To think I don’t owe my friend money

[Amtheyest17]

Hello,

A friend of mine messaged asking if I would like to go to a show, and mentioned the cost of the ticket. I said yes and that I would transfer - I didn’t get around to it but 24hrs later I realised I can’t go because of the tube strikes! The show is a week away and my friend didn’t buy the ticket for me she already had them and asked if I would like to join. Not sure if she had just bought two or someone dropped out. She’s now messaged to ask if I could still transfer as I said I would go and she’s lost a day trying to find someone to take the ticket even though she still has a week to find someone.

Am I unreasonable to think I don’t owe her the money?

Oh that’s a bit tricky but if I was your friend I wouldn’t expect you to pay.

No, I wouldn't pay. Strange that she's asked tbh, did she ask the first person who backed out to pay?

She’s probably worried that nobody else will come now because of the tube strikes, and is trying to find a way to make sure she’s not out of pocket.

On balance I think that the key point is whether the two of you agreed to go, and THEN she went and bought the tickets, in which case you do owe her the money; or if she already had gambled on buying two tickets in the hope or expectation of finding someone else to go with her - in which case I don’t think you do owe her.

If you pay her in the first scenario, it would need to be on the condition that if she finds another taker, she pays you back, though.

She is being a cheeky fucker and trying it on

@TaranThePigKeeper Completely agree that if she bought it after asking me I should deffo pay, but her original message said ‘I’ve got a ticket available, so you want to come’ assuming that means she had it!

@TabbyKat87 No idea! Would assume the other person has pulled out for the same reason - my friend lives within walking distance of the theatre hence why she’s still going

Of course you don't owe her anything, how odd of her to suggest you do. She bought the tickets before inviting you along, and as said, has a week to find someone to go with her. Why should you be out of pocket when you cannot physically get there and have given plenty of notice for her to find and ask someone else?

In that case, she’s definitely just trying it on. Laugh and don’t be pressured.

It is a bit unfortunate that the tube strikes mean she might not be able to offload the other ticket, but she took the chance in the first place.

No you don't owe her anything. She's a CF

No you do not pay her anything.

Maybe she could sell the other ticket on a ticket selling site?

If she had already bought the ticket before you said you would go then I don't think you owe her the money. If you said you were going and she then bought the ticket that would be different.

Could you stay over at your friend’s house? Then you could go

Can’t you get there earlier and stay over?

If you want to go, cant you just stay at hers that night?

You don’t owe her any money because she didn’t buy the ticket ‘for’ you. All you’ve ‘cost’ her is 24hrs but she still has a week to go.

People can be very strange.

She's cheeky😐

Years ago, my husband and brother were going to a concert. A friend asked if she could come was well. He said yes, we bought all the tickets, and she and my brother were meant to pay us back. She decided she needed to study that night for exams and didn't want to go. She refused to pay because she didn't go. I believed then and still believe that she owed us the money.

In your situation, your friend already had the ticket, so I don't believe that you owe her anything.

If youd said yes then changed your mind ages later I'd say yes you owe her. But a week to go and you let her know 24 hours after saying yes - if she is sure she could have found someone within 24 hours, then a whole week will be no problem to her

You owe her nothing if she already had the tickets. If you'd said yes and then told her you couldn't go weeks later and shortly before the event then I think you'd be responsible but you said yes and 24h said you couldn't go, so YANBU.
If she'd bought the tickets on purpose you'd be responsible regardless of when you'd backed out but given she already had them, I think she's taking advantage of you.

Because she already had the ticket no, I would say you don’t have to pay - she also has a week to find someone else. Tell her you would have paid if she bought the ticket after you agreed to go but as it was a spare ticket she was trying to rid of she needs to find someone else.

Wouldn't she realise that the tube strike would affect you, before asking?

I agree you owe nothing. It's hard though are you prepared to fall out over it? If no You could say if she ends up cancelling you will pay half the ticket? But you certainly don't have to.

@fontime yes I agree it’s a difficult one .
But if Op’s friend already had the tickets before asking OP if she would like to go then in my opinion OP doesn’t owe her a penny as the ticket wasn’t bought especially for OP.
Does this make sense ?🤣

Your friend can probably exchange the tickets for another day. Earlier this year when there was was a tube strike I was able to swop an exhibition ticket for another day. If she can, after this behaviour you might be less keen on going with her!

You don't owe her anything, let alone money. But as a friend, suggest she tries to sell the spare ticket on StubHub, or some similar site.

Or maybe she could invite you to stay over with her until the strike's over?