Refund, Cancellation & Returns Policy for Services
REFUND, CANCELLATION & RETURNS POLICY
- Introduction
This Refund, Cancellation & Returns Policy applies to purchases and bookings made through Mary’s Inn Online Store.
Our online platform allows customers to purchase products and book services including:
- Event furniture hire
- Event décor hire
- Sound-system and audio equipment hire
- Catering and food services
- Cake and pastry orders
- Photography and Videography Services
- Bar Tender Services
- Event-related products and services
- Other products or services offered through our online store
We aim to provide our customers with a clear, fair and transparent process for cancellations, returns and refunds.
Nothing in this policy is intended to limit or exclude any rights that a consumer has under applicable South African law, including the Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008 (CPA) and the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act 25 of 2002 (ECTA).
- General Refund Principle
Refunds and cancellations will depend on the type of product or service purchased, the date of cancellation, whether the service has already commenced, and whether any customised, perishable or event-specific arrangements have already been made.
Where a refund is legally required under applicable South African law, we will process the refund in accordance with those legal requirements.
Where a cancellation is permitted under this policy, the applicable cancellation charges will be communicated clearly to the customer before the booking is confirmed.
- EVENT FURNITURE & DÉCOR HIRE
Event furniture and décor are generally reserved specifically for a customer’s event date.
Cancellation more than 7 days before the event
Where a customer cancels more than 7 days before the scheduled event date:
- The customer may request a refund of amounts paid.
- Any reasonable, disclosed costs already incurred specifically for the booking may be deducted where permitted by law.
- Alternatively, the customer may request that the amount paid be transferred to another available event date, subject to availability.
Cancellation 4–7 days before the event
Where a customer cancels between 4 and 7 days before the event:
- A partial refund may be provided after deduction of reasonable costs already incurred in preparing for the booking.
- The customer may alternatively request a credit or rescheduling, subject to availability.
Cancellation less than 4 days before the event
Where a customer cancels less than 4 days before the event:
- Refunds may be reduced because the furniture and décor may already have been allocated, prepared, transported or reserved exclusively for the customer.
- Any refund will be assessed according to the actual costs incurred and applicable law.
No-show
If the customer does not make the venue available for delivery or collection at the agreed time, or otherwise fails to use the hired items without giving us reasonable notice, the booking may be treated as a cancellation.
Any refund will be considered based on the circumstances and costs incurred.
- SOUND SYSTEM & EQUIPMENT HIRE
Sound systems and related equipment are reserved for specific dates and events.
Customers should provide accurate event details, including:
- Event date
- Event location
- Required operating times
- Expected number of guests
- Indoor or outdoor requirements
- Equipment requirements
Cancellation charges may apply because equipment may have been reserved exclusively for the customer and may have been prepared or transported in advance.
Where equipment has already been delivered, installed or used, refunds will be considered based on the circumstances and services already provided.
Customers remain responsible for hired equipment while it is in their possession or under their control, subject to the terms of the applicable hire agreement.
- CATERING SERVICES
Because catering is generally prepared specifically for a particular event, cancellation terms may differ from ordinary product purchases.
Customers should cancel catering bookings as early as possible.
Where cancellation occurs sufficiently before the event, we will assess the refund based on:
- Food and ingredients already purchased;
- Food already prepared;
- Labour costs already incurred;
- Special or customised requirements;
- Transport and logistical arrangements;
- Other reasonable costs directly associated with the booking.
Where food has already been prepared specifically for the customer, a full refund may not be possible where the law permits the applicable costs to be retained.
For catering services booked for a specific date or period, statutory cooling-off rights may not apply in certain circumstances under ECTA. (Acts Online)
- CAKES & CUSTOM CAKE ORDERS
Cakes and pastries are often prepared specifically according to the customer’s requirements and may be perishable.
Customers must provide accurate information regarding:
- Cake flavour;
- Size;
- Design;
- Colour;
- Personalisation;
- Collection/delivery date;
- Delivery address;
- Any special dietary requirements.
Cancellation before production
If a customer cancels before production has started, we will consider a refund subject to any costs already incurred.
Cancellation after production has started
Where production has already commenced, the amount refundable may be reduced by reasonable costs already incurred.
Customised cakes
Because personalised or customised cakes may not be suitable for resale to another customer, cancellation and refund arrangements will take into account the work and materials already committed.
Defective or incorrect cakes
If a cake is materially different from what was agreed, damaged before delivery/collection, or otherwise does not comply with the agreed order, the customer should contact us as soon as reasonably possible.
Depending on the circumstances, we may offer:
- A replacement;
- A reasonable correction;
- A partial refund; or
- A full refund,
where applicable under South African consumer law.
- BARTENDER SERVICES
Bartender services are generally booked for a specific event date and time. Once a booking has been confirmed, we may allocate staff and make preparations specifically for the customer’s event.
Cancellation more than 2 day before the event
Where a customer cancels more than 1 days before the scheduled event:
- The customer may request a refund of amounts paid, subject to any reasonable costs already incurred specifically for the booking.
- Alternatively, the customer may request to transfer the booking to another available date.
