There are several reasons why Intended Parents may ask for a refund. Sometimes it's not a full refund but at other times it just may be best to ask for a refund the entire amount of the retainer agreement. Below is my short "What If" list:
*What if the surrogate/donor doesn't want to work with the Intended Parents that chose their profile (and the IP’s don't find any others in the database they are interested in)?
*What if the surrogate/donor doesn't pass the medical evaluation (and the IP’s don't find another profile in your database they wish to explore)?
*What if the clinic rejects the donor or surrogate for failure to follow medical protocol or other medically related reasons (and the IP’s can't find any others they want to work with, or don't trust the agency pool of candidates any longer)?
*What if the Intended Parents have a medical or financial issue of their own and need to back out of the agency program (after just a few weeks and are not currently under contract)?
*What if the donor/surrogate is not mentally able to perform her commitment and backs out before contracts are signed (and there are no other candidates available)?
Lastly, an agency may insist on refunding the retainer fees back to the Intended Parents if the agency/staff feels that the IP’s are hard to please and have an impossible list of expectations that can't be met.
There are quite a few scenarios but you get the picture. A refund maybe in order. If the agency can't rematch, or the surrogate/donor has been disqualified, Intended Parents have the right to some sort of refund. (full or partial)
Refunds are usually not planned, however, and Intended Parents should keep in mind that a refund check could take a couple of months to receive. Remember that agencies are trying to do their best to correct problems and issues and make up for human errors that are no fault of their own. Patience is key in these cases as is understanding and clear communication. Intended Parents could also give some time to the agency to advertise for a specific surrogate or donor if a replacement is not found in the current database. Flexibility is always appreciated.