MUSIC fans should not buy or sell tickets through viagogo because it is ripping off customers, MPs have warned.
In a highly unusual move, the Culture Select Committee said the “untrustworthy” site should be boycotted after it was exposed for slapping hidden fees of up to 50 per cent on gig seats.
It blasted viagogo for flouting the law and accused the company’s bosses of showing “disdain” by refusing to give evidence to MPs.
The report states: “We believe that viagogo has yet to prove itself a trustworthy operator given its history of resisting compliance, court orders and parliamentary scrutiny, and flouting consumer law.
“We are concerned that while that work takes place, consumers remain vulnerable to the site’s misleading sales practices.”
The committee’s boss, Tory MP Damian Collins, said that while the British music scene is booming, behind the scenes it faces “stark challenges”.
He said: “Bad experiences with ticket resale platforms are damaging trust in the industry, smaller music venues are closing at an unprecedented rate, and the future of the talent pipeline is at risk.
“We’re calling on the Government to review the effectiveness of the law intended to prevent consumers being ripped-off when buying tickets for live concerts.”
The Competitions and Markets Authority, the markets watchdog, has threatened to take the website to court for a string of failures.
Until the website is brought into line by the CMA, “we advise the public not to buy or sell tickets via viagogo”, the committee said.
It added: “The DCMS Committee has taken today the highly unusual step of issuing a warning to the public against using a major secondary ticketing site until it complies fully with consumer law.”
The committee also called for an “urgent review” of business rates to help struggling small music venues.
And it blasted discrimination against the urban music scene – accusing police of unfairly targeting grime gigs.