REFUND help needed. Ripped off for the Monaco Grand Prix 2020/2021 (merged)

kezzaoc

I purchased tickets for a hospitality package for the Monaco Grand Prix in 2019 from a company called Senate Grand Prix for a ‘once in a lifetime trip’ for my husbands 40th birthday.  I was recommended this company by previous customers and as they were a British based company (in Surrey) this gave me peace of mind when I paid via a PayPal payment link sent direct to my email. When the 2020 race was cancelled Senate did not give me an option of a full refund and instead offered to transfer my tickets over to the 2021 race.  As my husband and I still wanted to go I accepted this decision (which is now a mistake I truly regret!). France/Monaco are both currently on the ‘amber’ list, my original flights from the UK have been completely cancelled and Senate (when they do bother to reply to my emails) have basically told me the race is going ahead so there’s nothing they can (or should I say WILL do!!) 😡 I didn’t ask them for a refund, I asked for my tickets to be transferred over to the 2022 race due to the COVID uncertainties we are facing at present.  My holiday insurance only covers a minimal amount for excursions so I am set to lose £1090.00 (not a lot of money to some people but a great deal to someone like me who has saved every spare bit of money I have for the past few years).  Does anyone have any ideas what I can do to try and claim back my money please? I have got nowhere with Senate for months now, they keep fobbing me off, they just don’t care!! 😞 

kezzaoc

I purchased tickets for a hospitality package for the Monaco Grand Prix in 2019 from a company called Senate Grand Prix for a ‘once in a lifetime trip’ for my husbands 40th birthday.  I was recommended this company by previous customers and as they were a British based company (in Surrey) this gave me peace of mind.  When the 2020 race was cancelled Senate did not give me an option of a full refund and instead offered to transfer my tickets over to the 2021 race.  As my husband and I still wanted to go I accepted this decision (which is now a mistake I truly regret!). France/Monaco are both currently on the ‘amber’ list, my original flights from the UK have been completely cancelled and Senate (when they do bother to reply to my emails) have basically told me the race is going ahead so there’s nothing they can (or should I say WILL do!!) 😡 I didn’t  ask them for a refund, I asked for my tickets to be transferred over to the 2022 race due to the COVID uncertainties we are facing at present.  My holiday insurance covers a minimal amount for excursions so I am set to lose £1090.00 (not a lot of money to some people but a great deal to someone like me who has saved every spare bit of money I have for the past few years). Any ideas what I can do to try and claim back my money please? I have got nowhere with Senate for months now, they just don’t care!! 😞 

Thank you in advance.

JHW1942

kezzaoc said:

I purchased tickets for a hospitality package for the Monaco Grand Prix in 2019 from a company called Senate Grand Prix for a ‘once in a lifetime trip’ for my husbands 40th birthday.  I was recommended this company by previous customers and as they were a British based company (in Surrey) this gave me peace of mind when I paid via a PayPal payment link sent direct to my email. When the 2020 race was cancelled Senate did not give me an option of a full refund and instead offered to transfer my tickets over to the 2021 race.  As my husband and I still wanted to go I accepted this decision (which is now a mistake I truly regret!). France/Monaco are both currently on the ‘amber’ list, my original flights from the UK have been completely cancelled and Senate (when they do bother to reply to my emails) have basically told me the race is going ahead so there’s nothing they can (or should I say WILL do!!) 😡 I didn’t ask them for a refund, I asked for my tickets to be transferred over to the 2022 race due to the COVID uncertainties we are facing at present.  My holiday insurance only covers a minimal amount for excursions so I am set to lose £1090.00 (not a lot of money to some people but a great deal to someone like me who has saved every spare bit of money I have for the past few years).  Does anyone have any ideas what I can do to try and claim back my money please? I have got nowhere with Senate for months now, they keep fobbing me off, they just don’t care!! 😞 

Ouch.  I'm afraid I don't think you have a right to a refund or to a transfer unless the terms and conditions of the booking allow for them.  The event is going ahead and your travel arrangements are not Senate's concern.

For future reference, NEVER pay for this sort of thing by Paypal.  Credit card would give extra protection, debit card if you don't have a credit card, but Paypal is adding an unnecessary intermediary and provides almost no protection.  In this case, I don't see that a credit card would be much help anyway, but generally it's the best way of doing things.

Aylesbury_Duck

I assume Senate's package is only at the event itself and doesn't include the travel?  If so, then insurance is the way to go, even if you are under-insured and there's presumably an excess.  I'm afraid that not insuring yourself adequately is an expensive lesson.

Upsidedownandaround

There probably is nothing they can do in terms of rescheduling your tickets to next year. They are an agent not the organiser of the event. They will have no control over being able to transfer the tickets they have bought on your behalf over to the following year unless that's a policy of the organiser to allow it.

Last years rechedule was presumably possible because the actual event was rescheduled and presumably that was the policy of the organiser that tickets already issued remained valid for next year.

You would probably be better off asking for a refund although from the information provided it doesn't sound like you are entitled to one if the event is going ahead and it's just that you can't get there. May as well ask though.

Pollycat

Duplicate thread also posted here (Consumer Rights):

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6266501/refund-help-needed-ripped-off-for-the-monaco-grand-prix-2020-2021#latest

kezzaoc

💯 correct. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, none of us ever in our wildest dreams expected a pandemic so sadly it’s an expensive lesson learnt! 😭 

kezzaoc

This pandemic has taught me one thing and that’s every man/woman for them self! I’ve read reviews of other customers still waiting on promised refunds from the cancelled 2020 race so no chance of them helping me out I’m afraid! Once you’ve parted with your money (in my experience) you see a different side! 😔 

Hasbeen

Sorry. But as usual. It is not a Rip Off.

They are an agent with no power to transfer your tickets over to 2022, as the race is going ahead in 2021.

The organisers have still to make the decision if spectators will even be allowed on to the stands??

It is basically no fault of theirs that you seemingly can not attend. Others will.

Ask for a refund, see what they say, then come back for advice.

Hasbeen

Duplicate post:  Ripped off! Monaco Grand Prix 2020 and now 2021 — MoneySavingExpert Forum

user1977

I don't see the "rip off" if the problem is that you can't/won't travel for reasons outside their control.