- Rescheduling is subject to staff availability and any applicable changes in service requirements or pricing.
Cancellation less than 1 days before the event
Where a customer cancels less than 1 days before the event:
- A refund may be reduced to account for staff allocation, preparation, scheduling and other reasonable costs already incurred.
- Where staff have already been specifically allocated to the booking and it is no longer reasonably possible to replace the booking, the applicable booking fee may be retained to the extent permitted by law.
Additional bartender requirements
The customer is responsible for providing accurate information regarding:
- Event date and duration;
- Event location;
- Number of guests;
- Expected number of bartenders;
- Bar setup requirements;
- Alcohol and beverage requirements;
- Glassware and equipment requirements; and
- Any special service requirements.
Changes to the number of guests, event duration or service requirements after confirmation may result in additional charges.
- PHOTOGRAPHY SERVICES
Photography services are booked for a specific event date and time and may involve reserving a photographer exclusively for the customer.
Cancellation more than 14 days before the event
Where a customer cancels more than 14 days before the scheduled event:
- The customer may request a refund of amounts paid, subject to any reasonable costs already incurred.
- Alternatively, the booking may be transferred to another available date, subject to photographer availability.
Cancellation 7–14 days before the event
Where a customer cancels between 7 and 14 days before the event:
- A partial refund may be considered after deducting reasonable costs already incurred in preparing for the booking.
- Rescheduling may be offered where the photographer is available.
Cancellation less than 7 days before the event
Where a customer cancels less than 7 days before the event:
- A refund may be reduced because the photographer may have reserved the date exclusively for the customer.
- Reasonable costs already incurred may be deducted where permitted by law.
- Rescheduling may be offered subject to availability.
Photographer cancellation
If Marys Inn is unable to provide the agreed photography service due to circumstances within our control, we will make reasonable efforts to provide a suitable replacement photographer.
If a suitable replacement cannot be provided, the customer may be offered:
- An alternative photographer;
- An alternative date; or
- A refund for the photography service that cannot be provided,
subject to applicable law.
Photography deliverables
The agreed photography package will specify, where applicable:
- Event coverage duration;
- Number or type of photographs;
- Editing requirements;
- Delivery format;
- Estimated delivery timeframe;
- Album or printed-product requirements; and
- Any additional photography services.
Once photography services have been performed, refunds relating to the completed portion of the service will generally not be available except where required by applicable law.
Where editing or post-production services have already commenced, the costs and work already completed may be taken into account when determining any applicable refund.
Rescheduling photography services
Customers should request a change of event date as early as possible.
Rescheduling is subject to photographer availability. If the requested new date is unavailable, the customer may be treated as having cancelled the original booking and the applicable cancellation terms will apply.
- COMBINED EVENT SERVICE BOOKINGS
Where a customer books multiple services together—for example:
- Furniture and décor;
- Sound system;
- Bartender services;
- Photography;
- Catering; and/or
- Cake services,
each service may be subject to its own cancellation and refund terms.
Cancelling one service does not automatically cancel the other services included in the booking.
Where the services form part of a discounted package, cancellation of individual services may result in the package discount being recalculated.
Any applicable refund will be calculated based on the individual services affected, costs already incurred and the terms communicated to the customer at the time of booking.
- CHANGES TO SERVICE REQUIREMENTS
Customers must notify Marys Inn as soon as possible if there are changes to their event, including:
- Event date;
- Event venue;
- Number of guests;
- Event duration;
- Number of bartenders required;
- Photography coverage requirements;
- Furniture or décor requirements;
- Sound-system requirements; or
- Catering requirements.
Changes may result in additional charges where they require additional staff, equipment, transport, working hours or other resources.
Any additional charges will be communicated to the customer before the additional service is provided, where reasonably possible.
- GOODS PURCHASED THROUGH THE ONLINE STORE
Where physical goods are sold through the Store, customers may have statutory rights relating to defective, unsafe or incorrectly supplied goods.
Nothing in this policy removes or limits those statutory rights.
Where a product is defective or does not comply with the agreement, customers should contact us as soon as possible with details of the problem.
Where a return is approved, the customer may be required to provide:
- Proof of purchase;
- Photographs or other evidence of the issue;
- The product;
- Packaging, where reasonably available.
Any return arrangements will be communicated to the customer.
- ONLINE TRANSACTION COOLING-OFF RIGHTS
Certain electronic transactions are subject to cooling-off rights under ECTA.
Section 44 of ECTA generally provides a consumer with a seven-day cooling-off period for qualifying electronic transactions involving goods or services, subject to statutory exclusions. (Acts Online)
These exclusions can include certain services that have already commenced with the consumer’s consent, as well as certain food, catering and leisure services supplied for a specific date or period. (Acts Online)
Where a statutory cooling-off right applies, we will honor the consumer’s rights in accordance with applicable law.
- CANCELLATION BY Mary’s INN
If we are unable to provide a confirmed product or service that a customer has paid for, we will notify the customer as soon as reasonably possible.
Where we cannot fulfil the order and the customer is entitled to a refund, the applicable amount will be refunded in accordance with South African law.
Where appropriate, we may offer the customer the option of:
- An alternative product;
- An alternative service date;
- A replacement service; or
- A refund.
