CONSUMERS URGED TO CHECK ELIGIBILITY FOR TICKET REFUNDS

Consumers seeking refunds for rescheduled or cancelled ticketed events are being urged to check the fine print for eligibility details.

While complaints to Fair Trading have halved since March last year, ticketing issues remain a concern for consumers, making up nearly one third of complaints recorded on the complaints register for March 2022.

Minister for Fair Trading Eleni Petinos said with events rescheduled multiple times during the pandemic, consumers have experienced delays in receiving refunds, difficulties contacting ticket sellers, and refunds being provided to closed accounts.

“As live music, art and festivals return with a bang, consumers should remain vigilant and always read the fine print to avoid any unwanted surprises,” Ms Petinos said.

“In some cases, customers may not be aware that refunds are actually offered by a third party. For instance, Ticketek provides some refunds through Refund Protect.

“Make sure you are purchasing tickets from authorised sellers. If you buy from an unauthorised reseller you could lose your right to a refund or exchange if the event is postponed or cancelled.

“We are warning consumers not to deal with overseas based reseller Viagogo. This is a timely reminder as the company continues to advertise in Australia, selling tickets at inflated prices.”

NSW Fair Trading encourages businesses struggling to manage cancellations to contact customers wherever possible, to advise them of how their requests are being handled.

Consumers experiencing problems with significant changes to a rescheduled event or unreasonable delays in receiving refunds should lodge a complaint with NSW Fair Trading at www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au/help-centre/online-tools/make-a-complaint.