Caught Using a Child Ticket

[isabelv123]

Travelling on the train yesterday, I was caught using a child ticket by the inspector. I am 18+, but when she asked me my age I said I was 15. The inspector saw my documentation stating my real age, and so started filming and interviewing me. I do not live in the UK and said that I wasn’t from here - I also showed her the train app that I use which says child tickets are up until 25, but then of course she asked why I said I was 15. She took down my details and then said they’ll write to me and ask for money back, and potentially look through my purchase history.

I am extremely nervous for it being taken to court - I have read on other forums that GWR is pretty reasonable, but it can happen if you have purchased multiple child tickets before? I am seeking advice as the internships / jobs I am wanting to do would not be happy about any kind of conviction or record.

What is the likelihood of that happening and what steps should I take? What sort of outcomes am I looking at?

 

[WesternLancer]

Travelling on the train yesterday, I was caught using a child ticket by the inspector. I am 18+, but when she asked me my age I said I was 15. The inspector saw my documentation stating my real age, and so started filming and interviewing me. I do not live in the UK and said that I wasn’t from here - I also showed her the train app that I use which says child tickets are up until 25, but then of course she asked why I said I was 15. She took down my details and then said they’ll write to me and ask for money back, and potentially look through my purchase history.

I am extremely nervous for it being taken to court - I have read on other forums that GWR is pretty reasonable, but it can happen if you have purchased multiple child tickets before? I am seeking advice as the internships / jobs I am wanting to do would not be happy about any kind of conviction or record.

What is the likelihood of that happening and what steps should I take? What sort of outcomes am I looking at?

Hi -

- so if you don't live in the UK did they ask for a postal address and what postal address did you give? One in the UK or one abroad?

- What train app do you use that says UK child ticket are valid to the age of 25? I can not believe that is the case so I can only assume you have fundamentally mis understood what the app is telling you.

They will write to you (see other examples on this forum) and it is vital to respond to that if you want to aim to avoid court action against you. So it is therefore vital you receive any letters or e-mails (inc in your spam) that they may send you as they need to be replied to promptly.

If you have been buying child tickets on a regular basis on line they will find this out and seek to recoup money for them (with no allowance for what has already been paid) as part of any settlement offer if they choose to offer one.

I would suggest you read the GWR Revenue Protection PDF document which you can download from the GWR website by way of a bit more background to help you prepare yourself.

I would also suggest you make your own private list of how many child tickets you have bought and for what journeys and calculate the total sum of the fares evaded (at the Anytime Single adult price with no allowance for the sums you have paid for tickets you were not entitled to use) - to get an idea of the sum they will be expecting to recoup from you. You will need to have that money ready to pay promptly if they offer you a settlement so knowing what you might have to pay and saving it up is something you can do now.

If you are entitled to a Railcard of any sort - buy that now, as that is then something you can say you have done as a legitimate way of reducing your fares and will help illustrate that you have taken an action to change your ways.

 

[AlterEgo]

Which app are you using that says you can get child tickets at 25?

 

[island]

Which app are you using that says you can get child tickets at 25?

Could be Irish Rail, which has child fares up to 26th birthday for Irish residents.

 

[30907]

Could be Irish Rail, which has child fares up to 26th birthday for Irish residents.

Or the OP has seen a reference to the 16-25 Railcard (which offers a discount but NOT child fares).

 

[isabelv123]

Hi -

- so if you don't live in the UK did they ask for a postal address and what postal address did you give? One in the UK or one abroad?

- What train app do you use that says UK child ticket are valid to the age of 25? I can not believe that is the case so I can only assume you have fundamentally mis understood what the app is telling you.

They will write to you (see other examples on this forum) and it is vital to respond to that if you want to aim to avoid court action against you. So it is therefore vital you receive any letters or e-mails (inc in your spam) that they may send you as they need to be replied to promptly.

If you have been buying child tickets on a regular basis on line they will find this out and seek to recoup money for them (with no allowance for what has already been paid) as part of any settlement offer if they choose to offer one.

I would suggest you read the GWR Revenue Protection PDF document which you can download from the GWR website by way of a bit more background to help you prepare yourself.

I would also suggest you make your own private list of how many child tickets you have bought and for what journeys and calculate the total sum of the fares evaded (at the Anytime Single adult price with no allowance for the sums you have paid for tickets you were not entitled to use) - to get an idea of the sum they will be expecting to recoup from you. You will need to have that money ready to pay promptly if they offer you a settlement so knowing what you might have to pay and saving it up is something you can do now.

If you are entitled to a Railcard of any sort - buy that now, as that is then something you can say you have done as a legitimate way of reducing your fares and will help illustrate that you have taken an action to change your ways.

I gave my parents' address which is in the UK. I am nervous because my parents move around a lot and the house will probably be empty over the summer, but I could not give them my address as I am a student and have a different address for where I am working over the summer / living next year, and did not know how long it would take. Will they send an email as well?

I have now bought a railcard per your suggestion. How else can I try make sure to just settle it with a fine?

 

[Hadders]

You should assume GWR will write to you rather than email so you will need to make arrangements to access the post at your parents house if they are going to be away for an extended period.

