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Original poster

Unusable tickets

46 replies

Homealone01 · 11/08/2024 08:54

Just wondered what our legal position is here please?

We were planning to visit an outdoor attraction local to us. As it's outdoor, we wanted to wait til the week before to book tickets for everyone, in case the weather was awful. However, we also wanted to reserve a bbq and, as they are limited, we decided to book that to secure it.

We are now in the position that entrance tickets have sold out in advance, so despite having an area with seating reserved for us, we can't get in. They are now refusing us entrance tickets and refusing a refund.

OP posts:
Ayeyourebeingadick · 11/08/2024 09:40

You want someone to say yes they should give you a refund (for free, free legal advice). So you can go and say they should give you a refund. It doesn’t mean they’ll have to.
As others said, try and get them to via customer service or small claims court. That’s your choice.

Procrastinates · 11/08/2024 09:43

I'm after a refund. I understand the tickets are now gone, we can't magic up tickets. But, they can give a refund, they are choosing not to.

But they don't need to give you a refund and business wise why would they? They could give you one but legally they are under no obligation to do so just because you want them too.

Blueroses99 · 11/08/2024 09:43

Depends how they have set this out in the T&Cs. Difficult to advise from a legal perspective without this.

Lairymary · 11/08/2024 09:43

Can you see if there is a Facebook group for the event and either see if someone is selling tickets or if someone wants to buy your bbq reservation (assuming that's allowed?) or a Facebook group local to the event might have people trying to sell tickets?

Brendabigbaps · 11/08/2024 09:50

It’s not unusable though Is it. It’s unusable by just you because you thought you’d be clever. It was a chance you took and it went out of your favour this time.

IrritableVowel · 11/08/2024 09:53

Homealone01 · 11/08/2024 09:37

It's not an individual vendor, its simply booking out an area to sit with a bbq. Seller is the same company that sells entrance tickets.

I'm after a refund. I understand the tickets are now gone, we can't magic up tickets. But, they can give a refund, they are choosing not to.

I'm sure there are lots of companies that write t&c's that legally wouldn't stand, so this is what I'm asking. Not after unqualified opinions.

OK, so what do the Ts&Cs say? Without that info, nobody can answer your question, qualified or not.

SD1978 · 11/08/2024 09:56

You bought something, on the understanding that it could only be used if a second part, entry ticket, was purchased. You chose not to purchase that at the same time, and when you then decided to buy tickets there weren't any. I don't see how this is anyone's fault but yours. Maybe try a local FB page to sell on the barbecue area tickets you have.

JimPanzee · 11/08/2024 09:56

Homealone01 · 11/08/2024 09:37

It's not an individual vendor, its simply booking out an area to sit with a bbq. Seller is the same company that sells entrance tickets.

I'm after a refund. I understand the tickets are now gone, we can't magic up tickets. But, they can give a refund, they are choosing not to.

I'm sure there are lots of companies that write t&c's that legally wouldn't stand, so this is what I'm asking. Not after unqualified opinions.

From my MN experience, if @prh47bridge ever posts on a legal thread then there's your qualified legal opinion.

@prh47bridge I'm always really interested in what you have to say, despite it not being relevant to me.

BobbyBiscuits · 11/08/2024 10:02

It should really only release the BBQ reservation option once you've bought the tickets? But the only thing to do is you can try and sell it to someone on Facebook or something. Obviously if you won't be there and can't use it, then they probably will be able to sell it again. Or you could just give it away to someone as you know it will be wasted otherwise.
But it's clear what you purchased does not gain you entry and you did know that at the time, presumably?

modgepodge · 11/08/2024 10:02

I’m confused. What was the perceived benefit of buying the BBQ tickets but not the entry tickets? That if it rained you hadn’t wasted money on entry? were you expecting a refund on the BBQ bit if that happened? Or just going to take a hit on the BBQ loss and be glad you hadn’t wasted money on entry? Which is essentially what has ended up happening…

TotalDramarama24 · 11/08/2024 10:03

You could ask them to swap the date of the barbecue to another date when you buy tickets. Or you could list the barbecue area reservation for sale on FB groups, eBay, your own social media etc to recoup the money.

perfectstorm · 11/08/2024 10:08

Homealone01 · 11/08/2024 09:37

It's not an individual vendor, its simply booking out an area to sit with a bbq. Seller is the same company that sells entrance tickets.

