The ‘Administration fee rip-off’ and how to get out of it!

arcon5

CKhalvashi wrote: »

My time could be better spent not arguing with the likes of you, who seems to think that it’s okay to offend.

Tell me, how much are you earning to make your attitude at all reasonable? Obviously enough to have always had a comfortable lifestyle, whereas some of us have earnings that are going down rather than up and children to feed!

I don't think the post you replied to was offensive if i'm honest. I think the opinion being expressed was equally as valid.

But how much money you have/earn is not relevant. The fee is not conditional to your income -- it's charged on cancellation. Afterall, you don't know of the financial affairs of the company themselves, for all you know they could be struggling and in a similar situation to you whereby every little bit counts! What is relevant is whether it's fair and whether it's a legal right. They don't even have to offer refunds on fares in the first place, so the fact they allowed such is a good thing -- but in exchange for offering this they ask you pay an admin fee which covers the time taken to deal with you, not just the refund but also selling of the initial ticket which they otherwise would make a loss on.
It's also of my opinion that the fee is fair. I have to agree with others that they bought you off as not to waste time unnecessarily when they could be dealing with other affairs.

arcon5

CKhalvashi wrote: »

This is the male version of OP, not the female one.

Sorry, edited accordingly

CKhalvashi

arcon5 wrote: »

Sorry, edited accordingly

My post is also edited. Sorry, had a bad day!

arcon5

CKhalvashi wrote: »

Technically speaking, I was still within a reasonable acceptance period, as I should have the right to change my mind!

Distance Selling Regulations don't cover travel tickets, so you unfortunately don't have any rights to cancel. Technically they could have refused all together (if they didn't have a refund policy that is -- although I cannot see one on their website, I can only assume they refunded asa goodwill gesture).

You mention acceptance, so i'm not sure if your referring to Sales of Goods Act.. note, you can only reject goods within 'reasonable' time if they breach this (ie not as described, not fit for purpose, not of satisfactory quality, ect). SoGA doesn't cover 'change of minds' i'm afraid.

As the saying goes, all's wel that ends well

[Deleted User]

I note from the OP that it was the 'unused ticket of a colleague' for which a 'refund' was sought. When the ticket was bought it was on the basis that the purchaser agreed to 'the conditions of carriage'. These conditions include the following (I have paraphrased):

• There may be a charge not exceeding £10 if a refund is sought.
• The ticket should not be transferred or sold to someone else.

Unless therefore you had bought the ticket for your colleague on your HSBC card in the first place, should you have been asking for a refund for it? If you didn't purchase it in this way, then neither should your HSBC account have been credited with a 'refund' as the ticket had not been purchased in that way and any refund should be by the same method as purchased.

If you are in the habit of buying your colleagues travel tickets on your card, then I apologise.

CKhalvashi

Sleazy wrote: »

I note from the OP that it was the 'unused ticket of a colleague' for which a 'refund' was sought. When the ticket was bought it was on the basis that the purchaser agreed to 'the conditions of carriage'. These conditions include the following (I have paraphrased):

• There may be a charge not exceeding £10 if a refund is sought.
• The ticket should not be transferred or sold to someone else.

Unless therefore you had bought the ticket for your colleague on your HSBC card in the first place, should you have been asking for a refund for it? If you didn't purchase it in this way, then neither should your HSBC account have been credited with a 'refund' as the ticket had not been purchased in that way and any refund should be by the same method as purchased.

If you are in the habit of buying your colleagues travel tickets on your card, then I apologise.

I did it personally to claim back as expenses, yes on an HSBC Premier card.

I’ve just had NXEA back on the phone, who admitted they were legally wrong. It used to be the case that tickets were stamped with ’T’s&C’s explained’, but not any more. They admit that this was where they went wrong.

I have passed a few useful suggestions to them, to look into.

arcon5

CKhalvashi wrote: »

I did it personally to claim back as expenses, yes on an HSBC Premier card.

I’ve just had NXEA back on the phone, who admitted they were legally wrong. It used to be the case that tickets were stamped with ’T’s&C’s explained’, but not any more. They admit that this was where they went wrong.

I have passed a few useful suggestions to them, to look into.

Tbh terms written on the ticket are irrelevant. Whats important is 'pre-contractual' information. Once you have purchased the ticket the contract is formed, so terms cannot then be changed without agreement. Anything written on the ticket would just be re-iteration of their terms.