Government to ban overpriced ticket resales

The government is bringing in a new rule to stop people reselling tickets for more than their original price.

Right now, ticket touts and resale websites can charge you far more than the face value for music, sport, comedy and theatre events.

Why is this happening?

The change comes after years of anger from fans who felt ripped off, and after Labour promised in its election campaign to crack down on inflated resale prices.

Musicians including Sam Fender, Coldplay and Dua Lipa pressured the Prime Minister to protect fans from being exploited.

The idea was to allow resale prices up to 30% above face value, based on a public consultation. But the government has now decided to set the cap at the original ticket price, with extra measures to limit fees so nobody can get around the rule.

The Competition and Markets Authority found that resale tickets are often marked up by more than 50%, and Trading Standards has discovered cases where tickets were sold for up to six times what they originally cost.

What does it mean for you?

The government says the cap will make tickets £37 cheaper on average, saving fans around £112 million a year.

Some resale sites, like StubHub and Viagogo, argue that a cap might push you towards unregulated websites or social media, where you’re more at risk of fraud.

But Tom Kiehl, chief executive of UK Music, says the cap is essential to protect both the industry and you, the fan, from “exorbitant” prices. He told the BBC that the £8bn music industry depends on a strong, fair relationship between artists and the people who support them.

Under the new rules, resale platforms will be legally required to monitor and enforce the price limits, giving you a better chance of getting a fair deal.