Train tickets not delivered/lost in post

RubyMaria

I booked train tickets about a month ago to travel from London to Bristol this weekend, I thought I had ordered them to be collected but I decided to check the email today and they were posted 1st class, this was a long time ago and it looks like they have either not been sent or lost. I have spoken to at least 5 different people from the London Midland customer service but they just keep repeating that they are not responsible and I'll have to buy new tickets.
I would completely accept this responsibility if I had received the tickets and then lost them but I never received them. My post is very reliable, I've never had anything lost in the post previous to this. I also never received an email confirmation that the tickets have been dispatched, I don't know if this is unusual or not.
There is a possibility that I can get a refund for these tickets but I will need to buy the new tickets (which are over double the price now as they were advanced fares when I originally bought them). Does anyone have any advice on how I can get the original tickets or is it genuinely my responsibility?

Quentin

This is from London Midland website faq;

What should I do if I have not received my tickets?

If you have chosen to have your tickets delivered, tickets purchased by 16.00 will be processed and dispatched within 24 hours of booking using Royal Mail First Class post. Please allow 5 working days for delivery.

Please note we are unable to guarantee delivery for first class - any customers whose tickets fail to arrive after 5 working days should contact Customer Services on 0344 811 0133, Option 2.

So go back to them and ask why they tell you to ring them then when you do offer no help!

t0rt0ise

I've never had email confirmation of posting from any train company.

dzug1

t0rt0ise wrote: »

I've never had email confirmation of posting from any train company.

I've always had e-mail confirmation of the order - but that's not quite the same thing as confirmation of posting

martindow

On a more general note I'm surprised that some train companies say that tickets are posted at the passenger's risk. Wouldn't consumer law make them liable to refund if tickets don't arrive?

Rosemary7391

martindow wrote: »

On a more general note I'm surprised that some train companies say that tickets are posted at the passenger's risk. Wouldn't consumer law make them liable to refund if tickets don't arrive?

I don't think there is any way to cancel a train ticket without physically having it? So the lost train tickets could still be used to travel. I can understand why they say that in that case although I don't know about the legality. I always collect mine at the station; it would be much easier if every station had that facility, then posting wouldn't be a problem.

wealdroam

Rosemary7391 wrote: »

I don't think there is any way to cancel a train ticket without physically having it? So the lost train tickets could still be used to travel. I can understand why they say that in that case although I don't know about the legality. I always collect mine at the station; it would be much easier if every station had that facility, then posting wouldn't be a problem.

You are right, and similarly, if I had bought (say) a toaster online and the seller failed to deliver it to me then I could expect a refund or a replacement - while the original 'lost' toaster would be with someone else - working well one assumes.

'The law' applies to goods, are train tickets goods?

See Section 29 of The Consumer Rights Act:

29 Passing of risk

(1)A sales contract is to be treated as including the following provisions as terms.
(2)The goods remain at the trader's risk until they come into the physical possession of—
(a)the consumer, or
(b)a person identified by the consumer to take possession of the goods.

RubyMaria

I tried to explain this to them but sadly they weren't having any of it! I bought new tickets and they refunded me for the old ones as a 'gesture of good will'
Lost about £60 due to the tickets being lost in the post

katejo

RubyMaria wrote: »

I tried to explain this to them but sadly they weren't having any of it! I bought new tickets and they refunded me for the old ones as a 'gesture of good will'
Lost about £60 due to the tickets being lost in the post

I always opt to collect the tickets from the machine at the station AND I collect them with several days to spare (in case the machine fails for any reason).

Rosemary7391

katejo wrote: »

I always opt to collect the tickets from the machine at the station AND I collect them with several days to spare (in case the machine fails for any reason).

Not every station has that facility... I don't understand why not though! Surely it would make more sense.