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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To want a refund.

36 replies

Izzabellasasperella · 11/08/2019 10:10

Dh and I had day tickets for a festival yesterday. Due to the horrendous weather(extreme high winds) at 12 o'clock the organisers updated their FB page saying the opening time had been pushed back to one, at half past one pushed back to four, main stage cancelled but smaller acoustic set going ahead, at 4 event completely cancelled.
All Saturday ticket holders can go today but we have a prior commitment. Completely different bands on today none of whom I want to see (not really relevent though)
Should we be given a refund? Tickets were £50 each.
T and C's seem to suggest that they should refund but the organisers won't reply to questions, although to be fair they are pretty busy with today's festival.

OP posts:
RezCowgirl · 11/08/2019 10:13

Give them chance, they're probably a bit busy.

bouncingraindrops · 11/08/2019 10:18

This is something I would look into sometime in the week. They will be inundated with people contacting them, and you say there is still a days festival today. They are busy.

Jupiters · 11/08/2019 10:19

They've probably got their hands full today so give them a bit of time.

Original poster
Izzabellasasperella · 11/08/2019 10:21

Yes I know. Just wanted opinions on whether I should hope for a refund. I spent a lot of time on a costume and spent the afternoon in the pub near the venue checking for updates (Completely not relevant to my question I know😀)

OP posts:
acquiescence · 11/08/2019 10:21

The weather wasn’t their fault. I wouldn’t expect a refund. It was bad luck but they will have still had the same costs. Requesting a refund because of completely uncontrollable circumstances is the kind of thing that would make a small festival go out of business.

EL8888 · 11/08/2019 10:22

Personally l would want a refund. You paid for A but only got C. I’m assuming they are insured against this kind of thing

Bibijayne · 11/08/2019 10:24

Legally you should get a refund.

Info here: www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/advice/can-i-get-a-refund-on-my-ticket

Bibijayne · 11/08/2019 10:24

@acquiescence this is why insurance exists.

Smileyaxolotl1 · 11/08/2019 10:25

aquiescence
You wouldn’t expect a refund for a festival which didn’t happen?
It’s not like she’s expecting one because it was raining... she paid to see bands and attend an event and those bands did not appear and the event did not happen.

OP - I think you were right to contact them ASAP as you want to be clear you will not be attending on the alternative day.

LemonAddict · 11/08/2019 10:26

Yes you should get a refund.

Give them a chance, the festival is only really starting today now so they’re busy with that and no doubt have hundreds if not thousands of emails requesting a refund.

siriusblackthemischieviouscat · 11/08/2019 10:27

They cancelled the even so yes you should get a refund. If they had decided to go ahead but the rather had put you off going then no a refund wouldn't be due.

Just given them time. I'm sure they will be in contact next week

CloserIAm2Fine · 11/08/2019 10:36

YANBU as the part of the event you had tickets for was cancelled

I appreciate the weather isn’t the organisers fault but they should have insurance for such eventualities. If it had rained and you hadn’t fancied going but the event was still on then no I wouldn’t expect a refund. But cancellation yes I would.

But you’re jumping the gun a bit expecting them to reply to probably loads of people messaging them about refunds while the event is still ongoing. I’d expect something to be posted online in the week about how to get refunds, if nothing then I would chase it up.

MondayAlready1 · 11/08/2019 10:37

I think it comes down to what's in the terms and conditions but I wouldn't expect an immediate response.

I know some-one who organised something like this last year that had to be cancelled due to freak weather and he took a huge financial hit on it. The same people who asked for their money back were upset that he didn't do it again this year.

HeyMonkey · 11/08/2019 10:41

I thought bad weather wasn't covered fully under festival insurance as it's an 'act of god' and therefore no negligence on the part of the policy holder?

Genevieva · 11/08/2019 11:05

Read the Consumer Rights Act and quote the relevant sections. It may be that you will receive a reply during the week. Expecting an immediate reply is probably unreasonable.

Flights delayed and cancelled because of inclement weather are protected from paying compensation, but not refunds. I would imagine that you are entitled to your refund and the type of insurance that the event organiser chose to take out is their business, not yours.

Genevieva · 11/08/2019 11:06

These are your statutory consumer rights:

www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2015/15/contents/enacted

Lovemenorca · 11/08/2019 11:12

It should be very clear in the terms and conditions the consequences of not being able to go ahead due to weather

Original poster
Izzabellasasperella · 11/08/2019 11:18

Thanks everyone. Happy to wait and see. Lots of angry posts on FB though.(not mine😀)
I think if refunding will cause the organisers real financial difficulties with the possibility of it being cancelled next year I may not push for my refund. It's a lovely happy festival so I would want it to continue.
I'll come back and update when I hear something.

OP posts:
TheoriginalLEM · 11/08/2019 11:31

We cut short our camping holiday by two days due to high winds. Our choice, site was still open but it wasn't safe. I wouldn't dream of asking for a refund. Outdoor events can be affected by the weather, August can be an iffy month. Lots of festivals cancelled where we were.

Was the event the Bristol balloon festival?

MrsKittyFane1 · 11/08/2019 11:34

I think if refunding will cause the organisers real financial difficulties with the possibility of it being cancelled next year I may not push for my refund. It's a lovely happy festival so I would want it to continue.

They may have insurance which covers this sort of thing?

BuildBuildings · 11/08/2019 11:40

I think you're reasonable to expect a refund. If you bought a x handbag online and then the shop said we're all out od x but have y handbag you would expect a refund. Just because they said you could go tonight doesn't mean you've got what you paid for. They might have insurance to cover this.

Original poster
Izzabellasasperella · 11/08/2019 11:47

No not the balloon festival. Jack up the Summer on the Isle of Wight.
If their insurance covers it I'll take the refund if offered.😀

OP posts:
Jaxhog · 11/08/2019 12:04

The weather wasn’t their fault. I wouldn’t expect a refund. It was bad luck but they will have still had the same costs. Requesting a refund because of completely uncontrollable circumstances is the kind of thing that would make a small festival go out of business.

They will have had bad weather insurance. Expect a refund.

SmellbowSpaceBowl · 11/08/2019 12:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

DustyJigsaw · 11/08/2019 15:27

Issa, we also had day tickets for yesterday and needed to get back for today. Perhaps we were sitting in the same pub as you 😁
I saw on twitter it was cancelled due to the main stage roof flying off, so I tend to think that with a better staging structure this could have been avoided (although I do not know the first thing about building stages!) I would also expect a refund due to being the organisers lack of safety planning for weather that was forecasted beforehand. It also cost us a lot to get over to the IoW in the first place. I will be watching for your update, as was going to contact them later this week after the dust had settled.

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