Letters typically take a few weeks to arrive, but they can take as long as six months. You'll normally have between 7 and 14 days to reply.

@WesternLancer gives some excellent advice, I'll just add that the best way of keeping this out of court is to co-operate with GWR. When it arrives, post a copy of GWR's letter in this thread (but do remove any personal details) along with your draft reply and forum members will proof read it for you.

 

[Egg Centric]

I gave my parents' address which is in the UK. I am nervous because my parents move around a lot and the house will probably be empty over the summer, but I could not give them my address as I am a student and have a different address for where I am working over the summer / living next year, and did not know how long it would take. Will they send an email as well?

I have now bought a railcard per your suggestion. How else can I try make sure to just settle it with a fine?

Why do your parents move around a lot? Is a high three figure - very low four figure (sterling) sum likely to be a triviality to them, as it would be to most groups of people who move around a lot and have a house in the south that they're happy to keep empty? If so I suggest you get them to arrange a lawyer to deal with it and face their wrath. This isn't the advice we'd give to most people but that has a different financial calculus.

 

[skyhigh]

If so I suggest you get them to arrange a lawyer to deal with it and face their wrath. This isn't the advice we'd give to most people but that has a different financial calculus.

Getting a lawyer now is a complete waste of time and money and not particularly good advice whatever your 'financial calculus' is.

 

[pedr]

If a person has no reliable way to be sure they’ll receive letters sent to the address they gave in a timely fashion, so that they can respond within a couple of weeks at most, paying more now might be a sensible approach for some, to avoid the complications of dealing with the consequences of missed communication from the train company.

It’s not good advice for most people, but if the costs are within the range of ordinary spending, rather than being a significant outlay as it would be for most, it’s worth considering.

 

[WesternLancer]

I gave my parents' address which is in the UK. I am nervous because my parents move around a lot and the house will probably be empty over the summer, but I could not give them my address as I am a student and have a different address for where I am working over the summer / living next year, and did not know how long it would take. Will they send an email as well?

I have now bought a railcard per your suggestion. How else can I try make sure to just settle it with a fine?

Thanks for this - your reason here makes good sense, better to give the address that is more permanent.

You can't rely on them also sending an e-mail I fear.

Is there a trusted person who could check your parents address regularly for post? Or maybe you could use a Royal Mail re-direct to get any post sent there for you to an address where you will be over the summer period if that is a reasonably consistent address for you? (see Royal Mail website for how to do this).

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 2 Jun 2024 ==

Why do your parents move around a lot? Is a high three figure - very low four figure (sterling) sum likely to be a triviality to them, as it would be to most groups of people who move around a lot and have a house in the south that they're happy to keep empty?

I don't think this is reasonable to assume IMHO. Not wishing to go off topic but could be many reasons that someone might have to move about. Transient workers often have to do this, as indeed may oligarchs.

 

[aviationgeek]

If you told them it was your parents address and not where you lived, they will have recorded that fact and will also send out an email.

As advised above, it's really important that you respond to any correspondence from them. I'm sure it can all be settled out of court. Definitely come back to the forum when you receive correspondence as you'll get excellent advise.

I'm aware that GWR takes a few weeks to process its paperwork and if it does find evidence that this may not be the first time that a child ticket has been purchased, then it may take longer to investigate the matter. Did the inspector see other child tickets on your account? If they did, build some extra time into the wait to hear from them.

I'm intrigued to know what app permits you to purchase child tickets for travel in the UK if you are 18+ ??? That will be your defence if the app permitted you to do that? I'm assuming that it would ask you to put in your age and if it allowed you to purchase a child ticket, then you would not have had reason to give an incorrect age? But if it permits you to purchase child tickets at your age then there is no reason for GWR to ask for any money off you as I guess you haven't actually committed an offence of the railway (I'd await advise on that though from the better-informed members of this forum).

 

[WesternLancer]

If you told them it was your parents address and not where you lived, they will have recorded that fact and will also send out an email.

As advised above, it's really important that you respond to any correspondence from them. I'm sure it can all be settled out of court. Definitely come back to the forum when you receive correspondence as you'll get excellent advise.

I'm aware that GWR takes a few weeks to process its paperwork and if it does find evidence that this may not be the first time that a child ticket has been purchased, then it may take longer to investigate the matter. Did the inspector see other child tickets on your account? If they did, build some extra time into the wait to hear from them.

I'm intrigued to know what app permits you to purchase child tickets for travel in the UK if you are 18+ ??? That will be your defence if the app permitted you to do that? I'm assuming that it would ask you to put in your age and if it allowed you to purchase a child ticket, then you would not have had reason to give an incorrect age? But if it permits you to purchase child tickets at your age then there is no reason for GWR to ask for any money off you as I guess you haven't actually committed an offence of the railway (I'd await advise on that though from the better-informed members of this forum).

I don’t think a retailer selling you the wrong ticket, a child ticket, would be a defence in the eyes of the railway company I fear.

 

[skyhigh]

If you told them it was your parents address and not where you lived, they will have recorded that fact and will also send out an email.

You say that as if it's guaranteed or all companies will do that. That's not true. You cannot rely on them sending an email.