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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

No refunds for 'worry free' Matilda booking

75 replies

soozw · 16/12/2021 14:56

Probably not many people are thinking of booking Matilda theatre tickets at the moment but if you do, be warned that their 'worry-free booking' is a joke. My son had covid symptoms (persistent cough and temperature) on the day we were meant to see the show. I took him for a PCR test. Of course he had to self-isolate so we couldn't go. I had bought ticket refund protection but they refused to provide a refund despite showing them the legally enforceable requirement for my son to isolate until his test came back. What was i meant to do? Go anyway? Break the law? Infect everyone? Thankfully it wasn't covid but how were we to know? There is no apparently no appeal. If anyone knows of any other way I can complain about the process can you let me know? The best I can think of it at this point is just to warn everyone you just might be throwing a lot of your money away if your child gets a cough or cold.

OP posts:
Tiredalwaystired · 16/12/2021 17:58

@Clymene

Why would anyone bother booking anything at the moment? None of us know if we're going to get Covid symptoms and not be able to attend.
I imagine a lot of tickets have been booked months ago ready for the Christmas holidays. No one had a crystal ball.

We’re supposed to go To one on Saturday (we’re avoiding and taking the hit) and one on the 2nd (we will go assuming we’re all negative)

WhatTimeIsItMrGinola · 16/12/2021 18:08

@BellaChagall

Did your son test positive?
No
theemperorhasnoclothes · 16/12/2021 18:21

The 'worry free' bookings really do need to pay out if you get sick on the day and need a PCR otherwise I do think it's mis-selling because that's the whole fucking point , surely?

I looked into the T&Cs of a Paulton's park hotel deal recently and it was the same - you had to magically fall ill about 3 days before so you could test and get results in order to have any protection at all so fuck all use really. If you fell ill on the day it was either go anyway with your coughing child who can't smell and infect everyone else (i.e. lie) or lose your money.

I do think it's mis-selling to say it's offering 'covid protection' or 'worry free' protection if they will only pay out if you fall ill within a tightly proscribed timeframe. For most, the whole point of such insurance would be if you fell ill the day of or the day before, any earlier than that and usually you can rearrange quite easily anyway.

theemperorhasnoclothes · 16/12/2021 18:22

(or sell the tickets on to someone else)

TheGonnagle · 16/12/2021 18:40

We’re booked to see Matilda on NYE (yeah, I know). When I checked the small print today the theatre is offering a free transfer of tickets to a later show with 24 hours notice. Seemed fair to me.

AndSoFinally · 16/12/2021 18:54

"
'If you test positive for COVID-19, display symptoms, are asked to isolate by NHS Test and Trace, or your local COVID-19 tier prevents you from attending, you can exchange your tickets.

  1. If the show is cancelled due to COVID-19 or any other reason, you will be offered a free exchange or refund.
  2. If the show is going ahead and you are able to attend, there will be no exchange or refund available'"

If it is this wording, then surely she has every leg to stand on? It's there in bold Confused

AndSoFinally · 16/12/2021 18:55

Exchange though, obviously, not refund

arethereanyleftatall · 16/12/2021 19:02

From any businesses point of view with covid, they're fucked with the huge numbers of people wanting refunds for covid. They're going bust left right and centre.
If you run any kind of business where your costs are the same whether you're full or not, and peouple pull out on the day, too late to replace the sale, the business loses the money.
Yabu. I don't think you should get your money back, it's 1 sale to you, it's happening over and over again to businesses atm.

tickingthebox73 · 16/12/2021 19:03

@Clymene

Why would anyone bother booking anything at the moment? None of us know if we're going to get Covid symptoms and not be able to attend.
Precisely, I have just nearly been stung with a cancelled holiday with a supposedly "cast iron" refund-ability....except we got stuck in the hole where teenagers basically can't travel to France as they are not "fully vaccinated". The refund didn't kick in as we can (could) still travel to France as it was open, just not open to 12-15 year olds.

I'm just lucky they closed the borders when they did so the refund kicks in.

