As Estonia heads into a busy summer event season, consumer protection officials are reminding ticket holders of their rights if an event is canceled or postponed.
According to Kristina Tammaru, head of the Consumer Rights Advisory Office at the Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority (TTJA), complaints most often arise when events are canceled, postponed or significantly changed.
“There have been cases where an event was canceled or a major headliner was replaced,” Tammaru said, adding that consumers’ rights were not always protected as required by law.
She acknowledged that event organizers face significant risks in what they do, but consumers must still be treated fairly if a concert or festival is canceled, even for reasons beyond the organizer’s control.
Tammaru said many people will mistakenly contact the ticketing platform when problems arise. While ticket sellers may provide instructions, the responsibility for refunds still ultimately rests with the event organizer.
If an event is postponed, consumers have the right to decide whether the new date works for them.
“A new event date is a significant enough change in contract that consumers have the right to withdraw and get their money back,” she explained.
Organizers may also offer gift cards or other alternatives instead, she added, but consumers are not required to accept them and can still request a refund.
Festival lineup changes also count
The same principle can also apply if a headliner or other artist advertised as part of a festival lineup will no longer be performing, if that artist was the reason someone bought tickets to an event.
In such cases, consumers should contact the organizer directly to seek compensation, which Tammaru said could include a partial refund.
If an event company files for bankruptcy, meanwhile, ticket holders become creditors in the proceedings. While recovering money may take longer, Tammaru said the company’s obligations to consumers remain in any case.
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