Tickets for concerts and other events should include the full price upfront, according to consumer champion Which?  Its research showed that booking fees and other charges can add up to 30% to the price of a ticket - and agents don't even have to refund booking charges if an event is cancelled.

Nine in ten of 2,500 surveyed thought that the advertised price should include all the charges, while four in five thought that booking fees were too high and didn't reflect the value of the service.  A snapshot of the music industry showed that REM fans incurred booking fees that ranged from £10.50 to £13.50 for two tickets, with postage costs of up to £5.50.  Theatre-lovers fared even worse, as fees added 30% to the cost of two tickets to see Buddy Holly through Theatre Tickets Direct.

Which? Editor Neil Fowler said: “Airlines have taken a bashing recently for adding sneaky extra charges to the cost of tickets, but they're not the only ones - we found ticket agencies hiking the cost of tickets by nearly a third with various fees and postage costs.  These charges only become apparent when people are well into the buying process - they should be made clear up front so that people can compare prices properly."

People buying tickets through the secondary market, such as Seatwave, Viagogo, No1soldoutevents and Getmein, should be especially careful - they have fewer rights and mark-up could be very high.

Which? has the following tips for buying  tickets:

Wrong seat: If you turn up to an event to find you are sitting in the gods instead of the front row you paid for, you can claim the price difference - complain to the agent as soon as you can.

Pay by credit card: If you're splashing out and spending over £100, it makes sense to pay by credit card - the credit card provider is jointly responsible if the promoter breaches the contract, so you're covered if an event is cancelled.

Venue vs agent: The event promoter, venue or performer contracts to provide the show for you, but if you buy from an agent it is their responsibility to get the ticket to you on time.

Refunds: For fans who've bought a ticket with the hope of seeing the latest Joseph or Nancy, don't expect any refunds if the show's headline star is replaced by an understudy.

Secondary market: Check, check and double-check the terms of the secondary site before you buy. The original authorised seller doesn't have to act on any complaint you might have, even if an event is cancelled.

---

Tag this article :