Buying tickets: your rights Your ticket buying rights
Top tips
- Check if you are buying the tickets from the venue, an approved seller or agent. If there any problems, this could affect whom you bring your claim against.
- Buy tickets from a ticket seller that is a member of the Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers (STAR) as you can use its complaints scheme if you have problems.
- Check your tickets as soon as you receive them so you can sort out any problems before the event.
Whether you're planning a night out at the theatre, want to watch your football team in action or fancy seeing your favourite singer live on stage, the chances are you will have to buy tickets.
The price you pay for the same ticket varies depending on where you buy it – and if you have problems with your tickets, your rights may be different, too.
Check who you buy tickets from
Before buying tickets take time to check out the ticket seller. This could save you a lot of time, money and stress later.
- Check the ticket seller's terms and conditions of sale.
- Make sure you know the contact details of your ticket seller in case there are any problems and you need to get in touch with them.
- Find out if the ticket seller or ticket agent is a member of The Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers (STAR). STAR has a code of practice for members to follow and a procedure for dealing with complaints.
Official ticket sellers
Event organisers normally appoint certain ticket agents such as Ticketmaster or Seetickets to sell event tickets on their behalf. The official ticket sellers are usually listed on the event's official website.
These ticket sellers are usually given an allocation of tickets which they sell at face value, but they will almost always charge extra fees on top, such as service charges and delivery charges.
Unauthorised ticket sellers
Official ticket agents are not the only place to buy tickets – there are plenty of unauthorised ticket sellers offering tickets for resale to popular or sold-out events. The first place most people think of when looking for tickets for resale is eBay, but there are other specialist sites.
Secondary ticket agents source hard-to-find tickets and sell them on – usually asking for substantially more than the original ticket face value. Some secondary agents belong to the Association of Secondary Ticket Agents (ASTA). ASTA members agree to follow a code of conduct, so the association classes its members as legitimate ticket sellers.
Fan-to-fan exchanges such as Seatwave, Viagogo and Getmein enable individuals to sell on tickets they have already bought, usually from official ticket sellers. Individuals set the prices for the tickets, not the sites, so again you may find that you pay more than the ticket's face value.
And, like official ticket sellers, these websites also add extra fees and postage costs on top of the price of the ticket.
Some individuals sell tickets on these sites simply because they find they can't use them and are unable to get a refund from the official ticket seller. Others buy tickets from official sources just to try and make a profit – it's common to see tickets on secondary websites within minutes of them officially going on sale.
Private ticket sellers may offer fewer guarantees
Your rights with unauthorised sellers
You have fewer rights if you buy tickets from a private or secondary ticket seller, and it can be hard to trace your ticket seller if the tickets you receive were not what you ordered or, worse, were fake.
There is no guarantee that secondary sellers actually have the tickets they say they do. If the ticket was originally bought by the secondary ticket seller from an official ticket agent, then the official seller doesn't have to act on your complaint, as you didn't buy tickets from them directly.
However, many specialist secondary sites and fan-to-fan exchanges have consumer protection guarantees if you have problems with the tickets you receive, or if the tickets you order don't turn up, so check these conditions before you buy tickets.
Your right to clear ticket prices
By law, ticket sellers must:
- Give you clear, honest information about prices.
- Tell you about any extra charges on top of the ticket's face value such as commission, booking fees, service charges, administration charges, credit card fees or delivery.
You might be able to avoid some or all of these fees by booking at the venue in person and paying in cash – some venues will charge you a fee to use a debit or credit card.
Your right to get tickets on time
Under the Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982, anyone providing a service has to use reasonable care and skill.
With tickets, this means that they should be delivered to you within sufficient time to go to the event, unless you opt to collect the tickets at the venue.
If tickets don't arrive on time you are entitled to a refund, or to claim the cost of buying alternative tickets.
Your right to get the tickets you ordered
When you buy tickets you are entering into a contract with the ticket seller, whether they are a private individual or an official ticket agent. Whatever they describe to you in person, over the phone or on a website, forms the basis of your contract. This includes things such as the venue, the artist and the seat location.
If a ticket seller breaches the terms of the contract, you are entitled to a refund.