What are your refund rights if your festival or concert is cancelled?

The sun is finally starting to shine and with the days getting longer, the summer festival season will soon be in full swing. In the coming weeks, music lovers will be heading to festivals including Glastonbury, Latitude and the Isle of Wight and with standard tickets costing as much as £355, it is worth understanding how and when you can get a refund if your event is cancelled, rescheduled or if you simply cannot attend.

What are your refund rights if your event is cancelled?

You are entitled to a full refund of the 'face value' cost of your ticket if the event you are due to attend is cancelled. Be aware that the face value price does not include booking or administration fees, so you are unlikely to get these refunded in the event of a cancellation. How you receive your refund and the time that it takes will depend on the method of payment and who you bought your ticket through. Most refunds for cancelled events will be issued automatically and paid back via the original method of payment, however, if you have changed banks or your card has since expired, then you will need to get in touch with the relevant ticket provider and request a refund via an alternative method.

The Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers (STAR) is the entertainment industry's self-regulatory body and it dictates that ticket sellers must refund the face value ticket price when an event is cancelled. If you purchased discounted tickets, then you will receive a refund equal to the discounted price. Refunds for cancelled events are usually straightforward, especially for events where the ticket was purchased via the official venue or directly via the artist's website.

Tickets bought through third-party websites can be trickier, however, because you may be reliant on the third party passing on the refund that they receive. While there are many reputable third-party websites, you should always check the terms and conditions before you purchase and if you are unsure, stick to the official recommended ticket providers.

Are you entitled to a refund if your event is rescheduled?

Yes. If the event that you are due to attend is rescheduled to another date, then you are entitled to a full refund, irrespective of whether you can attend the rescheduled date. You should receive details from the ticket provider, usually by email, explaining the refund process.

Can you get a refund if you have changed your mind or can no longer attend?

No, you are not entitled to a refund if you have changed your mind or can no longer attend. However, you may be able to sell the ticket to a family member or friends or via a third-party seller, which can help recoup some of the costs. Be aware that some tickets will not permit you to do this, so it is worth checking the terms and conditions and make absolutely sure you can attend before purchasing a ticket.

Other ways to get a refund

If you are unable to obtain a refund from your ticket provider then you should contact your debit or credit card provider. You may be able to apply for a refund for a purchase made by credit card under section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act. Under the act, your credit card provider is jointly liable with the ticket provider, so you may be entitled to a refund on purchases over £100 if any of the following is true:

• The product or service is not delivered as promised
• The product isn’t the same as the description
• The product you bought is faulty
• The trader or retailer goes bust

In the case of a cancelled event, if your ticket provider was unable or unwilling to provide you with a refund then you would have reasonable grounds to apply for a refund via section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act because the product or service has not been 'delivered as promised'.

Section 75 protection is only available for those who pay by credit card, however, debit card purchases may be covered by the 'Chargeback' scheme. Chargeback is not legal protection, meaning not all card providers offer it, however, it works in a similar way as Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act and so you may be covered. Check out our article for a more detailed explanation of Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act and the Chargeback scheme.

Refund rights on travel and accommodation

If you have accommodation and travel included as part of an event or entertainment package then it is likely you will be able to get a full refund in the event of a cancellation. Travel and accommodation are booked separately in most cases, so this is where many people could end up losing out.

Refunds on accommodation

Firstly, check to see if the terms and conditions on your accommodation booking allows for cancellations. Many hotels allow you to cancel up to 24 hours before arrival, meaning you may be able to get a full or partial refund. These type of flexible bookings can sometimes come at additional cost but it may be worth paying a little more for the extra peace of mind. If your event has been rescheduled, then you may be able to speak to the accommodation provider and switch the dates of your stay. However, be mindful that they are not obliged to offer this, it will be subject to availability and may involve additional administration fees being applied. If your accommodation provider is unable or unwilling to provide you with a refund then you may be covered under your travel insurance policy if you have one. Check the terms and conditions of your policy and be aware that you will likely have to pay an excess fee.

Refunds on travel

If you are travelling by plane or train then you should check the terms and conditions of your ticket. Some journeys provide extra flexibility and allow you to reschedule, sometimes for an additional fee, and many offer refunds for cancellation up to 24 hours before departure. Most advance train tickets are non-refundable meaning you won't get a refund if your event is cancelled. You may be entitled to a refund, however, if the train you are booked on is running late or is cancelled by the train provider. In any case, it is always worth speaking to your travel provider as they may be able to work something out, perhaps offering travel vouchers for a future journey as a goodwill gesture. If you stand to lose a large amount then it may be worth checking the terms and conditions of your travel insurance policy if you have one. You will likely need to pay an excess fee but is still worth doing if you have spent hundreds of pounds on plane or train tickets.