WestendVBroadway · 16/12/2021 19:06

@soozw I am a great supporter of the Theatre, and really feel for them as they suffered badly due to Covid, as did lots of others I know. However I feel your frustration, as I have just seen this pop up on the Matilda Musical Facebook page. It seems that they have no problem with cancelling a show at the last minute. Fair enough they offer refunds or exchange, but this does not help people who are already on their way and have spent money on train fares etc and overnight accommodation.

No refunds for 'worry free' Matilda booking
julieca · 16/12/2021 19:09

Our local theatre refunded us without any proof and without any insurance being bought. Just a phone call.

Ginflinger · 16/12/2021 19:09

They transferred our tickets no problem, no quibble, when dd got covid, but it was on more than 24 hours notice.

I think in your situation they could do more to help. Tickets SO expensive, too.

We went this weekend and loved it, @ moany person upthread.

theemperorhasnoclothes · 16/12/2021 19:10

@arethereanyleftatall

From any businesses point of view with covid, they're fucked with the huge numbers of people wanting refunds for covid. They're going bust left right and centre. If you run any kind of business where your costs are the same whether you're full or not, and peouple pull out on the day, too late to replace the sale, the business loses the money. Yabu. I don't think you should get your money back, it's 1 sale to you, it's happening over and over again to businesses atm.
They're only fucked because covid rates are so high, if they'd been lower then they might not have been.

And part of the reason WHY covid rates are so high is that there's no incentive to isolate if your kid is positive with the sniffles, in fact the opposite if you're going to lose money.

The reason it spreads is because people stand to lose out financially by doing the right thing (to minimise spread) as OP did.

So it's very much cutting of businesses noses to spite their face.

I was going to book the hotel deal I noticed, but I read the small print and decided not to. I would have if they'd had a better policy (and not a refund, an exchange would have been enough for me). So they totally lost my money rather than having to change the dates if my kid got ill the day of the trip. They're losing out by not having proper cover I'm sure to a far greater extent (by people staying away or coming and causing a superspreader event) than if they had cover which properly covered for covid.

In the example of the theatre, if OP had taken her DC who was positive, rather than lose the money, then loads more people including likely theatre staff would catch it, and then they'd have to close and lose more money. It's such short term thinking.

WeAreTheHeroes · 16/12/2021 19:11

@BellaChagall

Did your son test positive?
Did you read the OP?
Derbee · 16/12/2021 19:15

@AndSoFinally

" 'If you test positive for COVID-19, display symptoms, are asked to isolate by NHS Test and Trace, or your local COVID-19 tier prevents you from attending, you can exchange your tickets.
  1. If the show is cancelled due to COVID-19 or any other reason, you will be offered a free exchange or refund.
  2. If the show is going ahead and you are able to attend, there will be no exchange or refund available'"

If it is this wording, then surely she has every leg to stand on? It's there in bold Confused

Errrrrrm, because she’s wanting a REFUND when she’s clearly only entitled to an EXCHANGE at best? It’s not hard to understand surely?
LadyTiredWinterBottom2 · 16/12/2021 19:15

I didn't think it was that amazing. Bloody expensive though.

This is why l don't bother with insurance for this type of thing, they always find a way to not pay up.

Seven Dials at Christmas is lovely though.

BellaChagall · 16/12/2021 19:19

Wearetheheroes oops. I just reread it and I'd missed where the OP said it wasn't covid. Sorry!

soozw · 16/12/2021 19:50

Thanks for all of your comments. To clarify, I contacted the theatre earlier in the day (email was my only option) to explain my situation and ask if we could exchange - as we really wanted to go at some point. They turned that down. If I hadn't paid extra for the insurance and couldn't go I think it would be fair to lose the money but I did purchase the insurance and it says on their terms and conditions they cover when "The Ticket Holder(s) have been ordered to self-isolate by a government department or a health service provider (evidence must be provided)" - which as far as I am aware would include my son who had to self -isolate awaiting his PCR result. More fool me!

