Bought tickets for Music Festival, but refused entry!!

callistris

Myself and 4 friends plus many many others were refused entry to a music festival last weekend in Birmingham, due to the organiser overselling tickets.

We were informed on the night, that we could get a refund on our tickets, but can we also claim for hotel and travel expenses?

As neither myself or my 4 friends would have gone to Birmingham had it not been for the festival, so we wouldn't have paid out for travel or hotels.

In total I'm £170 out of pocket for an event that I wasn't able to get into!!

Do we have any consumer rights against the organiser for these charges?

agrinnall

I doubt if your consumer rights cover much beyond the cost of the tickets, but in the circumstances I certainly think you would have a decent case for recovering your additional expenses. Put a claim in writing, and if they refuse move on to sending a letter before action, and then if necessary claim through the courts, more info here:

https://www.moneyclaim.gov.uk/web/mcol/welcome

callistris

Thanks for the info agrinnall

mattyprice4004

I would say yes, you'd be able to claim back the expenses.

I can see it going to court though!

paddyrg

Kick up a stink with the promoter - if you would consider a bunch of merch or extra free tickets to something else instead of the cash, you give them an easy and cheap way out (and they probably have crates of t-shirts/merch in the office getting in the way) whereas they're programmed to hold onto cash even more than oxygen.

Valli

this is the link from Directgov re event tickets

as Agrinnall says, however, they are only liable for the cost of the tickets, but I agree with the rest of his/her post...

I too think you have a justifiable claim for the excess, my take on it is that

a) they must have known they had oversold the event
b) they COULD HAVE warned people prior to the event that they had oversold tickets and that, under these circumstances, not all ticket holders would be admitted to the event. Then they could have warned people that, if they travelled to the event and were subsequently refused admission despite having a valid ticket it would be at the ticket holders own risk.

But they didn't. So, since they did not make any effort to reduce the numbers attending IMO (and it is only an opinion) they could now be held liable for additional costs incurred by their customers, such as hotel bills, travel tickets.

It is usual, when events have to be cancelled, for the organisers to make attempts to advise ticket holders of cancellations, through websites and local media among other ways. Not to just allow people to travel to the event and then turn them away at the door. This will give you something to argue with;)

I would take the steps Agrinnall has outlined, namely initial letter stating your claim (with reasons); then escalate to a letter before action if that doesn't work. Please keep us informed. Send COPIES of receipts for hotel; travel etc. Keep copies of letters etc. You'll need them if it does come to court!