See Tickets - event cancelled but not entitled to full refund

I was due to see Strictly Come Dancing - The Professionals at the Hammersmith Apollo on the 11th July.

I have just found out that the event was cancelled - this was only because I hadn't received my tickets yet and used See Ticket's online ticket tracker. The cancellation is not See Ticket's fault though, I agree.

I received no confirmation from them stating that the event had been cancelled - apparently they sent an email on the 21st but this did not hit my email account or junk folder (it's a Hotmail account). I received the purchase confirmation OK and the 'sorry we haven't dispatched your tickets yet but don't worry' email. The customer service assistant couldn't see the 'email' sent by the system and had to speak to a supervisor and only then was I told it was 'sent' on the 21st. I doubt it was ever sent.

I paid £99.25 for two tickets. I just checked my credit card statement and on the 22nd they credited my account with £87.25. I am livid. They have kept £12 of my money without providing me with a product or a service.

The customer services person I spoke to said the other amount was for 'postage'. What postage, I asked? I have not received ANYTHING by mail.

I didn't cancel the event and they provided absolutely no service to me. This is diabolical.

Has anyone else had this from See Tickets and do I have any change of getting a full refund. What channels do I need to go down?

I go to the theatre a lot, but I will never, ever use See Tickets again.

I urge everyone else to really think carefully about using them to purchase tickets.

Comments

  • isplumm
    isplumm Posts: 2,204
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    I was due to see Strictly Come Dancing - The Professionals at the Hammersmith Apollo on the 11th July.

    I have just found out that the event was cancelled - this was only because I hadn't received my tickets yet and used See Ticket's online ticket tracker. The cancellation is not See Ticket's fault though, I agree.

    I received no confirmation from them stating that the event had been cancelled - apparently they sent an email on the 21st but this did not hit my email account or junk folder (it's a Hotmail account). I received the purchase confirmation OK and the 'sorry we haven't dispatched your tickets yet but don't worry' email. The customer service assistant couldn't see the 'email' sent by the system and had to speak to a supervisor and only then was I told it was 'sent' on the 21st. I doubt it was ever sent.

    I paid £99.25 for two tickets. I just checked my credit card statement and on the 22nd they credited my account with £87.25. I am livid. They have kept £12 of my money without providing me with a product or a service.

    The customer services person I spoke to said the other amount was for 'postage'. What postage, I asked? I have not received ANYTHING by mail.

    I didn't cancel the event and they provided absolutely no service to me. This is diabolical.

    Has anyone else had this from See Tickets and do I have any change of getting a full refund. What channels do I need to go down?

    I go to the theatre a lot, but I will never, ever use See Tickets again.

    I urge everyone else to really think carefully about using them to purchase tickets.

    Fraid you have had it I suspect - see the T&Cs -

    "In the event of the cancellation of an event by the organiser/promoter (ie a cancellation due to circumstances beyond See's control), See will only refund the face value of the ticket. See will use best endeavours to contact purchasers either by phone, email or in writing (using the details provided at the time of ordering) and advise them to return the tickets. Please note, however, it is the customer's responsibility to check whether the event is going ahead at the scheduled date, time and venue, and See cannot guarantee that they will inform the customer of any changes to the event date, time or venue."

    Look at - http://www.seetickets.com/see/content_terms.asp

    Mark
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  • Helix
    Helix Posts: 2,381
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    I didn't cancel the event and they provided absolutely no service to me. This is diabolical.

    Has anyone else had this from See Tickets and do I have any change of getting a full refund. What channels do I need to go down?

    I go to the theatre a lot, but I will never, ever use See Tickets again.

    I urge everyone else to really think carefully about using them to purchase tickets.

    You had better avoid, Ticketmaster, Ticket Web, Lunatickets and many others then. They all only refund face value and not the booking fees.
  • Darksun
    Darksun Posts: 1,931 Forumite
    Helix wrote: »
    You had better avoid, Ticketmaster, Ticket Web, Lunatickets and many others then. They all only refund face value and not the booking fees.

    Well that's what they say in their T&Cs, I don't know if that is what the law would say. Not sure if the few pounds would be worth arguing in court though.
  • TediousPhoenix
    TediousPhoenix Posts: 206
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    edited 1 July 2010 at 8:05PM
    Helix wrote: »
    You had better avoid, Ticketmaster, Ticket Web, Lunatickets and many others then. They all only refund face value and not the booking fees.

    I checked Ticketmaster's T&Cs and this is what they say:

    Unless indicated otherwise in relation to a particular event, if a performance is cancelled, ticket holders will be offered seats at any rescheduled performance (subject to availability) up to the face value of the tickets or, if the ticket holder is unable to attend the rescheduled performance or the performance is not rescheduled, a refund. Refunds for tickets purchased prior to the date of the original event will be given up to the face value of the tickets purchased plus the relevant per ticket booking fee.


    Since posting I've been Googling and found OFT's leaflet telling you what to what out for - it certainly wasn't something I considered when I purchased my tickets. http://www.oft.gov.uk/shared_oft/consumer_leaflets/general/oft691.pdf

    I also read that there's the Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers (STAR), which Lastminute.com, Ticketmaster, and the Big Bus Company signed up to. It states that those who signed up agree to 'refund the face value and any per-ticket booking fees if an event is cancelled and the promoter agrees to refunds'.

    I really should have gone with Ticketmaster, but See Tickets had better seats.

    See Tickets are nothing more than ticket touts with no moral backbone.

    Here's STAR's website in case anyone is interested - http://www.star.org.uk/

    I'll be contacting Trading Standards, I think. I'll also try to get my money back from Visa as I paid by credit card.

    I don't care the fact that it's £12. It's a scam and they will have made a lot of money out of so many people and it's not fair; they need to be held accountable.
  • Judas
    Judas Posts: 325 Forumite
    Everyone knows that ticket agencies do not refund charges over the face value don't they?
    Its in the terms and conditions and is entirely justified. The ticketing agency need to cover their fees involved in selling tickets regardless if it is ultimately cancelled and refunded.
  • Darksun
    Darksun Posts: 1,931 Forumite
    Judas wrote: »
    Everyone knows that ticket agencies do not refund charges over the face value don't they?
    Its in the terms and conditions and is entirely justified. The ticketing agency need to cover their fees involved in selling tickets regardless if it is ultimately cancelled and refunded.

    I don't think it's justified. If you ordered goods somewhere which subsequently weren't delivered, would you be happy only receiving the trade price of the goods as a refund and not the price you paid?
  • Judas wrote: »
    Everyone knows that ticket agencies do not refund charges over the face value don't they?

    I am obviously stupid then.

    No, I honestly didn't. I come from the old school of thought that if you don't receive a product or service then you should be entitled to a full refund. The fact that this is in OFT's guidelines shows that my thoughts are not way off the mark or unreasonable.

    Its in the terms and conditions and is entirely justified. The ticketing agency need to cover their fees involved in selling tickets regardless if it is ultimately cancelled and refunded.

    Just because a company chooses to put a loophole that contravenes industry-standard guidelines in their T&Cs doesn't make it morally right or justifiable.

    I have no idea, but wouldn't a ticket company take out insurance to cover themselves from cancellation of events?



    All I know is that next time I buy tickets I'm going to check that they are STAR-listed. It's a lesson learnt the hard way; when booking tickets one doesn't really envisage it being cancelled.
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