Help with gig issue

[Gigdilemma]

So this hasn't actually happened but I have a feeling as things are going quiet.

I am going to a gig with a friend later in the summer. They are well known for double booking themselves and I am aware there's a holiday booked that could clash with this event.

It wouldn't be deliberate just them being disorganized.

Obviously I'm going to talk to them but need to work out what I can do first.

Anyway-
The tickets were expensive and so was the hotel. Booked and paid for with no option to cancel.

Because of the cost I don't know anyone who could or would be able to buy the ticket from the friend and come with me. My boyfriend could come but I couldn't afford to refund for the ticket but possibly could the hotel if I really had to.

I booked the tickets and hotel and they paid me their half so all in my name.

So what happens? She could sell the ticket privately or on Ticketmaster but then I'm going on my own and sitting with a random which isn't ideal.

I don't want my friend to be out of pocket but I haven't caused this so I can't be either and I'm really skint!

If this happens, what's the fairest solution?

Your double-booking friend pays their way even if they can’t go.

Incompetence tax. It’s only fair.

If they bail out and nobody you know wants to buy their ticket, go on your own. What they do with the ticket is their problem.

She has to write off the cost of the hotel, because it's her mistake. That way you can buy her ticket from her, at a reduced rate so your bf goes with you. Can he afford to at least put something towards the ticket?

I know this is the obvious solution but I don't want to go on my own. I wouldn't have chosen to go on my own.

I have been to local standing gigs on my own but this is different.

I'd have bought cheaper tickets for a different location and gone with a friend or my boyfriend.

We chose a location and package together that's far more than I'd ever usually spend because we were going together.

You don’t need to refund anything, it was agreed from the start that these were non-refundable costs and she has paid her half, so no one is out of pocket. When you speak to her later and if she definitely can’t go then you could suggest that your boyfriend could purchase her ticket from her at mate’s rates. Depending on who the artist is, most people would probably be looking for at least two seats together, rather than just one random seat, so she might not have a lot of luck on the open market anyway. Also you need be mindful of the fact as to whether or not the tickets are actually transferable, because for lots of the big acts they are not and you are obliged to go through a resale process with that specific vendor.

Possibly and we might be able to do instalments but it would be maybe 25% at best.

Fair that cancelling friend loses what they paid towards the hotel - it’s non-refundable so nothing you can do and definitely not your responsibility to reimburse them.

Also fair for them to sell their ticket. You then have to decide if you’d rather go alone, or not go. I don’t think it’s reasonable to ask them to give the ticket to your boyfriend for free just so you have someone to go with.

If your friend has double booked themselves then it’s them that lose out financially, your friend should be more organised.

a good friend presumably

you need to be straight with her that you are concerned

I absolutely will. She's away at the moment so I'll wait til she's back in a couple of weeks.
I just wanted to get my thoughts straight and hear some views on what's fair.

The difficulty is that anyone else who comes is doing it for me rather than being a big fan so won't be willing/able to pay hundreds and I'd have to.

Thanks everyone.

Good point. It's sold out and the ticket might sell but they'd have to sit on their own too.

Of course I'd have to sell/transfer the ticket as it's on my account too.

If you can sell the gig ticket, then you can also sell the hotel booking so it's not wasted. You can sell it on a website called transfer travel. I bought a flight ticket off there a while ago and it was fine when I did it.
Might be something to look at anyway.. hope this helps https://www.transfertravel.com/ x

I really wouldn’t worry about it, it’s for your friend to sort out.

I need the room though so that's not an option.

Good to know for future though, thanks. 😊

I do need to think about how it impacts me though. I don't want to travel 200 miles, go to a gig and stay in a hotel on my own. That's not the plan. If it was a group trip it would be different.

So if she wanted to sell her ticket that does affect my plans.

I don't really expect her to give me the ticket but I also can't pay hundreds of pounds for it. I'll just have to see what she says.

I'd go on my own and not risk a flakey Friend. If not, then she pays if she double books. You should not me out of pocket. It's all on her.

What do you want from this situation?

Fairness and I'm trying to work out what's fair for both of us but ultimately it's not my doing.

I want to go to the gig as planned with my friend but if that's not possible then I'd like to go with someone else. The snag is I can't really expect someone else to pay a huge amount of money unless they're a big fan also and can afford it.