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PSA: I just lost a $500 deposit because of a 'materials' clause in a venue contract
I thought 'non-refundable deposit' just meant the booking fee, but the fine print said it also covered 'quoted materials' like tables and chairs they never even ordered. The manager pointed to that line when I had to cancel. Has anyone else gotten burned by a venue contract that hides extra costs in the deposit section?
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wesley6394mo ago
Walking away over a line-item request is a bit much. Most venues have standard contract language for a reason, and @owens.laura is right that pushing too hard can set a bad tone. You just have to accept some standard terms as part of the cost.
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waderamirez4mo ago
Yeah, that's a classic move. Always ask for a line-item breakdown of the deposit before you sign anything. If they won't give it, walk away.
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owens.laura4mo ago
Honestly @waderamirez, I've found that strategy can backfire. A lot of decent landlords see that request as overly aggressive right off the bat. Sometimes you just gotta read the lease carefully and ask about the big charges instead.
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the_sage4mo ago
Totally agree with that. I had one landlord get super defensive when I asked for a breakdown on a $2,000 deposit, said it was "standard" and I was wasting their time. Turned out the place had a ton of hidden fees built into the lease anyway, like a $150 "admin fee" for every work order. I ended up walking, and looking back, that was probably a bullet dodged. Some landlords just expect you to sign blind. It's like they forget you're the one paying the bills, you know? Better to find someone who's upfront from the start.
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