ComplaintsforLa Paloma Events LLC

• Initial Complaint

  03/22/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I had booked this events space for a party that I was holding on January 13th for my 30th birthday. I didnt sign a physical contract. She showed me a brochure and I sent in the deposit and I made the payment for the party. In total, I spent around $950 for everything. A week before the party, I noticed that Portland reported a possible snowstorm so I asked about rescheduling. She refused to let me reschedule or offered me a refund. The morning of, I asked my friend to call her to see about rescheduling because it was snowing and getting icy. She remarked that she was in ********** and that it wasnt her problem. When I talked to her, she said that thats what I get for planning a birthday party in January. She gave me back around $275 for the amount that I paid to come in early and decorate and also for some of the other items that I had booked, like the bar. I want my full money back. She also ended up closing the business early (I have screenshots of everything) and so I wouldnt have been able to have my party there anyway. It has been a really frustrating experience.

  Customer response

  03/22/2024

  Theyre going to say that they did partially refund me but they didnt. Quick notes: I paid $700 for the time of the party, including the security guard. I then paid an extra $275, which included extra time to set up (I had been told that I wouldnt have to pay if no one else was booked that morning but then they said that I did) and I paid for the bar that they were letting us use. They gave me back the money for the extra time and the set up and that was all. So Im asking for help getting the additional money back. 

  Business response

  04/05/2024

  
  Dear BBB Team,
  
  I am writing to formally challenge the dispute initiated by ******************************* regarding the event she booked with us for the date of January 13, 2024. As per our records and the terms agreed upon between La Paloma and *******************************, we believe the dispute is unwarranted due to the following reasons.
  
  ********* agreed in writing to our cancellation policy which did not include a provision for inclement weather. Clients are required to have event insurance and the client did not add a weather insurance policy although she knew of the possibility of snow. The client was well aware about the possibility of inclement weather days before hand. We exchanged emails with regards to the potential for snow and made extensive efforts to accommodate. The client decided to follow through with plans to host the party.
  
  Despite our adherence to the agreed-upon terms and the resources invested in preparing for the event, ******************************* abruptly canceled the plan at the last minute on the day of the event. This cancellation not only resulted in financial loss but also disrupted our operations significantly. Furthermore, ********* claimed to cancel the party due to poor weather and then posted publicly on social media photos of her birthday party at an alternate location.
  
  Beyond paying staff who were in place the morning of the event, between the dates of February 2023 and January 13, 2024, over 150 emails passed between my staff and *********, as well as three on-site tours and consultations to prepare for her birthday party. This resulted in well over 25 hours of staff and admin time. 
  
  ********* claims we closed operations early that day and that she would not have been able to host her party. This is untrue. We were open with staff in place in preparation for her event that day. We did close the gift shop portion of La Paloma later that day due to slow foot traffic. 
  
  We have made every effort to ensure transparency and provide evidence of our compliance with the terms of service. Furthermore, we have attempted to reach an amicable resolution with ******************************* through direct communication channels. However, ******************************* has failed to accept the more than generous resolution we have offered.
  
  Attached to this letter are copies of all relevant documents, communication logs, and other pertinent records. These documents corroborate our position and substantiate our claim against the dispute.
  
  - ********* reconfirmed her plans to hold her party the morning of the event.
  - ********* has already been issued a 50% discount (worth $700), a refund $50 for the event
  furnishings she booked, an additional refund of $225 toward the event booking
  - We also offered to rebook her event at a 50% discount

  We will not be issuing an additional amount in accordance with our policy.
  
  We firmly believe that the disputed transaction was conducted in accordance with the agreed-upon terms and thus warrants a denial of the claim.
  Please do not hesitate to contact me should you require any further information or clarification regarding this matter.
  
  
  Sincerely,
  *******************
  Owner
  La Paloma Gifts & Events

  
  

  Business response

  04/05/2024

  Attached is evidence to our requirement for ********* to read and agree to our policies, as well as her response to the email. 

   

  Business response

  04/05/2024

  *******************************:
  I had booked this events space for a party that I was holding on January 13th for my 30th birthday. I didnt sign a physical contract. She showed me a brochure and I sent in the deposit and I made the payment for the party. In total, I spent around $950 for everything. A week before the party, I noticed that Portland reported a possible snowstorm so I asked about rescheduling. She refused to let me reschedule or offered me a refund.
  
  La Paloma:
  These claims are false:
  ********* agreed in writing to our cancellation policy. ********* was given the opportunity to reschedule at a 50% discount. 
  Proof of these discussions were submitted in a previous message to BBB. 
  
  *******************************:
  The morning of, I asked my friend to call her to see about rescheduling because it was snowing and getting icy. She remarked that she was in ********** and that it wasnt her problem. When I talked to her, she said that thats what I get for planning a birthday party in January. She gave me back around $275 for the amount that I paid to come in early and decorate and also for some of the other items that I had booked, like the bar. I want my full money back. She also ended up closing the business early (I have screenshots of everything) and so I wouldnt have been able to have my party there anyway. It has been a really frustrating experience.
  
