Promised refunds for Masterton’s cancelled motorcycle show are nowhere in sight.
Crusty Demons cancelled their twice-postponed 2020 show in October, and the former event organiser promised ticket holders they would get refunds within 45 working days.
The deadline passed this week with no refunds.
Crusty Demons and ticket vendors Moshtix, Oztix, and NZTix pointed at event organiser Complete Events Group and its owner Matt Mahoney, saying the organiser had the money and was responsible for the refunds.
“Moshtix has tried to work with the event organiser to arrange refunds, but funds have not been made available, and accordingly, we have not been instructed to process refunds at this time.
“Moshtix recommends ticket holders contact the event organiser directly,” the vendor said yesterday.
Event organiser Mahoney said Complete Events Group could not process the refunds until Crusty Demons ownership signed a deed of release form to formalise the end of their commercial relationship.
“Their overall lack of professionalism is astonishing.
“We want to close this off and leave this terrible situation behind us,” Mahoney said.
He said he requested a deed of release in letters to Crusty Demons and their lawyers on August 29, to which neither has replied.
At the time of printing, Crusty Demons did not comment on this.
At least one ticket holder raised a dispute with the credit card team at their bank and got their money back from them, but several banks told people that the payment was too long ago to get a refund that way.
Another ticket holder raised a fraud claim with their bank and is awaiting a result.
Meanwhile, at least two ticket holders have lodged complaints against Complete Events Group at the Disputes Tribunal.
The Disputes Tribunal is less formal than a court, costing $45 to apply and having no lawyers or judges, only the two parties and a referee.
If the two parties do not agree, the mediator makes a legally binding decision to settle the dispute.
One of the claimants was confident they would win at the Tribunal.
“His [Mahoney’s] agreement proves there is no question as to who should be paying; it’s just a question of why he has not.
“I still hold little hope to see any money, I can swallow a $240 loss, but I feel for those who have spent much more money than us,” the claimant said.