Buying tickets for concerts and events

You do not have a cooling-off period when buying tickets online, e.g. for concerts or sporting events, unless the seller has promised you a cooling-off period. There is also no statutory cooling-off period when you buy tickets in shops or at a ticket agency on the street.

You will therefore be bound by the agreement and you are obliged to pay for the tickets you have booked, even if you are prevented from using them.

If the seller has promised you a cooling-off period or right of return, you can exercise that. Please note that the seller may charge a fee to allow you to cancel the purchase.

Rights in the event of a cancellation or change of date

If, for example, the event you have purchased tickets for is cancelled or the date is changed, you may in some cases have the right to get your money back for the tickets (but any fees applied will often not be refunded). However, it depends on whether the trader has set valid caveats.

Normally, the retailer or organiser will inform you about changes, but you must contact the organiser yourself to find a solution if, for example, you are prevented from attending the event on a new date. How far into the future the event has been moved may also be relevant here.

Purchases and sales of tickets between private individuals

If you would like to resell your own ticket to an event, you should be aware that it is illegal in Denmark for private individuals to resell tickets at a higher price. You may also want to consider using the ticket provider’s system to resell your ticket if this is an option.

Your rights when the ticket is part of a package tour

You have a number of rights when you buy a package tour, e.g. if the trip is changed or has deficiencies, or you change your mind about the purchase – this also applies to tickets for events included in the package. The tour operator is responsible for all travel services in the package, and your rights will basically be the same regardless of whether you buy the package in Denmark, other EU Member States, Iceland, Norway or the UK.

If you are dissatisfied with a change or any deficiencies in the package tour, you must complain in writing to the tour operator as soon as possible. The tour operator is the party that issued the order confirmation. If you call the tour operator, e.g. after you have sent your written complaint, you should ask the tour operator to send an email confirming what you have agreed.

Read more about your rights when buying package tours here.

Help with complaints in relation to tour operators in other countries

If you purchased a package tour from a tour operator in another EU Member State, Iceland, Norway or the UK, and you cannot find a solution, you can get free advice and help with lodging a complaint from the European Consumer Centre Denmark.

Find more information: Contact ECC Denmark.

You must first complain to the tour operator yourself before ECC Denmark can help.

Read more about package tours and combined travel here.

If the tickets don’t show up

If you do not receive your tickets as agreed, you must immediately chase the seller for the tickets. It is a good idea to do this in writing so you can prove that you have complained.

If you paid by card and you do not receive the tickets before the concert, you can contact the bank and have them reverse the amount paid. You should contact the bank as soon as possible. If you wait, the bank may not be able or willing to help you.

If you paid by any other method, for example by bank transfer, the bank cannot reclaim your money. If you have complained to the seller and the seller does not want to refund the purchase price, you can complain to ECC Denmark if you purchased the tickets from an EU seller.

Find more information: Contact ECC Denmark.

Whether you are buying tickets for cultural or sporting events, always buy from the official ticket agencies to ensure you are better protected from any fakes, non-supply and overcharging. In some EU Member States, e.g. the Netherlands, it is not illegal to resell tickets for more than the original price.

Tips

• Use a payment card when paying for the ticket.
• Only buy tickets for cultural and sporting events from the official ticket agencies.
• Complain to the seller immediately if the ticket does not turn up.
• If you do not receive a response to the complaint and you do not receive the ticket, you can ask the bank to reverse the amount paid.

If the concert is cancelled

Concerts can be cancelled for a variety of reasons, for example bad weather or illness. As a rule, the organisers of the concert will have set caveats about it being cancelled or postponed.

Therefore, when the concert is cancelled, you will normally have the right to a refund for the ticket, or to get a ticket for another day if the concert is put on again.

Please note that you are typically not entitled to a refund of any handling fee if the concert is cancelled.

Tips

• Contact the concert organiser and demand your money back immediately after the concert is cancelled
• It cannot be ruled out that the ticket retailer – the page through which you purchased the ticket – may be liable. It is therefore a good idea to check the terms of the agreement
• If you cannot make progress with your claim and the organiser is from another EU Member State, Norway or Iceland, you can contact ECC Denmark. If the concert organiser is Danish, you can contact Nævnenes Hus.

Buying or selling a ticket at a higher price than the one printed

Some ticket agencies have made a business of purchasing tickets for concerts and other cultural events from the official ticket agencies to resell the tickets at a higher price.

In Denmark, this approach is illegal. Here, tickets for cultural events may be resold at no more than the price they are offered at by the concert organiser plus any administrative charge paid to the official ticket agency.

However, there are no common EU rules and in some EU Member States there are no rules at all on the sale of tickets at marked-up prices, and the seller is therefore allowed to sell tickets at a higher price than the one printed on the ticket. The seller is also not necessarily obliged to disclose that the ticket has been marked up.

If marked-up ticket sales are not prohibited in the seller’s home country, you will generally be bound by your booking, as there is normally no cooling-off period when buying tickets for cultural events.

You are therefore best protected if you buy tickets from official ticket providers.

Tips

• Buy only from official ticket providers.
• Ask the seller before purchasing if you are paying the official ticket price or a marked-up price.
• Use a payment card when paying for the ticket. If you don’t receive the ticket and have made a complaint without success, you can ask the bank to reverse the amount paid.

