1 Consumer Education Secondary ticketing resource ©2015 Citizens Advice 2 This workbook has been produced by the Citizens Advice Consumer Strategy team. Although care has been taken to ensure the accuracy, completeness and reliability of the information provided, Citizens Advice assumes no responsibility. The user of the information agrees that the information is subject to change without notice. To the extent permitted by law, Citizens Advice excludes all liability for any claim, loss, demands or damages of any kind whatsoever (whether such claims, loss, demands or damages were foreseeable, known or otherwise) arising out of or in connection with the drafting, accuracy and/or its interpretation, including without limitation, indirect or consequential loss or damage and whether arising in tort (including negligence), contract or otherwise. Copyright © 2015 Citizens Advice All rights reserved. Any reproduction of part or all of the contents in any form is prohibited except with the express written permission of Citizens Advice. Examples of newspaper articles and video clips sources have been referenced in the Appendix. Citizens Advice is an operating name of the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux, Charity registration number 279057, VAT number 726020276, Company Limited by Guarantee, Registered number 1436945 England. Registered office: Citizens Advice, 3rd Floor North, 200 Aldersgate Street, London, EC1A 4HD ©2015 Citizens Advice 3 Guidelines The Aim of this session is to introduce the changes the Consumer Rights Act brings to rules for secondary ticketing sites (and sales) and how consumers can make an informed purchase. Objectives are: To raise awareness of what information the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 and the Consumer Rights Act require consumers to be given about secondary ticketing sales; To make informed choices. To avoid ticket scams and financial detriment. To know how to look for reputable ticket sites/ sellers. Evaluation Guidance is now located in the document for trainers to be able to complete their own evaluation. However, for using the materials for the purposes of National Consumer Week please direct feedback to the campaigns team survey monkey via the Citizens Advice campaigns page https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/about-us/campaigns/current_campaigns/ General Guidance Notes It is important for trainers to let participants know that these rules apply when a ticket is first offered for re-sale through a secondary ticketing facility on or after 27th May 2015. Tickets put up for re-sale in advance of that date will not be required to meet the new information requirements that the Consumer Rights Act sets out. However, it is essential that the education materials are not used as advice tools. If advice on a particular case is required then participants should be directed to their local Citizens Advice or the Citizens Advice consumer service. This workbook is for the trainers use. The pack contains basic information, activities and worksheets for trainers and replica worksheets for participants. ©2015 Citizens Advice 4 Secondary Ticketing Lesson plan p 5 Session specific guidance p 6 Subject information, relevant links and top tips Activity one p 9 What is Secondary Ticketing? For this activity discuss with participants what they know about secondary ticketing and what their experiences are. Activity two p 11 How to avoid being ripped off. For this activity discuss and use resources to identify what key information consumers should look for to avoid being scammed or ripped off. Activity three p 13 Selling tickets? Do it right! For this activity participants create their own secondary ticketing add, referring to legislation to ensure it is correct. Closing a session p 15 Summarise the importance of the secondary ticketing requirements, what participants have learned and what other relevant topics they would like to explore in the future. Appendix p 17 ©2015 Citizens Advice 5 Lesson Plan This alternative lesson plan has been designed to show tutors/ trainers/ educators how they can use and manage the resources within the pack. It will allow the tutor/ trainer/ educator to plan around time constraints and indicates how to prioritise activities, allowing a more flexible teaching model. 1 Activity 1 will require the ability to play video clips. Activities could be used as a project in formal education for business studies or economics if merged together. 2 However, for this 3 audience a research project could be proposed, on the scale of secondary ticketing, scams and consumer redress. These activities can be used as prompts. Closing session Green activities – Are essential to any session on this topic Amber activities – Are highly recommended but not essential Red activities – Are optional activities, if time allows The size of the bubble indicates roughly how much time – relative to the session - to spend on an activity. More guidance is in the trainer’s notes. Some resources will have alternative pathways for resources so that trainers can tailor sessions to a participant’s need as it becomes clear. ©2015 Citizens Advice 6 Basic guidance for Trainers This training pack provides some basic information on the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 and Consumer Rights Act 2015, but some of the activities may require further investigation by participants, time and resources will need to be determined by the trainer. Further information on consumer rights can be researched on the Citizens Advice website with relevant weblinks in the Appendix . The trainer may also wish to contact their local Trading Standards or local Citizens Advice to see if they can support the session. Guidance and legislation that applies to secondary ticketing Timeline – Information and Legislation Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 The regulations set out: the information which a trader must give to a consumer before and after making a sale how that information should be given the right for consumers to change their minds when buying at a distance or off-premises delivery times and passing of risk a prohibition on any additional payments which appear as a default option a prohibition on consumers having to pay more than the basic rate for post-contract customer helplines. (1) These regulations apply to contracts concluded on or after 13 June 2014. More detail on each area can be found using the link above. Consumer Rights Act 2015 – Secondary Ticketing This applies where a person re-sells a ticket for a recreational, sporting or cultural event in the UK through a secondary ticketing facility. This will most likely be a website but could equally be a web based application such as a classified ads or auction site. This applies to tickets first offered for re-sale. (note that it is a criminal offence to resell tickets for a football match under the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006.) ©2015 Citizens Advice 7 Detail of what is covered in the Consumer Rights Act is provided here http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2015/15/part/3/chapter/5 and http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2015/15/notes/division/3/3/5/2 Content below has been taken from these sources. Duty to provide information about tickets The duty to provide information rests on both the seller of the ticket and the person operating the online facility through which it is being sold. In practice, it will be for the seller to give the information when they go to list their tickets online, and for the operator then to ensure that this information is given to the buyer. There are four pieces of information which must be given. 1) Information that will enable the buyer to identify the particular seat or standing area of the venue to which the ticket applies. • This includes, where applicable, the name of the relevant area of the venue, • the block in which the seat or relevant area is located, • the row and number of the seat. Where the seat and row are identified by something other than a number, this identifier must also be given. 2) The buyer must be given information about any restrictions that apply to the ticket and concern who can use it. For example, the ticket might be for a specific area reserved for disabled persons or an age restriction. (Student, memberships or OAP may need to be indicated too.) 3) The face value of the ticket to be given. This is the price printed on the ticket itself. This will likely be the price at which the seller originally bought the ticket for. 4) If the seller has a connection with the online facility on which they are selling, or the organiser of the event for which the ticket is being sold, they must state that this is the case, and what that connection is. Where the seller is the operator of the facility itself, this information must be given. Information to be provided in a clear and comprehensible manner, and before the buyer purchases the ticket. (2) ©2015 Citizens Advice 8 (1) BIS consumer-contracts-information-cancellation-and-additional- payments-regulations-guidance.pdf (2) http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2015/15/notes/division/3/3/5/2 ________________________ Top Tips Encourage participants to talk about their own experiences but keep focused on the topic. Use local and current newspaper cuttings or web articles (examples can be found in the appendix section of this pack if necessary.) Where possible use video clips of news items or consumer programs that focus on this topic (a search of consumer programmes secondary ticketing will bring up familiar TV program clips.) Ensure that participants leave the session with relevant contact details for help, including the Citizens Advice consumer service and local Citizens Advice . Do not advise on specific cases. Remind participants again that advice on specific cases cannot be given in the session and they should refer to relevant advice organisations i.e.