FatwaFederal TerritoriesTransactions & Finance
IRSYAD HUKUM SIRI KE-509: HUKUM MEMINTA SEMULA WANG DEPOSIT
Can a customer ask for a refund of a catering deposit if the event is cancelled because of the movement control order?
Short answer
In the asker's case, the movement control order is treated as an emergent factor beyond both parties' control, so the contract is terminated and the customer may ask for the deposit back, with both parties encouraged to discuss the matter.
A reference, not a fatwa. First sentence of the summary below — read the original fatwa and consult your state authority before acting.
- Authority
- Federal Territories Mufti Office
- Date
- Status
- Opinion (irsyad)
- Series
- Irsyad al-Hukum (Umum)
- Topic
- Transactions & Finance
No evidence of gazettement in the source — this is not a gazetted fatwa.
Summary
In the asker's case, the movement control order is treated as an emergent factor beyond both parties' control, so the contract is terminated and the customer may ask for the deposit back, with both parties encouraged to discuss the matter. The seller's right to keep a deposit under bai' al-'urbun applies when the cancellation comes from the buyer's own wish. In that situation the deposit counts as compensation, and any amount exceeding the seller's actual loss must be returned. If the seller willingly refunds the deposit, it is a good act with great reward.
Written in our own words from the original fatwa — check the source before acting on it.
Sehubungan dengan itu, jelas di sini bahawa penjual berhak mengambil wang deposit yang telah diberikan oleh pembeli atau pelanggan kepada mereka sekiranya berlaku pembatalan pembelian atau sewaan.
Read the full fatwa on the Federal Territories website (new tab)
How to cite
Cite the original fatwa and its authority. Rujuk Fatwa is only where you found it.
Federal Territories Mufti Office. “IRSYAD HUKUM SIRI KE-509: HUKUM MEMINTA SEMULA WANG DEPOSIT”, 5 May 2020. https://muftiwp.gov.my/ms/artikel/irsyad-hukum/umum/4499-irsyad-al-fatwa-siri-ke-509-hukum-meminta-semula-wang-deposit. Found via Rujuk Fatwa: https://rujukfatwa.com/en/fatwa/ruling-on-requesting-deposit-refund/