UK: Viagogo and regulator settle in court

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) launched legal action against Viagogo in August over concerns it was breaking consumer protection law.

The court stated Viagogo must tell buyers which seat they will get and if there is a risk that they will be turned away at the door.

In a Twitter post, Viagogo described it as a “groundbreaking settlement.”

In a statement, CMA chief executive Andrea Coscelli said the court order was a “victory for anyone who decides to buy a ticket through Viagogo.”

The court order means Viagogo will have to:

• Tell ticket buyers if there is a risk they will be turned away at the door

• Inform customers which seat they will get

• Inform buyers who is selling the ticket

• Make it easy for people to get their money back when things go wrong

• Prevent the sale of tickets a seller does not own and may not be able to supply

• Not give misleading information about the availability and popularity of tickets

Viagogo agreed to address all the CMA’s concerns, the regulator announced.

The company has to comply with the court order by mid-January, the same deadline set for other resale sites that have already agreed to change their practices, the regulator added.