had left. That's not being unethical or illegal. Should I be worried she'll take us to small claims? Each classmate to include the committee will end up losing $12.50 per person.