Wedding abroad ?? Make the right choice...
17 March 2008
Krissy Wright and Nick Huntley paid First Choice over £2,500 for their wedding in the Dominican Republic in Sept 2006. A month later, their wedding certificate arrived - the proof they were officially man and wife. But there was a mistake with Krissy’s name. The certificate came back with her middle name as Thomas. She sent it back to First Choice to get it corrected. But a year later they still hadn’t received it. Krissy and Nick have been unable to apply for a joint bank account or change the names on the mortgage and Krissy couldn’t even renew her passport. Sixteen months after the wedding the certificate was finally returned but this time it had a spelling mistake on it. Krissy and Nick still can’t use their wedding certificate to prove that they are legally married.
Shelly Massey and David Turner have just celebrated their sixth wedding anniversary but have still not received a correct wedding certificate. They got married in Mexico in 2002 having paid just over £4,000 to Airtours (now owned by Thomas Cook). Originally the wedding certificate had Shelly’s maiden name wrong so it was sent back to be corrected. The couple are still waiting for it to be returned to them.
For some couples it gets even worse. Emma Scott and Leslie Hatfield’s wedding was organised by Thomson in the Dominican Republic last June. They’ve never had any certificate and when they chased it up with Thomson, the company couldn’t even confirm they were legally married. It’s even possible they’ve been caught up in an alleged wedding scam in the Dominican Republic. Last month four officials there were arrested amid reports that some marriages have been conducted by a fake judge. True or not the couple can’t understand why it’s been so difficult to get their wedding certificate.
Lawyer Vanessa Lloyd Platt says not having a wedding certificate is more than just an inconvenience, “If you can’t prove that you are legally married then you are not married in the eyes of the law. You may not be able to inherit if, God forbid your partner dies. You may not be able claim from his pension plan. You may not be able to take out bank accounts. You may not be able to change your passport. ”
First Choice have told Watchdog that they fully accept the delay experienced by Krissy Wright and Nick Huntley is unacceptable. They confirm the couple is legally married. First Choice said that they are doing all they can to speed up the process to ensure the couple receive their wedding certificate. They have offered the couple £200 in holiday vouchers as a gesture of goodwill.
Airtours told Watchdog that they would like to ‘apologise unreservedly to Mr and Mrs Turner for the severe delay in resolving the issue with the marriage certificate’. Airtours will pay for Mr and Mrs Turners legal costs and have offered £500 as a goodwill gesture. They are ensuring that the legal certificate is with the couple as soon as possible.
Thomson sincerely apologise for the delay to Mr and Mrs Hatfield in receiving their wedding certificate following their marriage last June They have assured the couple that they are still legally married and are endeavouring to ensure that a marriage certificate is issued as soon as possible.
Source:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/consumer/tv_and_radio/watchdog/reports/holidays_and_travel/holiday_20080317.shtml
No comments:
Post a Comment