Couple refunded after mix-up over wedding dais size

A MEDICAL officer and his fiancee were glad when the Johor Consumer Tribunal ordered a boutique to refund part of their booking fee paid for a wedding dais and hall decoration.

The couple had paid a total of RM1,000 and tribunal president Lee Chee Thim ordered that they be refunded RM550 within two weeks as a mistake was made by the boutique’s sales assistant.

Mohamad Khair Ismail, 29, and Alizah Ali, 27, visited a wedding fair at Angsana Mall Johor Baru on Sept 12, 2023, and chose the dais and hall decorations priced at RM8,500 with a RM3,500 discount.

“The sales assistant told us we would be charged RM5,000 for the two items and enjoy the discount as the booking was made at the event,” said Mohamad Khair during the tribunal hearing.

The couple paid a RM1,000 booking fee at the wedding fair thinking it was for a dais measuring 7.6m by 9.1m.

However, when they went to the boutique in Taman Permata, Johor Baru on Sept 22 to finalise their booking, the boutique manager said for the RM5,000 fee they could only get a dais measuring 5.4m by 9.1m.

The 7.6m by 9.1m dais, they were told, was for a bigger hall and that they would have to pay RM6,000 for it.

“We were dissatisfied with the explanation by the manager,” said Mohamad Khair, adding that the receipt for the booking fee did not indicate the size of the dais.

When Mohamad Khair cancelled the deal and demanded a refund, he was told the money was non-refundable as stated in the receipt.

Earlier during the hearing, the boutique manager told the tribunal that they suffered losses as they had to reject two earlier bookings after accepting Mohamad Khair’s booking.

He added that the company also gave the claimant a gold coin worth RM118 and two lucky draw tickets at the event.

Those who need assistance with regard to consumer’s tribunal matters call 07-227 1755/1766.