How do I get a refund from Viagogo?

New Zealand Rugby says any tickets resold for more than the original sale price are invalid. It’s provided a letter confirming my tickets won’t get me into the game. I’ve sent this to Viagogo but it’s refusing to provide a refund. I’ve asked my bank for a chargeback but it says I have to provide evidence I couldn’t get into the game. That would mean waiting another month, travelling to the game, paying for parking and waiting to be ‘officially’ turned away. Seems like a complete waste of my time when I’ve already been told I won’t get in. I just want my money back. Is there anything I can do?”

Ask for a chargeback

We’re not surprised Viagogo is refusing to provide a refund – it’s notoriously difficult to deal with. However, your bank should be coming to the party.

We’ve had several complaints about banks making their customers jump through all sorts of hoops before providing chargebacks. Customers have been told they need to provide evidence from the ticketing agency the tickets are invalid or that they’ve been turned away from the event. Others have been told there’s a backlog of complaints that’ll take 10 weeks to clear.

We think you have all the evidence required for your bank to provide a chargeback. Contact your bank and ask it to explain why it needs further proof you’ll be turned away from the game when you’ve already provided a letter from New Zealand Rugby stating your tickets are invalid.

What else you can do

If you don’t get any joy, complain to the Banking Ombudsman.

We’ve heard too many stories of consumers being left in the lurch or paying exorbitant prices for tickets resold on Viagogo. Our 2017 investigation of the ticket resale market found many people who ended up on the site weren’t aware they were dealing with a reseller. Unclear pricing and hidden fees also resulted in consumers paying huge mark-ups on tickets.

The Commerce Commission announced in August it’s taking the Switzerland-based company to the High Court, seeking declarations it’s breached the Fair Trading Act.

We recommend lodging a complaint about Viagogo with the commission by using its online complaints form, calling 0800 943 600 or emailing [email protected].

For tips on how to avoid getting ripped off, check out our article on ticket resellers.