Does Trainline now let you claim delay repay?

[py_megapixel]

I was on a late running train earlier, and the guard announced that to claim compensation passengers should "use the delay repay form on [TOC] website, or if you purchased your tickets through Trainline, look for the refund option, however please do not activate the refund until your journey has been completed as it will render your ticket null and void".

I don't use Trainline, but my understanding is that you should not use the refund option in the Trainline app in these circumstances, and my reading this forum suggests that by doing so you might even be opening yourself up to accusations of fraud.

Has Trainline introduced a new button that allows claiming delay repay through their app, presumably in a similar fashion to those websites that offer to claim on your behalf? Or did the guard provide incorrect information?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

'Delay Repay' should normally be claimed from the TOC that you used on your journey which caused the initial delay to same. Thresholds for claiming may well possibly vary from TOC to TOC.

 

[MarlowDonkey]

Has Trainline introduced a new button that allows claiming delay repay through their app, presumably in a similar fashion to those websites that offer to claim on your behalf? Or did the guard provide incorrect information?

I think I have seen a TV advert which seemed to be implying that Trainline would claim delay repay on the passenger's behalf.

Trainline: Now handling Delay Repay?

Trainline are now advertising on ITVx that they can handle delay repay. I thought passengers had to claim this directly from the train operating companies. https://www.thetrainline.com/trains/great-britain/delay-repay You can get notified when you're eligible for Delay Repay compensation...

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[WelshBluebird]

Either way telling passengers to use the refund option in the trainline app is surely incorrect?

 

[bcarmicle]

It could be that the Trainline Refund option will ask you why you're claiming a refund, and then shunt you over to Delay Repay if you say you were delayed. But I don't have any tickets purchased from Trainline to see if that's what they do.

 

[Benjwri]

I think I have seen a TV advert which seemed to be implying that Trainline would claim delay repay on the passenger's behalf.

Trainline: Now handling Delay Repay?

Trainline are now advertising on ITVx that they can handle delay repay. I thought passengers had to claim this directly from the train operating companies. https://www.thetrainline.com/trains/great-britain/delay-repay You can get notified when you're eligible for Delay Repay compensation...

www.railforums.co.uk

They aren’t making it on their behalf. They have just created a system that checks if the delay meets the specific operators criteria and if so sends them a link to the operators delay repay form.

 

[TUC]

Launching a Delay Repay claim before your journey has ended means that you cannot be certain what the actual amount of delay time will end up being, and you could end up underestimating (or possibly overestimating) that figure, but in no way does it invalidate the ticket. That is simply incorrect.

 

[AlterEgo]

Launching a Delay Repay claim before your journey has ended means that you cannot be certain what the actual amount of delay time will end up being, and you could end up underestimating (or possibly overestimating) that figure, but in no way does it invalidate the ticket. That is simply incorrect.

The guard was actually wrongly advising people to claim a refund of their ticket using the refund tool on Trainline, opening them up to fraud accusations. Yes, refunding your ticket does invalidate it.

Someone needs to complain about the guard because someone's going to get into trouble by following their wrong advice.

 

[styles]

The guard was actually wrongly advising people to claim a refund of their ticket using the refund tool on Trainline, opening them up to fraud accusations. Yes, refunding your ticket does invalidate it.

Fraud Act offences require intent, and I think any solicitor would find it quite straightforward to defend on that basis when following the advice of a train guard to claim in this way (unless the passenger was employed as say a Delay Repay case handler maybe!)

That's also assuming a TOC would even consider a fraud charge for a passenger's single instance of claiming incorrectly. It happens every day as a lot of occasional passengers conflate refund with compensation. Heck, ScotRail staff even do when they reply to claims!

 

[AlterEgo]

Fraud Act offences require intent, and I think any solicitor would find it quite straightforward to defend on that basis when following the advice of a train guard to claim in this way (unless the passenger was employed as say a Delay Repay case handler maybe!)

That's also assuming a TOC would even consider a fraud charge for a passenger's single instance of claiming incorrectly. It happens every day as a lot of occasional passengers conflate refund with compensation. Heck, ScotRail staff even do when they reply to claims!

We've seen people have to deal with the allegations before on here! Of course if they got told how to do it once by a member of staff they do it all the time. I don't think passengers should be exposed to this sort of risk.

 

[styles]

We've seen people have to deal with the allegations before on here! Of course if they got told how to do it once by a member of staff they do it all the time. I don't think passengers should be exposed to this sort of risk.

They shouldn't and I'm not defending what the guard said, but also a duty solicitor in court could easily tell them they're not guilty. Hopefully typing this out on here will mean anyone who does unfortunately face this fate will seek proper legal advice and some relief!