Noticed while making a booking this evening that the sleeper website seems to be giving out any reservation it likes, even when choosing a 1st class ticket, it still reserves you a standard berth. Would appear this issue has been ongoing for a while now and still hasn't been resolved.
I've seen or heard most things about bookings on the sleeper, but this was a new one on me.
In the present set up First Class rooms are low numbers 1-8 in each carriage, and Standard 9-12. So if you book online you should know straight away that you've been misallocated into a potentially shared cabin and immediately ask for it to be changed manually. You shouldn't be getting as far as the station and having to negotiate terms.
I've had a chat with two very regular First Class Flexipass bookers and and they'd never come across it either. The only thing we could think of is that it's a hangover from the old numbering system (First Class all odds 1-23, Standard odds and evens 1-24).
As for them not responding to emails, I'm informed that Flexipass regulars are forever emailing following confirmation asking for cabin moves away from above the wheels, or having to get bookings cancelled manually. At the moment you can't choose a cabin or cancel online. Typical email turnround is 2-3 days, but never have they been ignored. They acknowledge that being a 60 times a year user probably puts them up the CS email pecking order however.