Southern Rail refunds

nominek

Just looking for advice.. I bought weekly rail ticket on southern rail today, (which needs a photo ID, as they record the ID number on the ticket). Somehow I lost it within half an hour

At my destination I was told I would need to buy a new ticket, (even though I had a receipt & the card I paid for it with). More importantly, I was told their policy meant a refund or replacement ticket couldn't be issued.

I would have thought the ID was what made the ticket valid, so on it's own it was no use to anyone. If it was just 'a ticket' and not a season ticket I think I could understand, but this doesn't seem fair.

Isn't it weird that even though you have a railcard ID and proof of purchase, you lose? (Or is it just me?). Does anyone know how this fits with my statutory rights?

cookie365

What did you lose, the season ticket or the ID? Or both?

And how does a railcard come into this? I didn't think you could get a discount on a season ticket with a railcard.

Rosemary7391

cookie365 wrote: »

What did you lose, the season ticket or the ID? Or both?

And how does a railcard come into this? I didn't think you could get a discount on a season ticket with a railcard.

You need a photocard for a season ticket - basically a photo ID for the railway. I think for weekly tickets you can use a railcard with a photo on instead.

Terms and conditions for the season ticket are here:
http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/ticket_types/46571.aspx

You need both parts for it to be valid, and if you lose it they'll only consider reissuing it for ones that last a month or more.

cookie365

Rosemary7391 wrote: »

You need a photocard for a season ticket - basically a photo ID for the railway. I think for weekly tickets you can use a railcard with a photo on instead.

Terms and conditions for the season ticket are here:
http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/ticket_types/46571.aspx

You need both parts for it to be valid, and if you lose it they'll only consider reissuing it for ones that last a month or more.

I know what a photocard is. I want to know why the OP mentioned a railcard.

Rosemary7391

cookie365 wrote: »

I know what a photocard is. I want to know why the OP mentioned a railcard.

You can use a railcard instead of a photocard in some cases. For instance, I have a 16-25 railcard, so when I needed a weekly season ticket I used that, they wrote the railcard number on the season ticket.

nominek

Sorry I lost the weekly ticket. I still have the photocard.

My question is, doesn't it seem wrong that they won't issue a refund when I haven't benefited from the service? I can prove purchase and presumably they could cancel the lost ticket if they wanted to? It's not valid for travel without the photocard anyway...

T's and C's aside, just seems wrong...

Rosemary7391

nominek wrote: »

Sorry I lost the weekly ticket. I still have the photocard.

My question is, doesn't it seem wrong that they won't issue a refund when I haven't benefited from the service? I can prove purchase and presumably they could cancel the lost ticket if they wanted to? It's not valid for travel without the photocard anyway...

T's and C's aside, just seems wrong...

They can't cancel the ticket unless they have the ticket. Without the ticket, it isn't going to be possible unless there is a major (expensive!) systematic overhaul. If I'm reading the T&Cs correctly, they will redo a lost photo card - don't know if they'd ask for photo ID but if they don't, someone else could therefore use that ticket. It's harsh, but really train tickets need to be treated like cash until they're done with. I keep mine in a separate wallet or in my purse. Sorry you've lost out; I don't see any way around it though ...