CMA secures court order against viagogo
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has secured a court order in the UK against ticket resale website viagogo.co.uk, which compels it to overhaul its business practices.
This follows the legal proceedings launched by the CMA in August, regarding concerns that viagogo was breaking consumer protection law.
The court in the UK has agreed to make a legally binding order instructing viagogo to comply with the law by:
- telling purchasers of tickets if there is a risk that they will be turned away at the door
- informing customers which seat in the venue they will get
- providing information about who is selling the ticket, so people can benefit from enhanced legal rights when buying from a business
- not giving misleading information about the availability and popularity of tickets - which had the potential to lead to customers being rushed into making a buying decision or making the wrong choice
- making it easy for people to get their money back under viagogo’s guarantee when things go wrong
- preventing the sale of tickets a seller does not own and may not be able to supply
It will also ensure that viagogo does not repeat historic failures to make its customers aware of the face value of tickets on sale through its site.
The court order must be complied with by mid-January 2019 – the same deadline set for other resale sites in the UK that have already agreed to change their practices. The order has been secured after viagogo agreed to address all of the CMA’s concerns, without the need for a trial. The order is legally binding and enforceable by the court. If viagogo fails to comply with the court order, the company could face a fine and/or certain individuals involved could face imprisonment. The courts, rather than the CMA, have the legal powers to issue a fine or send people to prison.
The CMA will continue to work closely with international partner agencies and enforcers to drive up standards in this sector.
For more details about the CMA’s enforcement action please see https://www.gov.uk/government/news/cma-secures-court-order-against-viagogo.