Lost expense receipt what can I do?

Best_Auntie

Two weeks ago I took a taxi from the train station to an off site meeting at work which I shared with a junior colleague. I paid the £13 fare out of my own pocket and collected a receipt which as is common with private hire firms was just a scribble on the back of a business card. Somehwhere along the way I lost the receipt.

I submitted my monthly expenses claim as usual with an explanation for the lost receipt.The claim also included the cost of the return journey that day for a similar amount. My manager approved the claim but the I got a (rather rude) e-mail from HR saying that they had removed the unreceipted amount from my claim as a receipt is needed for audit purposes.

I know it is my fault for loosing the receipt, but it is £13 that I cannot afford to loose. The amount is not in dispute as the return journey was the same and there is no doubt that I took the journey as my manager was also at the meeting and I was accompanied by a colleague. I don't think this should come out of my pocket especially as I was paying for a colleague too.

As I say I know this was ultimately my fault for loosing it but the company regularly accepts claims for parking tolls and Dartford bridge tolls or rail ticket machines where no receipt is available. I have never done this before but in other companies I have had colleagues who have had claims honoured in similar circumstances as a gesture of good will.

I often do unpaid overtime, and sometimes don't claim for small costs and very short journeys, I regularly undertake unpapid work for the charitable arm of the company. I don't think it is unreasonable to think that the company might absorb this cost as a one off acknowledgement of my commitment. Obviously if I did this regularly it would be a different story. It makes me feel like withdrawing my good will. For a multi-million pound company £13 is less than a drop in the ocean but it makes a big difference to me. I have to submit my expenses by post what happens if they go missing in the post - do I loose a whole months expenses which often amounts to over £100?

Is there anything I can do?

USM

Whenever this happens to me I just call the cab company and ask them to do me another receipt - never been refused so far.

KiKi

Ask your manager to back you up and approve it. Or ask the taxi company for another receipt.

KiKi

dandelionclock30

If they dont pay you it back then you could have a day off as compensation.

Best_Auntie

I don't know the taxi company as it was one I picked up from the taxi rank outside the station. My manager has already approved the claim and backed me up but it is the finance people who are being stubborn. Does anyone in finance/accounting know if they really need every single receipt for adudit purposes or can they make an allowance for the odd lost one?

I will copy my receipts before sending them in future (don't know why I didn't think of it before -DOH!!) but in this case I lost it before I got home so I wasn't in any position to copy it.

[Deleted User]

Always keep a few blank taxi receipts for this situation. Doesn't matter what firm - they're good in an emergency. Next time you're in a taxi, just ask for a few. A little tip always helps get them.

I have to submit my expenses by post what happens if they go missing in the post - do I loose a whole months expenses which often amounts to over £100?

Scan them, simple as that. I bought a scanner like this for use for home/work - http://www.play.com/PC/PCs/4-/20251641/Handheld-A4-Colour-Scanner/Product.html?searchtype=allproducts&searchsource=0&searchstring=a4+scanner&urlrefer=search

It's great.. just feed individual receipts, then zip the images all up and you've 'backed up' your expenses. Thankfully, my work lets me just send the zip file so I don't post anything (although this does remind me I've got 200 quid to submit today)

DCFC79

Whwenever ive had to keep receipts to be reimbursed ive made a note to keep them and if i lose them then its my fault and i didnt try to claim the expenses from the lost receipt.

Yes the receipts are needed by the money people so if no receipt then maybe try talkng to them.

DCFC79

Or you just ignoire them, there replies i dont like but i dont respond to them,

claire16c

This happened to my friend at work, our manager complained for her and got it signed off. Try getting your manager to intervene. The clearly dont HAVE to have the receipt because like you said they pay out for other things.

Or I think what ringo said is good advice, get another card from a taxi firm and you could just write the amount on the back if HR are really gonna be funny about it. I always photocopied my receipts because stuff always got lost.

theoretica

I often do unpaid overtime, and sometimes don't claim for small costs and very short journeys

Can you gather up at least £13 worth of receipts for these?Our finance procedures are irritatingly inflexible too, but we do have a system for lost receipts, and other expenses without receipts: the manager's manager's manager needs to sign...

Dangermac

dandelionclock30 wrote: »

If they dont pay you it back then you could have a day off as compensation.

Great idea. Keep your fingers crossed you dont get fired though.