Concert Cancelled - Can I Claim My Money Back?

cariad84

I had tickets booked for a concert at the beginning of December but when we arrived at the venue we were told that the concert had been rescheduled to the following week.

Myself, my pregnant sister, and teenage sister had booked time off work and school; travelled 3 hours to the city where the concert was held; incurred the cost of train fair, hotel accommodation, taxis to and from the hotel, train fair to and from the concert venue, as well as further costs such as lunch and dinner and cinema tickets for that evening to make up for the fact that the concert was cancelled.

This was extremely distressing to my sisters (and myself as the concert was a Christmas gift booked 6 months in advance and it was a complete disapointment). Understandably, we were unable to book another two days off work and school and were financially at a loss (so we couldn't afford to go back the following week even if we had been able to get the time off) so we couldn't even make up for the disapointment by attending the new date.

I opted for the refund Ticketmaster offered and was refunded the ticket and booking fees (the only part they retained was the postage fee). Despite the ticket refund I still feel that compensation for the financial loss incurred and distress of the situation would be appropriate - does anyone have any advice...who would I approach to make the claim (i.e. who runs these concerts)? Am I entitled to make a claim? Do you think I'd stand a chance of getting something back?

Any help much appreciated!

daveboy

My personal opinion and it isn't what you want to hear...

It is the responsibility of the ticket holder to ascertain that the event is still taking place on the date and time specified on the tickets.

Surely a phone call to the venue before setting out which would have cost a matter of pence would have avoided this. From what I can see Ticketmaster have to refund you but you have next to no chance of getting anything else. It was your choice to go to the cinema and have lunch/dinner and no company will refund that.

If you are travelling long distances, or are going to an outdoor event and the weather might play it's part, always phone the venue!

Poppycat

To be fair its not always possible to ring in advance for example venue is at other end of country and you on the other, but I garee that if it is possible then perhaps lesson is learnt.

Having said that as long as you got a full refund I cant see how you can expect the venue to pay expenses, I know its annoying as I understand the expense you been through, but if the venue had to pay yours costs perhaps they would have to do that so many times that they may face been bankrupt. Sometime with the best intentions concerts get cancelled because the act is ill etc or some otgher genuine reason

cariad84

Thanks for the response. Sadly the train fair and hotel were booked in advance and couldn't be cancelled even if we had phoned the venue in the morning, but I see where you're coming from on that one. Fair point about the bankrupcy thing as well!

chocolatechipcookies

Annoying and inconvenient, but not something you should get compensation for. My advice is be glad you got a refund and get over it.

RabbitMad

A difficult one. On the one hand you're out of pocket because of the concert date was moved, on the other could you really expect the concert organisers to let everybody know the date was having to be moved?

Try writing a polite letter to the organisers letting them know you are out of pocket because of their action along with the disappointment of not being able to attend the following week and see if they offer you anything. For the cost of a stamp and 20 mins of your time what have you got to lose? If you don't program a go sub loop you'll never get a subroutine as kryten says.

(sorry been watching too much red dwarf on "dave" - what a silly name for a tv channel)

lisyloo

when we arrived at the venue we were told that the concert had been rescheduled to the following week.

Did you leave them phone numbers?
Have you asked why they didn't contact you.

I had a concert cancelled but ticketmaster sent me a text saving me travelling to the venue.

Luis-FlightManWithAPlan

This is tricky. From my knowlage of this sort of thing id say they dont have to refund you anything else other than the price of the tickets.
As 'good will' the might offer you a small compensation package (i.e free tickets to another show) either from the company you booked at or the venue themselves but its completly up to them,not compulsory.

My advice to you would be get in touch with the ticket company and explain the situation,first by phone and then in a letter while also doing the same with the venue themselves.

The best I think you can hope for is that they take pity and offer you some sort of decent discount or free tickets for the future.

Hope this has helped

geordie_joe

I remember reading in here that if you book a meal at a restaurant and when you arrive they cannot provide the meal, through over booking etc. then they have to compensate you for your travel costs too.

Not sure if this would apply to buying tickets from a third party, but it would be worth looking into.