Train company NIL : Customer WON!

P999DSO

Hi. I was at my change station part way through a train journey using Southern Rail in March. I was heading on holiday via Gatwick airport. At the change station ALL trains were cancelled so I was forced to get a taxi to get to the airport on time for my flight. It was early in the morning and no rail staff were apparent. The tickets were £16.70 each (2 of them), but the taxi cost £75. I had to pay it to get to the airport or risk losing my holiday. So I lodged a Delay Repay Claim which I got both ticket costs back. However the rail company would not admit they had failed me and I assume had breached contract by not providing the service I had paid for. I kept arguing. I was eventually offered the remaining taxi fare in Train Vouchers... oh no... Not accepting that! So I told them in my reply... so I was immediately told to go to the ombudsman (Transport Focus)... I completed their online form... and within 10 working days I had a response saying the train company were going to refund the taxi fare by cheque!!

So basically the morale of the story... don't accept an offer that doesn't work for you. Go all the way escalating the case... I used Resolver but Southern Rail refused to reply through it!! Glad to say persistence won!! I won't let the big companies bully and fob me off with something that is no use to me and will cost them nothing! They incurred me more money than I had budgeted so stuck to my guns and made them pay what was rightfully mine caused by their incompetence!! :mad:

Southern Rail did blame Network Rail for failing to complete maintenance... surely they would have known that before I started my journey and then have them abandon me at a station far from home... I did advise Southern Rail complaints guy that Network Rail not completing their work isn't actually my problem, and they should have kept their customers updated PRIOR to commencing their journey!! Glad to say I won :beer: ... eventually!!! :T So if you have to complain about a rail company... stick with it!!!

bigisi

Cool story, bro.