Refund of anytime tickets policy?

[Donny158]

Hi.
I'm trying to help a friend but the exact details are a little sketchy.

The info I know is that she has bought an anytime return which starts with the outbound journey starting this coming Wednesday and returning Friday. Her plans have now changed and she no longer needs these tickets. She bought them through the internet. Is she entitled to a full refund and can she obtain this possible full refund from any manned train station? She keeps saying the terms and conditions on the website states she will be charged a £10 admin fee??
Any help on this will be greatly appreciated.
Many thanks

 

[Haywain]

The tickets are refundable, but are subject to an admin fee. Where they are purchased may affect the admin fee being imposed, but it will be for an online purchase.

 

[bb21]

What is the reason for her no longer needing these tickets?

 

[Donny158]

She was travelling to see a friend but the plans have changed due to work i believe. She bought the anytime return tickets in advance to make sure she had a seat. I always thought a full refund was obtainable as the tickets were standard anytime tickets, you learn something new everyday!

 

[yorkie]

She was travelling to see a friend but the plans have changed due to work i believe. She bought the anytime return tickets in advance to make sure she had a seat. I always thought a full refund was obtainable as the tickets were standard anytime tickets, you learn something new everyday!

Is she able to make the trip a few days later?

If not, then it's a £10 admin fee unless she booked with Southern and has not yet collected the tickets, or with Southeastern, in which case there is no admin fee!

See

• Southern's Money Back Guarantee
• Southeastern's policy

Which website exactly was the ticket bought from? Has she collected the tickets yet?

 

[najaB]

I always thought a full refund was obtainable as the tickets were standard anytime tickets, you learn something new everyday!

I don't understand what you are saying, you do get a full refund. Depending on where/how you bought the ticket there may or may not be a processing fee.

 

[fairysdad]

I don't understand what you are saying, you do get a full refund. Depending on where/how you bought the ticket there may or may not be a processing fee.

For most people though, a "Full refund with a processing fee" isn't a full refund (even if they may be counted as two separate transactions).

(And, as the OP didn't jump at the chance to say that they bought the tickets from Southern or Southeastern, we can probably assume they didn't.)

 

[Greenback]

The OP was referring to a full refund as in getting all the money back and not having to pay an admin fee. I understand why they thought this was the case as with some retailers there is no fee.

 

[yorkie]

The OP was referring to a full refund as in getting all the money back and not having to pay an admin fee. I understand why they thought this was the case as with some retailers there is no fee.

I agree with that.

While we're on the subject of fees, it's also worth noting that if a passenger books a combination of tickets, many retailers will charge a £10 admin fee PER TICKET to make a change or refund. If none of the tickets were Advance it would be possible to get a full refund for all tickets if using Southern (and not collecting the tickets) or Southeastern, but if the tickets include Advance tickets then Trainsplit offers the best deal as only one £10 admin fee applies for the entire booking.

 

[najaB]

For most people though, a "Full refund with a processing fee" isn't a full refund (even if they may be counted as two separate transactions).

I understand that's what they meant, I was trying to point out that they were, in fact, getting a full refund. It's not the railway's fault that plans have changed so it's not unreasonable to charge a separate admin fee for cancelling their booking.

I believe that some TOCs will waive the admin fee if the reason for cancellation was beyond the customer's control e.g. they broke their leg.

 

[yorkie]

...It's not the railway's fault that plans have changed so it's not unreasonable to charge a separate admin fee for cancelling their booking....

The £10 admin fee goes well beyond the Train Companies reasonable costs, in my opinion. But this is a moot point as it's so incredibly easy for almost anyone to avoid the £10 admin fee simply by booking on the Southern website (and only collecting the ticket when you are certain of your intention to travel).

 

[najaB]

The £10 admin fee goes well beyond the Train Companies reasonable costs, in my opinion. But this is a moot point as it's so incredibly easy for almost anyone to avoid the £10 admin fee simply by booking on the Southern website (and only collecting the ticket when you are certain of your intention to travel).

Just like most processing, admin, credit card, etc. fees these days. But, as you said, with a very little effort you would never need pay it.

 

[Greenback]

I don't think that any of the costs referred to are intended to be reasonable, or to reflect the amount of work that is involved.

 

[najaB]

I don't think that any of the costs referred to are intended to be reasonable, or to reflect the amount of work that is involved.

Indeed. In the case of admin fees for cancellations, I'm fairly sure that they are intended as a disincentive to making multiple spread bookings and refunding the ones you don't use.

 

[Greenback]

Indeed. In the case of admin fees for cancellations, I'm fairly sure that they are intended as a disincentive to making multiple spread bookings and refunding the ones you don't use.

Precisely. I understand that it's a similar principle as high fees for name changes on airlines, which are to prevent people from snapping up cheap fares and then selling them on at a profit. In neither case are the fees supposed to reflect the amount of work involved, they are to discourage misuse.