Friends asking for their money back

Cheeky! If you didn't go they wouldn't get the money back as it's non refundable. They are lucky you didn't make them sell their own tickets.

Tell them that the room in non refundable, you are not going to be getting a refund you can share with them unfortunately. If you don't use it you would still not be getting a refund and you would also be out of pocket, more than them as you used your points to get a discounted price which you could have used at another time.

I would only give them any money back, as a goodwill gesture, if you were to find 2 other people to go with you who would be paying the additional.

Just tell them you will not go either as doesnt make sense you go alone. You were going there to live this experience with them. Tell them you will cancel the hotel and since you asked and they cannot refund the points ( send this in an email to have a proof) you need to divide equally to be fair. I would never have used points in that trip if I were you anyway. Why to give it free them. Wait for their reply. Dont officially cancel anyway as nothing changes. I am sure at the end they will insist you go and give you the 60 pounds or one of them will be better and join. In any case you can always, not cancel , go and dont tell them you did :) they deserve it

“I’m now down by £200 as the points I could have used elsewhere are non refundable.
If we are looking to balance things, I’ll take your 2x30 off my £200. So you owe me £70 each.
to be kind I’ll divide the £200 by 3 so I think that takes what you owe me down to £36.50”

Points aside, it's simply none refundable. And this 30 quid, I'm sure they can take that hit when they've saved on fuel or train tickets! It's none refundable so they don't get the money back from the hotel, so why should you fund their refund??

Do they know what non refundable means?

I wouldn’t go and I would tell them this, it will remove any of their justification for getting their money back (if they imagine that you still going means you should pay the whole thing). On principle I would just say that because they’ve pulled out, you’re not going either as you were only travelling to make it more convenient for them. That you’ll sell the tickets and if there is any money left over after covering your loss on the hotel, you’ll transfer that.

Unless you were going to see Taylor Swift, I’m sure you can see the band again in London soon?

This.

I do wonder whether if you're clear that if the hotel was refundable and you were able to sell all three tickets then you'd cancel too, might make them realise their money is gone and might help their "recovery" so they actually decide to go.

How are they expecting you to give them the money back?
As you say, you're still going (as you should, don't miss out because of them!) the money's gone into the hotel room. Are they expecting you to pay them out of your own pocket?! Screw that.
Hotel rooms are usually non refundable anyway even if you didn't go.
Don't give them a penny, they're being really unreasonable.

People can be so awful. I would be so mortified that I’d made you travel miles and cancelled. Not asking for money back!

What miserly bastards. Don't refund them.

£30? Really? I would ask them for a refund of the money I had lost in points!!

Team OP here too.

If I had to canx something, this late notice, I'd feel so guilty about letting you down I'd not mention the £30 at all!

I would make sure that you mention how disappointed you are and how you’ve gone out of your way to book this concert somewhere convenient for them and how you’ve wasted your hotel points getting a cheaper room FOR YOU ALL. Throw a bit of guilt back at them. And if they say they can’t help being poorly reply that you can’t help it either. These things are booked and paid for. If you can sell their tickets they’ll get the money back for those, but that’s it. It’s not you that has cancelled anything.

Hope youve made it clear if their tickets dont sell you are not refunding them.

Time to start putting boundaries in place for the future I think.

They sound v tight trying to get the £30 when you were generous enough to use your points to pay the bulk of it.

I'd pay the extra and go refundable in future.

When is the event?

They’re making excuses and being cheeky about it.

A while ago we planned a major group hike that came about £130/person for accommodation and a couple of us ended up dropping out. We just took the money loss, it’s no one’s fault we flaked (regardless of the reason).

It’s not “only” £30 because you are now incredibly inconvenienced by it. It could mean more in taxi fares etc for you as well. Don’t give them anything back

If you make any profit from their tickets selling then keep it haha

They're taking the piss. When is it, the weekend? A cold is likely to be better by then, or at least improved to the point where she can take paracetamol/Lemsip/whatever and be OK. A bad leg… how bad? I mean, I don't know what sort of event it is, but I've seen people at exhibitions on crutches and/or leg in a cast. If you want to go to something you generally make it work, unless you're genuinely laid up and in traction or something.

Are you sure the points are non refundable if you cancel the hotel room? IHG would return the points to the account if the booking was cancelled (although it is a little while since I worked for them). It might be worth checking.

You could then potentially try and sell your ticket and go locally instead.

But otherwise, tell them to jog on!

I'd try ringing the hotel and begging them to allow you to cancel - offer to pay a penalty.