Ticket bought for travel tomorrow by mistake - any help please

[Mocki]

Today I was travelling from Honiton to Guildford. I bought an open return. I purchased the ticket at 8.33 on 2 June 2025 on trainpal intending to buy a ticket leaving at 09.55. I have a meeting today at 2pm at Guildford. Regretably I was in a bit of a hurry and I inadvertently bought a ticket for travel on 3 June at 09.55 (bought it online and simply didnt notice that it was saying 3rd June and not 2 June) - and have been issued a penalty fare by Revenue Protection Officers. I expalined that it was an innocent mistake and in fact I had a job in Guildford today and had work elsewhere tomorrow. They said they believed me but that they would have to issue me with a penalty fare and i would need to appeal. They were shown the ticket I purcahsed. My penalty £165 reduced to £115 if paid within 21 days.

My penaty ticket says
Date/Time: 02/06/2025 10:32
Issued at Yeovil Junction
Issued on Train
Issue Resaon : No ticket
Grounds infor: Ticket dated for tomorrow
From Honiton to guildford

I would be grateful if anyone had any advice on whether I have any grounds of appeal and whether it is worth making an appeal in my case.

Thank you very much for any help or advice you may be able to give.

 

[Bletchleyite]

This is probably a valid Penalty Fare, but as the actual ticket is effectively unused you can refund it against a £5 admin fee. You will need to go through customer services, providing evidence of the Penalty Fare etc to prove it wasn't actually used, to do this, as if it was scanned automatic refunds will not work. If it's a paper ticket then it won't be marked so go back to where it was bought for a refund less the fee.

The only likely valid appeal for this is the PF being wrongly issued or the required posters being missing at the origin, if you want assistance with the former please post a copy of it with reference number redacted.

 

[Haywain]

as the actual ticket is effectively unused you can refund it against a £5 admin fee.

Unless it's a non-refundable Advance ticket.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Unless it's a non-refundable Advance ticket.

Today I was travelling from Honiton to Guildford. I bought an open return

If that's incorrect and the OP actually did buy an Advance it is indeed not refundable, but can be changed to a future date against a fee and fare difference if useful.

 

[Mocki]

Oh ok thank you - it was an off peak saver return, not adavnce so yes I will try and get a refund on it. From what you say it would seem that its probably a waste of time appealing? - I will just try and make sure I take my time and double check when buying tickets in future.

 

[jfollows]

Oh ok thank you - it was an off peak saver return, not adavnce so yes I will try and get a refund on it. From what you say it would seem that its probably a waste of time appealing? - I will just try and make sure I take my time and double check when buying tickets in future.

It’s similar to drivers convicted for speeding, saying it was done by mistake isn’t going to help. Likewise, you didn’t have a valid ticket and a Penalty Fare is probably the most appropriate action to have been taken. As @Bletchleyite said above, if you want us to look for a technicality on why the PF might be invalid, please post it along with any other relevant information.

 

[island]

The Penalty Fare has been issued incorrectly.

The train the passenger was on, the 0925 Exeter SD to London W, does not serve Guildford.

A Penalty Fare can only be issued to a destination served by the train the passenger is on (Railways (Penalty Fares) Regulations 2018, Reg 5 (5A) (inserted by the Railways (Penalty Fares) (Amendment) Regulations 2022 Reg 4 (3)).

It ought to have been issued at £120.10 to Sherborne, or to some other place served by that train at the passenger's request.

Because of the above defect, the Penalty Fare has not been issued in accordance with the requirements of the Regulations, and an appeal under regulation 15 ought to succeed.

(edited to fix typo)

 

[Mocki]

Thank you Isalnd - that's very helpful - I think I'll argue that on an appeal, and let the forum know how I get on.

 

[WesternLancer]

Thank you Isalnd - that's very helpful - I think I'll argue that on an appeal, and let the forum know how I get on.

It might be well worth you posting your draft appeal wording up here before you submit it so penalty fare experts can help you get the wording correct and as clear as possible. Be mindful of the Appeal deadline and how to submit it correctly

I think it's right to say that if the Appeal is successful then you would still owe the money for the correct train fare - but I'm sure you don't have an issue with that aspect of things.

 

[Hadders]

I agree with @island but it's nirmal for the first appeal to be rejected. Appeals on these sort of technicalities often only succeed at the third stage.

I agree that it's probably good idea to pop a draft of the wording in this thread so forum members can proof read it.

Ordinarily, a Penalty Fare is an appropriate remedy in a case like this, although if the revenue inspector believed you then there's nothing stopping them from accerpting the ticket amd marking it as used to prevent it being used the following day. That would be the most pragmatic solution bit this is the railway....

 

[thedbdiboy]

If your appeal is accepted you'll still be liable for the fare - don't assume that your ticket inadvertently bought for the following day counts