The customer will not be required to accept an alternative arrangement where a refund is legally required.
- RESCHEDULING AN EVENT
Where possible, customers may request to move their booking to another date.
Rescheduling is subject to:
- Availability;
- The type of service booked;
- Supplier availability;
- Changes in pricing;
- Additional transport or logistical costs;
- The amount of notice provided.
A rescheduling request is not automatically guaranteed and must be confirmed by Mary’s Inn in writing.
- EVENT DATE CHANGES
If an event date is changed by the customer, the customer should notify us as soon as possible.
We will make reasonable efforts to accommodate the new date.
If the new date is unavailable, the customer may be offered an alternative date or another appropriate solution, subject to the applicable terms and South African law.
- DELIVERY & COLLECTION
Refunds relating to delivery or collection will be considered separately from the cost of the product or service.
Where an order has already been dispatched or a delivery team has already travelled to the venue, reasonable delivery, transport or logistical costs may be taken into account where permitted by law.
For hired equipment, furniture and décor, the customer must ensure that the agreed venue is accessible at the scheduled delivery and collection times.
- DAMAGE, LOSS & MISSING HIRE ITEMS
Customers hiring furniture, décor, sound equipment or other hire items are responsible for taking reasonable care of the items while they are in their possession or control.
Where items are returned damaged, lost or incomplete, the customer may be responsible for reasonable repair or replacement costs in accordance with the applicable hire agreement and South African law.
Any applicable deposit or security amount will be dealt with separately from the service fee and may be used toward legitimate damage, loss or replacement costs where permitted.
- REFUNDS FOR OVERPAYMENTS OR DUPLICATE PAYMENTS
If a customer accidentally makes a duplicate payment or pays more than the amount due, the excess amount will be refunded after the payment has been verified.
The refund will normally be made using the original payment method where possible.
- HOW TO REQUEST A REFUND OR CANCELLATION
Customers must submit cancellation or refund requests through:
Email: orders@marysinn.co.za
WhatsApp: 081 003 4209
Telephone: 081 003 4209
The request should include:
- Customer’s full name;
- Order or booking number;
- Date of purchase/booking;
- Event date, where applicable;
- Product or service purchased;
- Reason for cancellation or refund request;
- Proof of payment;
- Any supporting photographs or documents where relevant.
A refund request is not considered received until it has been successfully submitted through one of the approved communication channels.
- REFUND PROCESSING
Once a refund has been approved, we will process the refund within the period required by applicable law or, where no specific statutory period applies, within a reasonable period.
Refunds will normally be made to the original payment method used by the customer.
Depending on the customer’s bank or payment provider, additional processing time may apply before the funds appear in the customer’s account.
We will not ordinarily provide cash refunds for online card or electronic transactions.
- PAYMENT GATEWAY FEES
Where a refund is required by law, the customer’s statutory refund rights will not be reduced by this policy.
Where a customer voluntarily cancels a booking outside a statutory cooling-off or other legal refund right, any payment processing or third-party costs that cannot reasonably be recovered may be taken into account where this was clearly disclosed and is legally permissible.
- WEATHER, VENUE CLOSURES & UNFORESEEN EVENTS
Where an event is affected by circumstances outside the reasonable control of the customer or Mary’s Inn, including severe weather, venue closure, government restrictions, major infrastructure disruptions or other unforeseen circumstances, we will work with the customer to find a reasonable solution.
Depending on the circumstances, this may include:
- Rescheduling the event;
- Transferring the booking to another available date;
- Providing a partial refund;
- Providing a full refund where appropriate; or
- Providing an alternative service.
Any decision will take into account the services already provided and costs already incurred, as well as applicable law.
- NON-REFUNDABLE ITEMS AND SERVICES
Where a particular product or service has special cancellation conditions, those conditions will be clearly disclosed to the customer before the customer completes the purchase or booking.
A statement that an item or service is “non-refundable” will not override any refund or cancellation right that a consumer has under applicable South African law.
- NO WAIVER OF CONSUMER RIGHTS
Nothing in this policy is intended to exclude, restrict or waive any consumer right that cannot legally be excluded or waived under South African law.
Where this policy conflicts with a mandatory provision of applicable legislation, the legislation will prevail.
- COMPLAINTS
We encourage customers to contact us first so that we can attempt to resolve complaints quickly and fairly.
Complaints should be submitted to:
Email: info@marysinn.co.za
Please include the order/booking number and sufficient information for us to investigate the matter.
We aim to acknowledge complaints within 2 business days and provide a response or update within a reasonable period.
- POLICY CHANGES
We reserve the right to update this Refund, Cancellation & Returns Policy from time to time.
The version applicable to a customer’s transaction will generally be the version that was displayed and accepted at the time the order or booking was placed, subject to any mandatory changes required by law.
- CUSTOMER ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
By completing a purchase or booking through our online store, the customer acknowledges that they have had an opportunity to read this Refund, Cancellation & Returns Policy and the applicable terms and conditions.
Marys Inn is committed to providing customers with transparent pricing, reliable event services and fair treatment throughout the booking and refund process.