Should I be able to get out of my contract?

Question

My wedding reception hall has decided to become a rehab center and it will become one 10 days before my wedding. We don't want our wedding there now and its too late to change the date. I have a backup place but they are telling us we are liable to pay them still. However, they are changing the name, function, etc. They do have penalties for cancelling but I think the contract is void now that they rezoned to a rehab center. Read the article here.

http://ads.qctimes.com/articles/2008/08/16//news/local/doc48a60937be001271351898.txt

Answer 1

put all your conversations with them in writing with dates and times.  You may have to hire a lawyer, or send them to small claims court for your money back.

the place you intended to have your reception at the time you hired them, is very different from what it will be.  that is unethical on their part.  

I would move on, and not let it ruin your day.  But, be ready to deal with it when the honeymoon is over.  

Answer 2

Were you given this option? "Some events that had been planned for The Abbey have been moved to Abbey Station in Rock Island, Lemon said."

How long have they known about them becoming a treatment facility, and how long have you known about it?

Answer 3

So, what exactly is the situation?  You contracted for the ballroom for an exact date, right?  Something like, "Agreement is to lease the Abbey Hotel Ballroom for the afternoon of October 10, 2008," or whatever.  And, now they refuse, or cannot, accommodate you for October 10.  Is that it?  And, they've told you this, and cannot provide a reasonable substitute for October 10?

OK, I'll go with that presumption.  They are in breach of contract.  Not only do you not owe anything, you should get your deposit returned (if you paid one), AND any extra costs you must incur due to being forced to go to your "backup" plan.  

Have an attorney write them a letter if they don't cooperate.



Note:  The situation would be different if you can still use the facilities.  You will have a hard time convincing a judge that you were unable to use the hotel for your wedding, and therefore justified in backing out of the contract, just because there were some druggies in a separate part of the hotel.

Edit:  OK, if you can still use the facilities, then it seems to me you will have a hard time backing out of this contract without being liable for breach of contract damages.  When you get sued, their argument will be something like this:

"Well, Judge, yes, the hotel rooms are occupied by patients undergoing rehabilitation.  But, the facilities leased to the defendants were separate from the hotel.  The hotel guests would have had no access to the wedding reception.  The facilities were unchanged from the time the defendant's first agreed to the lease.  The facts that the hotel guests are 'different' in no way made the wedding reception facilities any less adequate for the purposes in which the defendant was to use them."

What will be your counter-argument?  Unless you have a good one, you'll lose.  You will need to successfully argue that the presence of rehab patients makes the facilities significantly different (not just slightly different) than what you initially bargained for.

Answer 4

tokio hotel!!!!