OP posts:
RavingAnnie · 16/12/2021 20:04

If course you are not being unreasonable. I can't believe anyone thinks that you are. You bought insurance that was supposed to cover you in the event or not being able to go because of covid which anyone would expect to include if you were required to self isolate.

I would complain on their twitter feed and also try trading standards.

If it's an insurance policy can you complain to the financial ombudsman?

theemperorhasnoclothes · 16/12/2021 20:05

@soozw

Thanks for all of your comments. To clarify, I contacted the theatre earlier in the day (email was my only option) to explain my situation and ask if we could exchange - as we really wanted to go at some point. They turned that down. If I hadn't paid extra for the insurance and couldn't go I think it would be fair to lose the money but I did purchase the insurance and it says on their terms and conditions they cover when "The Ticket Holder(s) have been ordered to self-isolate by a government department or a health service provider (evidence must be provided)" - which as far as I am aware would include my son who had to self -isolate awaiting his PCR result. More fool me!
I think under those terms they're in the wrong not to pay out OP - the advice from all government departments and the NHS is very clearly to isolate if having covid symptoms until results of PCR in.

Maybe a complaint to the financial ombudsman? It looks like it would take a long time but you won't be any worse off than you are now.

www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/businesses/complaints-deal/insurance

RavingAnnie · 16/12/2021 20:06

@theemperorhasnoclothes

The 'worry free' bookings really do need to pay out if you get sick on the day and need a PCR otherwise I do think it's mis-selling because that's the whole fucking point , surely?

I looked into the T&Cs of a Paulton's park hotel deal recently and it was the same - you had to magically fall ill about 3 days before so you could test and get results in order to have any protection at all so fuck all use really. If you fell ill on the day it was either go anyway with your coughing child who can't smell and infect everyone else (i.e. lie) or lose your money.

I do think it's mis-selling to say it's offering 'covid protection' or 'worry free' protection if they will only pay out if you fall ill within a tightly proscribed timeframe. For most, the whole point of such insurance would be if you fell ill the day of or the day before, any earlier than that and usually you can rearrange quite easily anyway.

I agree with this completely. It's being missold.

Could also try advertising standards, although they won't do anything about your particular case.

Electriq · 16/12/2021 20:21

I would reply to them to ask for confirmation in writing that despite your son being advised by the NHS to isolate, as per information on the PCR booking - 'If you have symptoms, self-isolate straight away until you get your results. Do not leave home, except to post a test kit or for a PCR test appointment' (copied word for word from PCR appointment email) and the fact you purchased insurance which states in its terms and conditions they cover when "The Ticket Holder(s) have been ordered to self-isolate by a government department or a health service provider (evidence must be provided) that they are refusing to exchange or refund and to confirm the reasons for doing so.

Advising that you intend to look into the possibility of being missold the insurance and sending the information to the advertising standards authority to be investigated.

DaisyNGO · 16/12/2021 20:22

@soozw

Thanks for all of your comments. To clarify, I contacted the theatre earlier in the day (email was my only option) to explain my situation and ask if we could exchange - as we really wanted to go at some point. They turned that down. If I hadn't paid extra for the insurance and couldn't go I think it would be fair to lose the money but I did purchase the insurance and it says on their terms and conditions they cover when "The Ticket Holder(s) have been ordered to self-isolate by a government department or a health service provider (evidence must be provided)" - which as far as I am aware would include my son who had to self -isolate awaiting his PCR result. More fool me!
They refused an exchange? I can't see how they do that. Is it because you weren't formally contacted by T&T?

I would def try complaining further, maybe on social media.

Didiplanthis · 16/12/2021 21:40

You can't do a lateral flow and go if negative as he had SYMPTOMS...when the hell will people understand that LFT are for picking up asymptomatic illness... a negative lateral flow does NOT mean you don't have covid... that is what a PCR is for. If you are symptomatic you MUST do a PCR not a LFT..

Didiplanthis · 16/12/2021 21:41

Oops... sorry wrong PP quote !!

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