Problems with rail refund East Coast Mainline

nharris_2

I am having problems getting a refund for tickets booked on-line, due to the recent bad weather.
I booked the tickets early in November for travel at the beginning of December and have been told the only way i can get a refund in on-line, The on-line option for a refund is no longer available, ( I think you have 28 days to claim a refund, but as the problem occurred nearly a month later when i was due to travel, i think they may be trying to not pay it).
Anyone have any advice

Livingthedream

You'll be OK, East Coast have one of the better customer services, fill out this form, enclose your tickets and post it to;

Delay Repay,
PO Box 850,
Newcastle upon Tyne,
NE99 1HZ

wealdroam

nharris wrote: »

I am having problems getting a refund for tickets booked on-line, due to the recent bad weather.
I booked the tickets early in November for travel at the beginning of December and have been told the only way i can get a refund in on-line, The on-line option for a refund is no longer available, ( I think you have 28 days to claim a refund, but as the problem occurred nearly a month later when i was due to travel, i think they may be trying to not pay it).
Anyone have any advice

There is information on the East Coast website explaining that if you have purchased a ticket online and want a refund, it can be claimed by post...

How to claim your refund

If you wish to apply for a refund you need to print out our form. When you have completed it, please take the form back to where you bought your ticket within 28 days of the ticket’s expiry date.
Alternatively, if you have booked your ticket from this website you can apply for a refund by visiting Your Account after you have signed in or post your ticket (including Print@ Home tickets) with a covering letter to our Web Support team at:
Web Support,
PO Box 1207,
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE99 1JH.

geordie_taxi

east coast pay up all the time wotever the claim. i use my claims to pay for my summer holiday travel to London. its amazing how quickly they add up whether its for a delay or not having a seat.

and i claim for everything use the forms provide by other members above

orcadian

I was put off the London train to Edinburgh at 3:30pm yesterday when it terminated in Newcastle due to high winds. The guard told me there would be no further services to Scotland until next day and that the roads and airport were also closed. I checked the East Coast mainline passenger charter online when I was still on the train, so I was confident the train company would find me accommodation for the night - it promised this for such a delay. But East Coast customer service representative in Newcastle told me they would not honour that. I went to the information centre in Newcastle station and they told me I was on my own to make my own accommodation arrangements though my ticket would be accepted for travel next day. I'm really disappointed and I've lost confidence in ECM. There is no point having a passenger charter if they abandon it whenever it suits them. Train companies should be honest upfront when you buy the ticket.

luckwudaveit

I can't access the EC customer charter today as EC have changed their website to cope with demand. However, the NRCOC states:

"43. Help from Train Companies if you are stranded
If disruption caused by circumstances within the control of a Train Company or a Rail
Service Company leaves you stranded before you have reached your destination and the
Train Company whose trains you are entitled to use is unable to get you to that destination
by other means, any Train Company which is in a position to help will, if it reasonably can,
either arrange to get you to that destination, or provide overnight accommodation for you."

I wouldn't consider yesterday's storm to be within the control of any rail company. Hope you managed to find somewhere to stay and can continue your journey today.

Livingthedream

It is true what luckwudaveit has stated, however, East Coast probably has the best customer services of all the Train operating companies. My advice write a letter of complaint to the address in post #2 stating how disappointed you were to be left stranded in Newcastle and had to arrange your own accommodation, enclose your rail tickets and receipt for your accommodation.

Keep the letter polite and to the point, they may or may not pay up for the accommodation but they defiantly won't if you don't try, they at least should give you a goodwill gesture for your delay.

orcadian

The reason I posted on 4th January was I'd read the Eastcoast website using my laptop on the train before I got to Newcastle. I knew their charter states on page 20, section 7.3

Where we believe that because of a delay or cancellation of an East Coast train it will be impossible to get you to your destination at a reasonable time either by train or alternative transport, we will at no additional charge:

• Either arrange for you to return to where your journey started, or another appropriate location, and ensure that you can travel again the next day; or

• Arrange overnight accommodation and ensure that you can travel the next day.

What was really bad was to meet a customer service representative in Newcastle who seemed unfamiliar with this. If this did Charter not apply he should have given clear reasons why - none was forthcoming - and page 20 of the charter contains no disclaimer about acts of God. I was traveling first class on the train - I guess maybe I expected a first class service?
At least their website is now operational again and I'll take this up with them.

Livingthedream

Orcadian, seriously get that letter of complaint off to East Coast, you might just be surprised. The customer service representative at Newcastle might have been having a bad day or was poorly trained and doesn't represent the whole company, I would be very surprised if East Coast didn't give you some kind of recompense.

yorkie2

The NRCoC is binding on East Coast (and the customer).

The Passengers Charter is not binding.

However, you can write to them anyway, they can't do anything if it's just posted here.