Most passengers don’t know their train refund rights – find out yours

yorkie2

portlandboy wrote: »

My 15 year old son has been making regular train journeys alone since last November. Without fail, he has encountered a delay or cancellation on every out or return trip, yet it is only about40 miles each way. We wait with him until the train leaves in case it's delayed and arrange with him to be on a certain train for the return trip.
My question is, as he travels on an "anytime" ticket can the return delays be claimed for or would the claim be invalid if a later/earlier train was still on time? Would the operator simply say that hr didn't have to get the delayed train. How could we prove that he was going to get the only delayed service?

What's the origin, destination, and what time does he aim to arrive? The performance history can be checked on a site such as Raildar.

Mark_Beech

Watch out ...... Virgin are pulling a fast one (sic) with regards to use of the Delay Repay scheme.
I'm a regular traveller between Preston and London and was recently delayed for more than two hours on a journey. This should have triggered a FULL refund of my entire two way journey. However Virgin argued that because I had effectively booked two "single" tickets I was not entitled to a refund of the entire journey. Since it is not possible to book a return ticket online and reserve seats Virgin are being disingenuous to say the least. When booking your RETURN journey online you book both legs of the journey AT THE SAME TIME using the same credit card as part of ONE transaction. This is wriggling out of their responsibilities using smoke and mirrors.
Disgraceful.

wealdroam

Mark_Beech wrote: »

Watch out ...... Virgin are pulling a fast one (sic) with regards to use of the Delay Repay scheme.
I'm a regular traveller between Preston and London and was recently delayed for more than two hours on a journey. This should have triggered a FULL refund of my entire two way journey. However Virgin argued that because I had effectively booked two "single" tickets I was not entitled to a refund of the entire journey. Since it is not possible to book a return ticket online and reserve seats Virgin are being disingenuous to say the least. When booking your RETURN journey online you book both legs of the journey AT THE SAME TIME using the same credit card as part of ONE transaction. This is wriggling out of their responsibilities using smoke and mirrors.
Disgraceful.

If you are actually saying that a return ticket is not available for the journey you made, then maybe you have a valid point.

However, if you are saying that you chose to buy a single ticket for the outward journey and a single ticket for the return leg for some reason, the I fear you will not win.

Have you read Virgin Trains' Passenger Charter?

The relevant bit is on page 9:

5.2 Compensation

If your train is delayed or cancelled, or a delay or cancellation of a Virgin train causes a delay to your overall journey, you may be entitled to claim compensation. If not, we will consider claims on an ex-gratia basis.

We do not normally accept claims in cases where trains are delayed if you were notified of the delay before you purchased your ticket and you still decide to travel. We will, however, consider each case on its own merits.

Our Delay Repay scheme comes into effect on 1 April 2013. Under this scheme, if you hold a ticket for a single or return journey you can claim compensation for a delay of over 30 minutes, irrespective of what caused the delay. If you are delayed by:

• 30 – 59 minutes : We will pay you compensation to the value of 50% of the cost of your single ticket or 50% of the cost of the relevant portion* of your return ticket.
• 60 – 119 minutes : We will pay you compensation to the value of 100% of the cost of your single ticket or 100% of the cost of the relevant portion* of your return ticket.
• 120 minutes or longer : We will pay you compensation to the value of 100% of the cost of your single ticket or 100% of the cost of your return ticket (i.e. both portions not just one way).

*by ‘relevant portion’ we mean either the outward or return portion of a return ticket, depending upon whether you were delayed on your outward or return journey

euronorris

Does anyone have any advice for a delay in response from a Delay Repay claim with Southern.

I bought a ticket in mid Jan, for a return journey (out on 18th Jan & return on 19th Jan). The journey was delayed by over an hour on 18th Jan and by 2 hours on 19th Jan. Under their guidelines, I should be entitled to a full refund. So, I went online on 20th Jan and put my claim in explaining this, and what happened, attached scanned copies of my tickets (including the receipt) and waited patiently for the response.

On 3rd Feb I received a response to say that I had been awarded £7.50 for the journey out on 18th Jan, but rejected for 19th Jan with the reason given as 'Season ticket purchased prior to Delay Repay'. That reason doesn't even make sense as a) I don't have a season ticket and b) I bought a return ticket, not two singles purchased on different days!!!

Anyway, I responded on the same day (3rd Feb) to the email advising the above and asking them to look into it again and come back to me. I waited patiently again. No response.

On 21st Feb, I called and queried and was promised that it would be picked up and someone would call me back that day. No call. So I waited a few days.

Yesterday, 27th Feb, I called and queried again and was promised a call back today. Again, no call. No email either.

So I call, and am told that they will have to pass onto the relevant team and will escalate it etc etc. All the same stuff as before. I ask to speak to the team directly, but am told this is not possible. So I ask to speak to the supervisor, and she promises to email the Delay Repay team manager and request that they call me back urgently today, but I'm not holding my breath.

So where do I go from here? Who do I complain to, to actually get a response? Is my best bet to do it publicly, ie twitter and facebook? This is ridiculous!

wealdroam

euronorris wrote: »

So where do I go from here? Who do I complain to, to actually get a response? Is my best bet to do it publicly, ie twitter and facebook? This is ridiculous!

I understand that complaining publicly on social media websites may help, although I have no direct experience of this.

Consider reporting your issue to Passenger Focus.

Indie_Kid

Is there a quick way to get information regarding compensation for a cancelled train? I emailed virgin on 10th February over this and still haven't heard anything. Will try again. Quite fed up of waiting.

wealdroam

Indie_Kid wrote: »

Is there a quick way to get information regarding compensation for a cancelled train? I emailed virgin on 10th February over this and still haven't heard anything. Will try again. Quite fed up of waiting.

Did you travel with Virgin?

Does post#14 not help?

Have you read Virgin Trains' Passenger Charter?

yorkie2

Indie_Kid wrote: »

Is there a quick way to get information regarding compensation for a cancelled train? I emailed virgin on 10th February over this and still haven't heard anything. Will try again. Quite fed up of waiting.

Where were you travelling from & to, and what date/time?

If you travelled, and were over 30 mins late, you are entitled to compensation. Have you sent a claim yet? You can do it online, click http://www.virgintrains.co.uk/contact/ choose "Claim for a delay" then "Submit a claim". You need to attach a photo or scan of your ticket.

If you did not travel, you are entitled to a refund of the unused ticket. This could have been done at the station at the time (if you were there), but would now need to go back to the point of purchase (within 28 days, so act fast!)

Indie_Kid

yorkie2 wrote: »

Where were you travelling from & to, and what date/time?

If you travelled, and were over 30 mins late, you are entitled to compensation. Have you sent a claim yet? You can do it online, click http://www.virgintrains.co.uk/contact/ choose "Claim for a delay" then "Submit a claim". You need to attach a photo or scan of your ticket.

If you did not travel, you are entitled to a refund of the unused ticket. This could have been done at the station at the time (if you were there), but would now need to go back to the point of purchase (within 28 days, so act fast!)

Thanks. Could not travel. The train was cancelled due to the weather.

iAMaLONDONER

yorkie2 wrote: »

Obtain journey history and enclose that. The easiest way to do this is to register your Oyster Card online.

The delay on SWT wasn't an hour long! So I'll won't be eligible.

Not as good as LU's 15 min delay refund!