Great 'Who Pays Compensation If You Ask?' Hunt

basmiles · 7 June 2006 at 3:07PM

gromituk wrote:

"One MoneySaver takes it so far he claims to make £600/month, perhaps that's OTT, but it's good motivation."

So Martin says on his newsletter. I don't think he should be endorsing such activity. I agree wholeheartedly that often we don't complain enough, and let companies get away with shoddy practice as a result. HOWEVER, basmiles [and let's not quote his entire posting again, please!!] deliberately courts opportunities to complain by choosing flight connections which are likely to go wrong, hoping that they will, in order to claim compensation. I think this steps over the line of reasonable behaviour. It is a version of ambulance-chasing which is leading us into a society where no-one will offer anything with the slightest risk involved, for fear of repercussion.

Actually, the flights I take are always valid connections on one itinary so the airline(s) are saying that there should be no problem with both me and my luggage making a connecting flight. If you travel a bit luggage gets lost. Last year my luggage was lost on the way to South Africa despite a 7 hour stopover in Frankfurt - and it took them three days to deliver it...

On the comments of others, I'm a frequent flyer with the highest level of card with a couple of airlines and the same with hotels which gives my letters more force. However, the recent compensation for the hotel (£600+) was for finding broken glass in the bed and a whole series of other problems. The BA upgrade to first was on a space-available basis. The airline had a free seat in first when I checked in so I got it. Presumably this cost them almost nothing but meant that I will continue to pay business fares with them which will help subsidise the low-cost economy passengers paying £250 to cross the Atlantic. If you look at BA's income they make money from business and first passengers. The airlines/hotels/banks etc realise they have made a mistake and to keep the profit from my custom are prepared to offer compensation - a simple commerical decision which costs other service users nothing.

Finally, all this doesn't take much time. Perhaps a couple of hours a month on letters - and always letters. I don't both with following up claims for £10 or £20 and some months nothing goes wrong so there are no letters or income :rolleyes:

basmiles

blindman · 7 June 2006 at 3:43PM

basmiles wrote

so there are no letters or income

I agree with gromituk

You are an ambulance chaser with very dubious morals as to how to 'earn' an income.

Typical of the very highly paid,(I am assuming this from your previous post details) trying to get more money for nothing.

Get a life.

Sprouts99 · 7 June 2006 at 3:49PM

We ordered a kitchen from B&Q to be fitted in January this year, needless to say it didn't go to plan and they needed to make areturn visit to make good. In the meantime we found that they had made a few notable chips in the worktops which they had coloured in with felt pens, damaged our flooring by assembling the units on them and a few other problems of a serious nature. To cut a very long story short we received £3,300 compensation from B&Q, approximately 50% of the total cost of the kitchen. We are not habitual complainers but insist on a job being done properly and refuse to be fobbed off by call centre staff. The key to appropriate compensation is copious notes and a calm manner. Anyway it works for us!

Sillychuckie · 7 June 2006 at 3:49PM

It was a long time ago, but I once received a free return flight because I made a complaint about them not being able to provide me with headphones.
It meant I missed the safety video as back then, they didn't play it over the PA system.

Don't think you'd have much luck trying the same thing these days...

EDIT: It was a return flight to Israel worth £300+

pistjordy · 7 June 2006 at 4:37PM

After an administration blunder I contacted EDF to say my confidence of their administration process was shot and since I'd recently just moved to them I wasn't very satisfied with first impressions. Although the blunder didn't cost me anything (except a phone call) I stated any compensation would be appreciated and received £25 on to my gas and electric accounts, so £50 in total.

ler01kjh · 7 June 2006 at 4:44PM

nutellajunkie wrote:

I think your a spoiled little boy that has nothing better to do than to come on forums like this and call people sad for the reason this forum is here for..

Is your life so boring that you have to spend all your youth online?:rotfl:

Age has got nothing to do with the comment this user has made. He/she is entitled to their opinion like everyone else. In fact I would argue that the forum is not here to describe how to extort money out of companies, which the £650 etc user makes great claims at doing. I am all for consumer rights, to make a complaint and be suitably recompensed when things go wrong, but as other users have described, "ambulance chasing" is out of order. I have received plenty of compensation over the years, but this is as a result of well argued cases, where an actual wrong has occurred. It winds me up when consumers believe they are somehow entitled to cash, and where getting one over on companies (often dishonestly) is applauded. If this is the way this website is developing - which I think it is - I think it should be closed down. Martin is clearly failing to keep a grip of the boundaries and should work harder at informing people of getting a FAIR deal for consumers AND commerce.

isayoldchap · 7 June 2006 at 4:49PM

Few years ago our children got served dodgy mozzarella on a BA flight from Naples.It was spotted and was returned to the staff.
It was dry and yellow underneath.BA gave us 4 x 450 airmiles.
Powergen were quick to give me £60 back for their billing errors.
Argos compensated us after being delayed at the back door for a furniture collection at Kingston store.Also reminded them that the rear waiting area was grotty and uncleaned with poor lighting and a possible unsafe structure.
After a call from them I asked them to send an amount payable to Great Ormand St.Hospital and sent to my address.They obliged with £50.

Also the usual £10 and £20 from other companies.

blindman · 7 June 2006 at 4:50PM

It winds me up when consumers believe they are somehow entitled to cash, and where getting one over on companies (often dishonestly) is applauded. If this is the way this website is developing - which I think it is - I think it should be closed down. Martin is clearly failing to keep a grip of the boundaries and should work harder at informing people of getting a FAIR deal for consumers AND commerce.

I agree totally.

This is a Money Saving site, but is starting to look like a Money Grabbing site.
I was surprised Martin endorsed basmiles underhand 'earnings'

slatz · 7 June 2006 at 5:27PM

Don't just complain.

When I was stranded in the Middle East after a flight cancellation I wrote to BA complimenting them on the way their man on the ground sorted everyone out. He was dealing with some pretty irate folks trying to get out in the middle of the holiday season. I got his business card and wrote to BA when I got home.

I got a reply thanking me for my positive comments which would be passed on to the manager of the guy inquestion and 5,000 airmiles were credited to my frequent flyer account for taking the time to write.

steve!_10 · 7 June 2006 at 5:47PM

I used to work as a manager and I handled escalations. Because of people like basmiles (and I was conscious of them) it was very hard to differentiate between people who are complaining for cash and people that really do have a grievance. I genuinely feel sorry for people that have a real cause for a complaint, but a lot of legit complainers are now being told where to go because companies aren't sure if they're just being shafted by pros.

I know a guy who had his Jaguar hit while it was parked. The bloke that hit it left a note and it all went through the insurance company. He said he would only take another Jag of the same model as a courtesy car and nothing else. In the end the insurance company couldn't get one, but he just complained more. Eventually they called and said "Well if we can't get you a Jag, what else would do?". He said an Aston Martin Vantage or a Bentley Continental GT. In the end they got him the Bentley. When his car was ready the insurers called him but he just lied and said he was away on business until after the weekend.

But anyway, if I have a complaint, I don't try and rinse people. I'll certainly complain and usually you'll get an offer. But otherwise I just vote with my feet and take my custom elsewhere. All the serial complaining does eventually lead to higher prices for everyone else, and makes it harder for people who've been badly wronged.

So to all your pros, well done anyway. You must be great fun at parties.

Great 'Who Pays Compensation If You Ask?' Hunt

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