New protection for YOU when buying tickets

New measures mean you'll now get extra protection when buying tickets for everything from the theatre to the football. Find out what this means for you.

When Michael Jackson sadly passed away last month, lovemoney.com was very swiftly contacted by a number of readers with tickets to his O2 gigs worried about where they stood in regards to getting their money back.

While many ticketing websites were relatively quick to promise ticketholders they would be entitled to a refund, that didn't stop a few horror stories creeping out warning fans may be left out of pocket due to the cancellation of the concerts.

The truth was that none of us really knew where they stood.

In an attempt to clear up the rights of ticket buyers in future, the Office of Fair Trading has announced new, clearer terms for customers when they buy tickets, to put their minds at ease.

The new protection

The Office of Fair Trading has managed to get the members of the Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers (the trade body representing ticket selling firms) to agree to revise their contract terms to make them fairer to consumers.

The members of the Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers, which include lastminute.com and Ticketmaster, have promised revised terms and conditions to:

• clarify what happens if an event is cancelled or rescheduled,
• clarify the circumstances in which consumers can seek redress in the event that things go wrong,
• provide recourse to dispute resolution to consumers in the event of problems,

• clarify circumstances in which tickets can be re-sold by a consumer.

Will it make any difference?

The ticketselling firms have promised to phase in the new model terms over the next 12 months, so it might take a while before we see any material difference.

And these concerns are nothing new - back in 2005, the Office of Fair Trading published a report on the practices of ticketsellers which warned of potential breaches of the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations, as well as firms failing to offer proper refund rights.

That report resulted in 'model terms' that the members of the Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers pledged to work by, but clearly they were not enough.

Obviously it is a worry that four years after that report there are still some fairly serious failings in the terms offered by ticket firms.

However, I'm cautiously optimistic, particularly as the Office of Fair Trading has form for using the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations to step in.

It has previously forced football clubs Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United to implement fairer ticket refund policies and clearer season ticket terms respectively, so there is hope that it will be similarly proactive with other firms if they are up to anything shifty.

The exception to the rule

These changes will eventually help protect you, but be on your guard - there is a significant exception!

While these new terms should offer added protection when buying tickets direct, there is very little they can do if you buy your tickets from a resale website, such as eBay, so always be extra careful when buying tickets in this way.

Online shopping rights don't apply!

Also, do not fall into the trap of thinking that you will benefit from the extra rights afforded online shoppers for other goods.

Ordinarily shopping online actually gives you extra rights, as explained by Jane Baker in Know your online shopping rights.

Thanks to the Distance Selling Regulations, shopping online not only gives you the same rights as a high street shopper, but also a seven day 'cooling off' period should you change your mind.

Unfortunately this does not apply to ticket sales, so make sure that you definitely want those specific tickets before you hand over your details!

The credit card defence

However, there is one big thing you can do to give yourself extra protection, should the tickets come to more than £100 - use your credit card to pay for them!

A credit card is more than a handy bit of plastic in your wallet - it can also work as insurance when shelling out for big purchases.

This is all thanks to Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act (1975). If you make a purchase of £100 or more on your credit card, should anything go wrong with your purchase, your credit card provider is equally liable to refund your money.

So should you spend more than £100 on tickets to a festival, only for the organisers to go bust, fear not! You should still get your money back!

If you want to know more about how Section 75 works, I'd strongly recommend having a look at Don't be fobbed off by your credit card company.

Know your rights

When buying tickets, it is very important to be completely up to speed on exactly what you are entitled to from the ticket-selling firm.

All ticket sellers are legally obliged to:

• provide price information in advertising that does not, or is not likely to, mislead
• provide clear, honest and unambiguous price information at the point of purchase
• confirm seat location
• dispatch tickets in time to attend an event
• refund your money or provide a substitute for indoor events cancelled by an events promoter or producer where tickets have been bought by phone or via the internet
• give you information on the face value, which can be provided orally or in writing.

If you feel that a firm has failed to live up to those expectations, do not hesitate in reporting them to Consumer Direct, the consumer arm of the Office of Fair Trading.

The mechanisms are in place to protect you as a customer when buying tickets, but they also rely on you highlighting any firms failing to meet their responsibilities.

Don't just sit there and take it - report them!

More: Do not get caught out by cricket tickets | The Great Booking Fee Rip-Off!