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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
National
Emma Munbodh & Rachel Pugh

How to get a refund on football matches cancelled because of coronavirus

Yesterday news was confirmed that all Premier League fixtures will be postponed until 4 April. EFL fixtures have also been postponed until 3 April - leaving many fans disappointed.

But as well as disappointment, football fans have also been questioning whether or not they will be able to get a refund on their tickets.

It comes as the UK enters the 'delayed' phase of its battleplan to tackle coronavirus - which includes cancelling any public gatherings that could pose a major health risk to the public.

According to the Mirror , if the football match you were due to attend has been postponed, hold on to your ticket until a new date is announced.

If you're unable to attend the rescheduled date, you can claim a refund of the ticket's face value price.

But it's unlikely you’ll get the delivery costs or booking fees back.

You may have fewer protections if you purchased tickets from a secondary ticket seller, such as Viagogo or StubHub. Check the terms and conditions on these websites as some companies will offer guarantees or other protections.

Adam French, consumer rights expert at Which?, explained: "Football fans worried about being left out of pocket as a result of these games being postponed should keep hold of their tickets until they know if they can make the new dates.

"If you’re unable to make it to a game once it’s been rescheduled, then you’ll be entitled to a refund.

"It could be harder to get a refund on any travel or accommodation booked for the match, unless it was purchased as part of a package deal. Check the cancellation policies of any travel or accommodation you have booked."

All matches have been postponed until April 3 - however if your event is later cancelled, you may be able to get a refund through your card issuer.

If you bought your tickets directly from the event organiser or a primary ticket retailer, such as See Tickets or Ticketmaster, speak to them first.

These firms are required by the industry's self-regulatory body, the Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers (STAR), to refund the ticket's face value price when an event is cancelled.

But, again, it's unlikely you'll get the delivery costs or booking fees back.

Twitter reacts: EFL and Premier League fixtures to be suspended because of coronavirus

Whichever way you bought your tickets, in the first instance you will need to contact the company that sold them to you first.

Customers who paid using a credit card may also be able to claim against their credit card company under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act.

This covers you if you spent between £100 and £10,000 and paid for at least part of your purchase on plastic.

Customers who paid with a debit card may still get some protection via their bank's chargeback scheme.

Chargeback means you can ask your bank to get you back your money if you dispute a transaction.

Confusingly, some credit card companies may attempt to 'charge back’' your cash in the first instance – but you can still make a section 75 claim if it doesn't work.

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