The Abu Dhabi Commercial Court of First Instance has ordered an events management company to refund Dh13,000 to a woman after confirming via a phone message that the company had agreed to return the money due to shortcomings in organizing a private event.
Court records show the woman filed a case seeking recovery of the Dh13,000 she paid for the function, along with 5 percent legal interest from the due date until full payment, expedited enforcement, and reimbursement of costs and legal fees.
The claimant told the court that she had contracted the company to organize a private event under an agreement specifying that payments would be refunded in case of organizational defects. She said the company later acknowledged the deficiencies and agreed to repay the amount but failed to do so.
To support her claim, she submitted copies of the contract, a company-issued document, a bank transfer record, and WhatsApp messages exchanged with the company’s representative.
The company’s owner attended the hearing and argued the case should be dismissed for lack of standing. Alternatively, he requested rejection of the claim and contested the claimant’s entitlement to interest, claiming she was not a trader.
In its ruling, the court noted that the submitted documents showed a valid contract between the parties. The WhatsApp messages were sent from the same phone number listed in the contract, confirming that they were issued by the company’s representative. The messages included a written confirmation that Dh13,000 would be refunded within 14 days of the event date.
The court found no evidence that the company had made the repayment, and the owner’s court appearance did not affect the validity or amount of the debt. On the interest claim, the court ruled that the outstanding sum was a known debt, entitling the claimant to compensation for delayed payment.
The court ordered the company, through its owner, to pay Dh13,000 plus delay interest at 3 percent per year from the date of claim until full settlement, capped at the principal amount, in addition to court costs and legal fees.
