Just the ticket: Your festival refund rights

From Glastonbury to Wimbledon, a host of events, sports tournaments and concerts have been cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Many of us will have purchased tickets in advance and worry about being left out of pocket.

So what are your rights if an event you have tickets for is postponed or cancelled? Here’s what you need to know…

Cancelled events

If you bought your tickets directly from the event organiser or a primary ticket retailer such as Ticketmaster, you will have some consumer protections. These firms are required by the industry’s self-regulatory body, the Society Of Ticket Agents & Retailers, to refund the ticket’s face-value price when an event is cancelled. But it’s unlikely you’ll get the delivery costs or booking fees back.

Postponed events

If an event you have tickets for is postponed, hold on to those tickets until a new date is announced. If you’re unable to attend the rescheduled date, you can claim a refund of the ticket’s face-value price. But again, it’s unlikely you’ll get the delivery costs or booking fees back.

Can you claim back hotel and travel costs?

If you’ve paid for transport or hotel bookings that you don’t need any more because your event has been cancelled, get in touch with the companies you’ve booked with. They might be able to refund you or rebook your plans for a later date. But there are no guarantees.

Can you get a refund if an event is not as advertised?

If you’ve bought a ticket for a single headline gig, and the headliner doesn’t perform, you should get your money back. But if it’s a festival with multiple acts, you’ll have a ticket for the festival and not an individual performer. In that instance, don’t expect a refund.