Fantastic Decor and Catering Services

Dear friends 🧡

This is a long read. My post is not to defame anyone but I would never ever want someone to ever go through "what I have been through" Luckily I am strong willed to an extent and had my family with me who worked tiredly to make my event a success.

I know Taric for a pretty long time. I would say for many years as he used to be a dancer for a popular Nagara Group. So when you know some body automatically you trust the person whole heartedly.

When I asked for referrals from you guys. Most of you had tagged Taric and said what an "amazing service provider" that he is and he has a catering business namely Fantastic Catering and Decor.

Amazing? Yes he is AMAZING he would literally drain your life force out and never ever give you a chance to talk, communicate and he says "Yes" for everything.

I was not looking for cheap, I was not looking for a discount. I wanted someone to deliver what I envisioned.

On the 18th July 2024 I contacted Taric to employ his services. This was our first official meeting which included my entire family. This was to discuss my broinlaws 60th birthday party on the 24th August and my high tea.

Sadly our function for the 24th August could not happen cause of my Nephews Death.

All was arranged on this day my bro inlaw paid Taric R1000 cash and that night I paid him R500.00. As agreed all balances was to be paid on the day of the function.

I then asked him for pics of the centre pieces and I was sent pics from Google.

He then insisted that pricing went up and I must pay him an additional R500.00 which he kept on asking. Thank God that I didn't pay him this. (I believe that you need to keep to your word if you are running a business)

If you see the chats attached I always kept him informed has to what's going on. Due to more people I had to change venues.

On the 24th of July he said that he would book an appointment for that Monday to discuss my new requirements.

On the 28th of july of meeting was scheduled for 2pm. When I messaged him at 2pm. That's the time he said "I am running late"

I don't care how busy you are or whatever the story is. Be impeccable with your word. Especially if you know before hand that you have a meeting. Later on he has always been late to all of our appointments and never once bothered to say Firstly thar he is running late. I had to always be the one to ask "Where are you" I value my time and time is important to me.

In the 28th July I had also asked him to bring samples of the centre pieces and types of Crockery and Cutlery to be used. But unfortunately nothing ever came.

On the 30th July we made arrangements to meet at the venue. Once again he was late....and I had to check where he is. All was agreed upon and we went forward.

Sadly on the 5th of August I lost my nephew and for the following 13days I didn't do much planning. We had to cancel my broinlaws birthday for the 24th August. When we asked for a refund of R1000 he said No. In all fairness that was alright. So I asked him if he could carry that deposit to my function and that was agreed upon.

On the 22nd August my sister made contact with Taric to meet with him to finalize everything cause it's a week before the function. They agreed to meet on that Friday 23rd and unfortunately nothing materialized.

My sister asked him again to meet on the 24th August which he agreed up....on the 24th August we waited for him and again he didn't show up. He had several excuses: There's no water. They are locked in, there's a bloackage and they can't get out....

Now I started to get worked up....cause this 24th August was supposed to be my broinlaws birthday party. If he had no water and there was a protest in his area. Would this mean that he would have given us this story and not do the function?

(I have been through 2 deaths in my close family, there were days when we had no water, there were days when I couldn't move at all - But I had never ever let my clients down)

I was so ****ed at him that I had told him to please refund my money and I would get someone else.

Then he asked to meet us on the 26th August - This time he was almost 20 minutes late. He did bring samples and all was good. I told him that I would confirm on Wednesday 28th August what time I would be getting the hall.

He did mention that he had a busy week and he will rarely chat cause he had his own fund raiser on the 30th August. But I should whatsapp him.

From a business perspective you as a business owner know your capabilities and your man power. If you can't handle a function or project why take om something or be greedy?

All was arranged for him to set up at 4pm on the 31st August. We even told him that drop of the stuff and we would set up. I was stressed so much cause I had to prep all of the food, over see everything and make sure that everything is beyond perfect.

This is my first big event and it needed to be a success and I could not afford to disappoint any one.

As you can see on the chats he agreed to be there at 4pm.

On Saturday 31st August we left home at 2:30pm we got to the venue and we started offloading all of my own decor stuff and table stuff, my Carts etc.

Came 4pm and there was no sight of him. We still gave him the benefit that he would pitch up.

5pm nothing

6pm he was trying to find his driver who mysteriously got lost and he didn't know where the driver was. How on earth does this happen? How do you not know how or where your staff is?

I ordered 12 steel tables from him for a reason. This I needed to set up my structures and table decor for my high tea. I wanted this so the tables don't sag. It's stated on my list of requirements.

At 7pm a van comes by with 7 flimsy plastic fold up tables, about 10 plints which were rusty....100 chair covers and 12 table clothes "Which were just used at another function" these were filthy and soiled.

Would you as a person who hired and paid for stuff - Accept this? Am I mentally wrong to Question this? Do I have no right to be angry?

My sister's begged and pleaded with him for the stuff. We was even prepared to fetch the stuff and do it on our own.

At 8pm he cancels my function with the notion of "His staff and his life is at threat" so he can not do my function any more.

What do you do? Where did I go wrong? I didn't ask for anything for free...I didn't ask for a discount....yes I did wanted to keep my costs low only so that I could help me people with my Hamper Drive.

Where do I get stuff from this part of the night. Anyways I pulled strings and got what I could.

We worked and set up by 1am on the 1st got home and prepped by 5am I was dead.

I had to pay an additional R8000 to hire stuff. R900 for tables, R2500 for cups and saucers cause nobody had stock.

On Saturday night he refunded my R1500 deposit....and now he wants to charge me R1200 for the stuff which he had sent on the Saturday night.....

For the life of me I am trying to understand why would a person be so bitter and cold? Where did I go wrong....what did I do wrong? All I wanted to do was to support a small business just like mine.

Taric I know you are going to read this and you are going to try and justify yourself "bhai" but you know what you did.....this is now between you and the Amma that you so boldly worship. Remember I to worship the same Amma. Right is right and wrong is wrong.

I am sure you are going to retaliate. All of our chats are posted here. Also remember that on the Monday 26th August you have signed a legally binding contract which my attorneys have drawn up. This is not a threat but I am still being nice and human and I wouldn't want to use that. Off course you have absolutely no shame, remorse and you have blamed the cancelation due to my "Anger" how was I to react? Should I have laughed ?

If you are going to come after me for slander and defamation of character....think again. You were my service provider and I have every right has a consumer or client to let people know how horrible your services are.

Big question guys.....should I pay him that R1200? Or with hold it back?