I'm after a refund. I understand the tickets are now gone, we can't magic up tickets. But, they can give a refund, they are choosing not to.

I'm sure there are lots of companies that write t&c's that legally wouldn't stand, so this is what I'm asking. Not after unqualified opinions.

If you want a qualified legal opinion, generally you pay someone for it.

You delayed booking main admission, when that was the primary cost, because you didn't want to waste the money if the weather wasn't great - just the barbecue space. So your decision to wait meant that they sold out to people willing to carry some of that weather-related risk for them. You weren't prepared to, and that's totally understandable, but you clearly knew they didn't refund or you'd have booked the admission early too and cancelled the lot if it rained.

You were aware you needed main entry tickets to access the area, and chose not to buy those at the time to minimise your losses to the barbecue space if you decided not to go. Now their selling out has made the choice for you, and you want the company to pay, instead. You're asking them to carry either your loss, or the admin cost of refunding and reselling. They have said no.

You agree the T&C say you need main entry tickets. You agree you knew that. You just want them to refund you for your miscalculation, and as has been said, they have no duty to do that unless it wasn't clear that the add-on didn't come with a guarantee of main admission tickets. Unfair T&C can't stand, no, but how are these unfair? You want it to be heads you win, tails they lose.

The best option you have is to post on local groups trying to buy tickets, or sell on your barbecue space to those who have them.

ezzemma · 11/08/2024 10:13

Did you pay on a credit card ? You can request a charge back from your credit card company . As you will not be using the space.

Original poster
Homealone01 · 11/08/2024 10:13

@JimPanzee good to know, thanks for your help

OP posts:
FriendlyNeighbourhoodAccountant · 11/08/2024 10:33

ezzemma · 11/08/2024 10:13

Did you pay on a credit card ? You can request a charge back from your credit card company . As you will not be using the space.

It's not as simple as this.

The money will get returned to the OPs credit card and the business then have a certain amount of time to make their case. If they can provide information to the credit card company showing the OP knew that the ticket was non refundable and that you also needed an entrance ticket then the cc company will retake the money from the OPs card and give it back to the business. The chargeback service is not a catch-all for getting your money back.

HunterHearstHelmsley · 11/08/2024 10:59

ezzemma · 11/08/2024 10:13

Did you pay on a credit card ? You can request a charge back from your credit card company . As you will not be using the space.

A chargeback isn't for a change of mind. OP took a punt on buying non-refundable tickets. It's completely normal for additional extras to be separate from entrance tickets to events (posh loos at a festival for example).

Ariela · 11/08/2024 11:02

I think your choice is either advertise the BBQ slot for sale OR ask if anyone has tickets for the venue for sale on a local FB site.

CasaBianca · 11/08/2024 11:12

Entrance tickets were available to buy when you bought the bbq tickets, therefore they didn’t sell you something you couldn’t use. It was you who chose not to make appropriate arrangements - as long as they stated explicitly that entrance tickets were needed to use the bbq, I don’t believe you have a legal point.

Boxina · 11/08/2024 12:10

You booked only the BBQ tickets on the basis that you were prepared to lose those tickets if it rained because you didn't want to go to the event if it rained. Unfortunately for you, it's nice and sunny but you didn't buy the other tickets in time, but given that you were always prepared, if it rained, to forego the barbecue cost then you should also be happy to forgo it now.

I agree with others that you should get on Facebook and try and sell it to somebody going who would like to use the space.

betterangels · 11/08/2024 12:16

CasaBianca · 11/08/2024 11:12

Entrance tickets were available to buy when you bought the bbq tickets, therefore they didn’t sell you something you couldn’t use. It was you who chose not to make appropriate arrangements - as long as they stated explicitly that entrance tickets were needed to use the bbq, I don’t believe you have a legal point.

Yeah, this is on you. Not their fault.

vivainsomnia · 11/08/2024 14:25

I'm with you OP. It is unreasonable to not refund. Ultimately, they will either sale it at someone else and Jake money from it, or it will be left empty when in all likelihood, someone would have loved to have it.

It's just easier for them to draft T&C that makes them to benefit knowing that ultimately, they can't be challenged by law because....they drafted something, however unreasonable.

That's how it works nowadays that there's nothing you can do about it.

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