Music concert rescheduled - booking fees?

MillyMolly01

Hi guys,

I purchased 6 tickets for a music event due to take place later this year with a booking fee of £7 per ticket. I have received an email stating that the event has been rescheduled and will now take place 2 months later than the original date. The email also stated that if you are unable to attend the new date a refund will be issued. We are unable to attend on the new date but will not be refunded the £42 booking fee. Is this legal? I suspect I don't have a leg to stand on, but this seems like a lot of money to lose for nothing. Thanks.

earthstorm

I think if they had canceled the even then you would be entitled to all monies back including booking fee, but they have rescheduled the event and given new dates. It is not their fault you cannot attend on the new date. But look at the tickets agents T&C to see what they say.

MamaMoo_2

As they have broken the original contract, you should be refunded all costs including any booking fees, P&P etc.

earthstorm

MamaMoo wrote: »

As they have broken the original contract, you should be refunded all costs including any booking fees, P&P etc.

they have no broken contract they reschedule the event, so the event is still going ahead which would be in the T&C which no doubt if they are taking about ticketmaster then they would have had their Terms legally checked.

halibut2209

http://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/problem/can-i-get-a-refund-on-my-ticket-/

This may be of some help, though the answers may not be what you want to hear

MamaMoo_2

earthstorm wrote: »

they have no broken contract they reschedule the event, so the event is still going ahead which would be in the T&C which no doubt if they are taking about ticketmaster then they would have had their Terms legally checked.

The original contract to provide x gig on x date has been broken/altered and is therefore no longer suitable for the OP.

halibut2209

But the fee for the agent is for the service which has been provided. It's the same as chargebacks failing against paypal for goods becoming faulty after 45 days. You pay paypal to transfer money. You pay the ticket agency for the service of providing a ticket. Their T&Cs will state that they are not responsible for date changes. It sucks, but them's the facts of the matter

MillyMolly01

Thanks to everyone who has commented thus far. It does indeed look like the company does not have to refund booking fee charges in such instances. Far from fair but thems the rules, apparently

paddyrg

Depends how much of a fight you want but keeping booking and postage fees ABSOLUTELY STINKS and I'd even challenge if the term in a contract was even 'fair'. You do not have any choice where you get tickets from, the promoter only uses a single agent, so those extra costs are not optional, but effectively a part of the ticket price.

Yes, there may be credit card refund charges, however we're talking under a quid per transaction. Any refunded tickets would be available for resale, and so the fees could be levied afresh, so the booking agent does not lose out. Ticketing is a massive racket end to end, absolutely something for the OFT to look into.

ValHaller

paddyrg wrote: »

Depends how much of a fight you want but keeping booking and postage fees ABSOLUTELY STINKS and I'd even challenge if the term in a contract was even 'fair'. You do not have any choice where you get tickets from, the promoter only uses a single agent, so those extra costs are not optional, but effectively a part of the ticket price.

There is the key to this, I think. The agent is the agent of the promoter - the contract would be with the promoter - and although the agent earns his crust through booking fees, they are merely further fees under the contract. Thus they are due back in full.

earthstorm

paddyrg wrote: »

so those extra costs are not optional, but effectively a part of the ticket price.

when was the last time you purchase a ticket from a ticket agent?

Ticket Price
Booking/admin fee
Postage fee

all are listed separately, so do not form part of the ticket price.

Alot of venues are getting wise to the booking fees issues and are now starting to sell tickets direct.

I have noticed this in Blackpool, i visit every year for illuminations and always pre-book a few shows, normally when i book i am directed to ticketmaster who charge the same postage fee even if you collect at venue, but this year tickets have been sold from the venue direct without booking fees or postage fees.