Cancelled or postponed events due to coronavirus: Can I get a refund?
1 April 2020, 14:49
Glastonbury, the UEFA Euro 2020 and the Edinburgh Festival have all been cancelled - but can I get my money back?
With the UK government banning any gatherings of more than two people to limit the spread of coronavirus, all live events have been cancelled or postponed for the foreseeable.
This means those hoping to go to sports fixtures, music gigs and theatre shows will be wondering whether they will get their money back. Here’s everything you need to know…
Can I get a refund for a cancelled live event?
If you bought tickets directly from an official seller, organiser or ticket retailer, such as See Tickets or Ticketmaster, your money will be protected.
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Under the regulatory body Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers (STAR), they have to refund the ticket’s full price if an event is cancelled. However, delivery costs and booking fees are not included in this.
Unfortunately, if you bought tickets from a secondary ticket seller you are not protected by the same regulatory body.
You will have to check the terms and conditions on the website to see whether the tickets are refundable.
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Some sites, like Viagogo, have already announced customers will get full refunds in the event of a cancellation.
Can I get a refund for a postponed live event?
When it comes to a postponed event, you should keep the tickets until the new date is announced.
If you can’t attend the new date and bought through the primary website, you will be able to claim a refund of the ticket’s price, not including delivery costs or booking fees.
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For example, UEFA says it will refund all Euro 2020 ticket holders who can't make any rearranged dates in 2021.
Again, if you purchased through a secondary ticket seller, you will have to check the small print. You may have to resell the ticket if you cannot attend the rescheduled date.
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How do I get my money back for a cancelled or postponed live event?
You should start by contacting the company which sold the tickets to you and request a full refund, if you have not already been offered one.
If you’ve not heard anything after a couple of weeks, you should follow it up.
Using a credit card to buy something costing between £100 and £30,000 also means you are legally entitled to a refund.
Even if the ticket is worth less than £100, or a credit card wasn’t used, you could also get a refund.
What big events have been affected by coronavirus so far in the UK?
Birmingham Comic Con
Champions League
Cirque de Soleil
Edinburgh Festival
Europa League
UEFA Euro 2020
Premier League matches
Six Nations
The London Marathon
Tokyo Olympics 2020
The WHO UK Tour
Glastonbury festival 2020