  La Paloma:
  ********* asked her friend to call who pretended to be her event manager. We later found out that he was a friend, which she confirms in the message above. The person was rude and dismissive and insisted we refund or reschedule. When I explained out policy to him, his response was "Let me tell you how this is going to work...." I remained calm and respectful and let him know that we were not in a contractual agreement and therefore ********* would need to reach out herself to discuss next steps. After working extended hours through the holiday season at my gift shop, I came to ********** to care for a bed-ridden family member. I would never address a client in the way she is suggesting. I never said "it wasn't my problem or "that's what you get for planning a birthday party in January". I did respectfully remind ********* that: she was well aware of the potential for snow, our policy did not include an exception for inclement weather, and also reminded her on various occasions our requirement for event insurance. ********* did not disclose to us that she had hired outside vendors at the time of booking the event space, nor did she disclose that the event was a ticketed event. I understand and empathize with the impacts she suffered due to the cancellation. That said, we find her inability to take accountability for failing to prepare for the possibility of inclement weather and refusal to pay for the services we provided to be unreasonable.   I would be glad to provide BBB a full record of all ****************************************** which La Paloma attempted to accommodate ********* in a multitude of ways. 
  

  Customer response

  04/05/2024

   
  Complaint: 21469528
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  

  1. La Paloma offered me a chance to reschedule if I paid them more money, even though I had already paid them $975. She didnt offer me that discount until I told her that I would never use their business again and hung up with her. She is not the only one with screenshots. I told her that I wouldnt use her business again, and sent her an email explaining why I was unhappy with her service and she responded later about her family member being sick, which I respectfully acknowledged. There is nothing in the contract about weather or Acts of God. She also keeps saying that she has proof of me cancelling but I also have proof of her closing her business early due to the weather. 
  

  2. She did too say Thats what you should expect for throwing a party in January. The fact that she is now pretending that she didnt is frustrating. In her original response on ********* she made me out to be this greedy, angry Black woman and I dont appreciate it because I wasnt. She is not the only one with emails and screenshots. I can provide those as well. 
  Sincerely,
  
  *******************************

  Business response

  05/02/2024

  Complaint: 21469528
  
  We take feedback seriously and aim to address any issues promptly and transparently. Upon reviewing your complaint, it's important to clarify several points.

  Firstly, we genuinely regret any inconvenience caused by the cancellation of your event. We understand the significance of such occasions and strive to provide exceptional service to all our clients.

  Regarding the cancellation policy, we want to emphasize that we made an exception in your case by going above and beyond our standard policy. Despite the short notice of your cancellation, we incurred administrative and staffing costs in preparation for your event. Therefore, we were limited to offering you a partial refund to cover these expenses.
  
  The closure of our gift store and music store was not related to your event. Our business was fully operational and staffed on the day of your event. Any suggestion to the contrary is simply inaccurate.
  
  Furthermore, we must address the serious accusation you've made regarding racism. We categorically deny any such behavior or intention on our part and firmly assert that race played no part in our handling of this matter.
  
  It's disheartening to hear that you feel unfairly treated and that you perceive our response as an attempt to portray you in a negative light. We value our reputation and the trust our clients place in us. It's unfortunate that this situation has escalated to this point, and we sincerely hope you cease to accuse of us of actions that simply aren't true. 
  

  
  

  Customer response

  05/03/2024

   
  Complaint: 21469528
  
  I will say this and I can call it good because this has been an ongoing conversation for four months, and it is going nowhere and it is incredibly frustrating. I feel like you believe that you did all that you could to help me with this event, and you didnt. After getting to know me for months as I devoted time and effort into this planning, all for a snow and ice storm to happen, was heartbreaking for me. There are so many better ways that you could have handled this. In your original response on ********* you kept talking about my financial hardships and how I kept begging for discounts, which was unnecessary and cruel. Did I have a budget for the party? Yes, but I always paid you on time and I was honest about that. I didnt paint myself in any other colors other than truthful. You said Sorry, we cant reschedule, but unless you were booked out every single day from here until 2025, I dont know why you couldnt have. Maybe Im taking this situation personal, but considering that I was excited about engaging with you before the space was even open, you would think that there would have been some wiggle room. I understand having to run a business, since Im opening up one myself. I just wish that you would have thought You know, this is an unprecedented weather event. Roads are going to be covered in ice and its not safe for people to be out and about. What can we do to fix this situation? and you didnt do that and to be honest, thats what was the most frustrating. Furthermore, you keep saying that I cancelled, which I didnt, but you never mention the fact that you closed the event space and the store at around noon, which I have screenshots of. My ************************, mentioned that you even tried to reach out to 10 Barrel to get him fired, which is absolutely ridiculous and says a lot about you as a person trying to wield her power in a situation that has gone on for far too long. Lastly, did I call you racist? No. But the words that you used to describe me and how you chose to paint me were. I showed people your original response and even they said that you constantly bringing up my financial status and saying that I threatened your business was a lot. I didnt threaten you or La Paloma. I simply said that I wouldnt use your services again and that if people asked, I would tell them why. If thats threatening, then everyone on Yelp is threatening businesses that they dont like. Was the event ticketed? Sure, my friends chipped in but they would have been able to go even if they couldnt have. ****, I even remember saying that you and your husband could come if you wanted to. All in all, maybe you wont learn something from this event about how to treat people when situations arent under their control (can you imagine if the roles were switched and I was the business owner basically Well, that *****, to you, someone who chose to trust my business on a special day? Or what if you couldnt have gone down because of the ice and had to message me about the party?), but I have. So we can call this good and I hope that you have a good life. 
  Sincerely,
  
  *******************************

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