When you book a ticket for an event you are obliged to pay for it

The purchase of tickets for cultural events, including concerts, is exempt from the statutory 14-day cooling-off period that applies when you order goods online. You will therefore be bound by the agreement and you are obliged to pay for the tickets you have booked, even if you are prevented from using them.

There is also no statutory right of return when you buy tickets in shops or at a ticket agency on the street. If the seller has promised you a right of return, you can exercise this.  Please note that the seller may charge a fee to allow you to cancel the purchase.

Tips

• Make sure you receive an order confirmation for your order before reordering. It can sometimes take several hours for you to receive an order confirmation.
• Contact the seller if you are unsure if your order was completed.

If you want to resell your ticket

You may resell your ticket to a cultural event, including sporting events, but in Denmark you may only sell it at the price printed on the ticket plus any fee that was paid to the official ticket issuer.

If you have won a free ticket, you are not allowed to resell the ticket, but you are allowed to give it away.

Other rules may apply in the other EU Member States. For example, there are no rules on the sale of marked-up tickets in Sweden.

Tips

• Check the rules of the country where you want to put the ticket up for sale, e.g. by reading the terms of the agreement.
• Ask the seller if in doubt.

What do I do if the tickets don’t show up?

If you do not receive your tickets as agreed, you must immediately chase the seller for the tickets. It is a good idea to do this in writing so you can prove that you have complained.

If you paid by card and you do not receive the tickets before the concert, you can contact the bank and have them reverse the amount paid. You should contact the bank as soon as possible. If you wait, the bank may not be able or willing to help you.

If you paid by any other method, for example by bank transfer, the bank cannot reclaim your money. If you have complained to the seller and the seller does not want to refund the purchase price, you can complain to ECC Denmark if you purchased the tickets from an EU seller.

Whether you are buying tickets for cultural or sporting events, always buy from the official ticket agencies to ensure you are better protected from any fakes, non-supply and overcharging. In some EU Member States, e.g. the Netherlands, it is not illegal to resell tickets for more than the original price.

Tips

• Use a payment card when paying for the ticket.
• Only buy tickets for cultural and sporting events from the official ticket agencies.
• Complain to the seller immediately if the ticket does not turn up.
• If you do not receive a response to the complaint and you do not receive the ticket, you can ask the bank to reverse the amount paid.

Can I get my money back if the concert is cancelled?

Concerts can be cancelled for a variety of reasons, for example bad weather or illness. As a rule, the organisers of the concert will have set caveats about it being cancelled or postponed.

Therefore, when the concert is cancelled, you will normally have the right to a refund for the ticket, or to get a ticket for another day if the concert is put on again.

Please note that you are typically not entitled to a refund of any handling fee if the concert is cancelled.

Tips

• Contact the concert organiser and demand your money back immediately after the concert is cancelled.
• It cannot be ruled out that the ticket retailer – the page through which you purchased the ticket – may be liable. It is therefore a good idea to check the terms of the agreement.
• If you cannot make progress with your claim and the organiser is from another EU Member State, Norway or Iceland, you can contact ECC Denmark. If the concert organiser is Danish, you can contact Nævnenes Hus (naevneneshus.dk).

Is the seller allowed to charge a higher price for the ticket than the one printed?

Some ticket agencies have made a business of purchasing tickets for concerts and other cultural events from the official ticket agencies to resell the tickets at a higher price.

In Denmark, this approach is illegal. Here, tickets for cultural events may be resold at no more than the price they are offered at by the concert organiser plus any administrative charge paid to the official ticket agency.

However, there are no common EU rules and in some EU Member States there are no rules at all on the sale of tickets at marked-up prices, and the seller is therefore allowed to sell tickets at a higher price than the one printed on the ticket. The seller is also not necessarily obliged to disclose that the ticket has been marked up.

If marked-up ticket sales are not prohibited in the seller’s home country, you will generally be bound by your booking, as there is normally no cooling-off period when buying tickets for cultural events.

You are therefore best protected if you buy tickets from official ticket providers.

Tips

• Buy only from official ticket providers.
• Ask the seller before purchasing if you are paying the official ticket price or a marked-up price.
• Use a payment card when paying for the ticket. If you don’t receive the ticket and have made a complaint without success, you can ask the bank to reverse the amount paid.

Can I change my mind about purchases of tickets for concerts or sporting events online? 

The purchase of tickets for cultural events, including concerts, is exempt from the statutory 14-day cooling-off period that applies when you order goods online. You will therefore be bound by the agreement and you are obliged to pay for the tickets you have booked, even if you are prevented from using them.

There is also no statutory right of return when you buy tickets in shops or at a ticket agency on the street. If the seller has promised you a right of return, you can exercise this.  Please note that the seller may charge a fee to allow you to cancel the purchase.

Tips

• Make sure you receive an order confirmation for your order before reordering. It can sometimes take several hours for you to receive an order confirmation.
• Contact the seller if you are unsure if your order was completed.

Can I resell my ticket if I can’t use it?

You may resell your ticket to a cultural event, including sporting events, but in Denmark you may only sell it at the price printed on the ticket plus any fee that was paid to the official ticket issuer.

If you have won a free ticket, you are not allowed to resell the ticket, but you are allowed to give it away.

Other rules may apply in the other EU Member States. For example, there are no rules on the sale of marked-up tickets in Sweden.

Tips

• Check the rules of the country where you want to put the ticket up for sale, e.g. by reading the terms of the agreement.
• Ask the seller if in doubt.