Caledonian Sleeper - refund

Mabelethel

Hi

I wonder if anyone can offer some advice.

I had booked tickets for myself and my family on the Caledonian Sleeper over night service to Scotland for a friends wedding in August.

Sadly the wedding has now been called off. I cancelled the hotel that we had booked into with no problem but Scot Rail are refusing to refund the £720 for the rail tickets. Legally I think they are right as I booked fixed tickets but morally this is awful. They will definitely be able to sell the tickets as I have given them nearly 3 months notice and they are in the school holiday period. I have stated several times that I understand that an admin fee will be charged but just get a blunt no in response.

I have contacted Transport Focus and am waiting to hear back from them and am in the process of composing an email to our MP.

It's gutting as the train is far more expensive than flying but I thought the train would be fun for my kids and, as the trip was to be instead of a holiday I weathered the extra expense.

I can't even sell the tickets as they are non-transferable.

Can anyone suggest anything that I can do?

Many thanks in advance.

Mable

tykesi

So you book tickets and agree to abide by the T&Cs of those tickets but then complain when the train company abides by their side of them?

The sense of entitlement of some people is unreal but I suppose this is the product of the blame culture, it's always someone else's fault and companies tend to bear the brunt of this because they're effectively faceless.

Why not use the tickets and have a fun weekend away with the kids, make a holiday of it?

Hasbeen

Mabelethel wrote: »

Hi

I wonder if anyone can offer some advice.

I had booked tickets for myself and my family on the Caledonian Sleeper over night service to Scotland for a friends wedding in August.

Sadly the wedding has now been called off. I cancelled the hotel that we had booked into with no problem but Scot Rail are refusing to refund the £720 for the rail tickets. Legally I think they are right as I booked fixed tickets but morally this is awful. They will definitely be able to sell the tickets as I have given them nearly 3 months notice and they are in the school holiday period. I have stated several times that I understand that an admin fee will be charged but just get a blunt no in response.

I have contacted Transport Focus and am waiting to hear back from them and am in the process of composing an email to our MP.

It's gutting as the train is far more expensive than flying but I thought the train would be fun for my kids and, as the trip was to be instead of a holiday I weathered the extra expense.

I can't even sell the tickets as they are non-transferable.

Can anyone suggest anything that I can do?

Many thanks in advance.

Mable

I am not surprised Scotrail are refusing to refund your tickets as they did not sell them to you.

Scotrail have nothing to do with the sleepers.

You need to contact Serco the company who does.

Perhaps try links below

https://www.sleeper.scot/faq-refunds

https://www.sleeper.scot/contact

agrinnall

There is no morality argument that you can bring to bear against the TOC here, if you really want to play that card try getting the (perhaps not so) happy couple to refund you. Had you booked similar non-refundable tickets with an airline you'd have been in a similar position (you might have got a small amount back for taxes after paying any admin charge).

The moral of the story is that if you want money back if you don't travel, buy tickets that will offer you that.

Hasbeen

Ah! Looking at above post and Ops opening again. I see I missed the fixed ticket part.

So looking at Serco sleeper site re refunds it does state:

"If you choose not to travel, Caledonian Sleeper only offers refunds on our Flexible tickets and Berth Supplements."

As Tykesi says, take the opportunity and use them for family break/holiday etc.:)

Mids_Costcutter

Do the tickets have your name on them?

Mabelethel

Thanks for the helpful reply Hasbeen. It was Serco that I have been dealing with, I mistakenly said Scotrail.

Mids_costcutter - Yes, unfortunately they do have our names on them.

This has nothing to do with 'blame culture' I just feel that it is a bit unreasonable and very poor PR to have a 'computer say's no' attitude esp when the tickets will certainly sell.

Thanks again for the helpful replies.

zagfles

The T&Cs aren't everything, contrary to what some people think. See

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/advice/Thomson-case-could-spell-end-of-unfair-holiday-cancellation-charges/

cookie365

Mabelethel wrote: »

Thanks for the helpful reply Hasbeen. It was Serco that I have been dealing with, I mistakenly said Scotrail.

Mids_costcutter - Yes, unfortunately they do have our names on them.

This has nothing to do with 'blame culture' I just feel that it is a bit unreasonable and very poor PR to have a 'computer say's no' attitude esp when the tickets will certainly sell.

Thanks again for the helpful replies.

When you book your tickets you are offered two choices: the flexible tickets that allow refunds if you change your mind, and the fixed ones that don't. It's very very very clear that there are no refunds with the fixed tickets.

You want to pay for the cheaper fixed tickets but get the benefits of the more expensive flexible tickets.

(Text removed by MSE forum Team)

agrinnall

zagfles wrote: »

The T&Cs aren't everything, contrary to what some people think. See

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/advice/Thomson-case-could-spell-end-of-unfair-holiday-cancellation-charges/

How does a case that hinges on "...Unfair Contract Terms in Package Holiday Contracts" have any relevance to a train ticket?

zagfles

agrinnall wrote: »

How does a case that hinges on "...Unfair Contract Terms in Package Holiday Contracts" have any relevance to a train ticket?

Does the quoted "Unfair Terms Consumer Contract Regulations 1999" also only apply to package holidays then?

Anyway my point was that just because it says something in the T&Cs doesn't mean it can't be challenged.