East Coast ToD problem

[ASharpe]

Hello, I'm looking for your advice on how to proceed with an issue that arose yesterday with a problem with ToD. It may be long winded and actually rather trivial but I would like some advice on how to go on.

On Tuesday I booked a series of open return and Plusbus tickets on the East Coast website using an E-voucher (I wanted to get to 1400 points quickly) for a business trip to start on Wednesday, reach my final destination on Thursday and return at some point.

On my arrival at Guildford station with about 10 minutes before my official connecting train I tried without success to print my tickets from two different machines. They would show something like "retrieving booking details" then "retrieving ticket details" briefly before advising me to seek assistance.


I then queued at the booking office for about 5 minutes and was told there that my tickets were locked, he had never seen it before, and that he couldn't help me and to contact East Coast or buy a ticket for part of my journey to Kings Cross and hope that it could be resolved there.

At this point I was concerned that I had already missed my planned train and would now have a relatively tight connection to get to Kings Cross before the last early afternoon train my Super off peak ticket would be valid on would depart. Aware that traveling without a ticket for any part of my journey would be an offence and not wanting to risk being delayed at Kings Cross buying a ticket (potentially for 4 hours) I decided to buy a new Guildford to Bradford SSR.

On my arrival at KGX I found I had 15 minutes to spare so deiced to go to the ticket office for advice. They were able to access my booking without a problem and after thinking about it the clerk asked me why I couldn't collect them at Guildford and then, which tickets I would like printed. I asked the clerk for his advice on what to do and he said to take all of the tickets and take the unused ticket I bought online back to Guildford station for a refund. Rushed as I was I agreed to this and quickly made my way to the train.

It then occurred to me that I might have problems getting a ticket bought from Eastcoast.co.uk using an E-voucher refunded at Guildford Station (I haven't tried this yet). So I emailed the East Coast Web support team asking for their advice.

The response was to send the ToD ticket I managed to collect from KGX along with proof of purchase of the second ticket I bought at Guildford (presumably the card receipt will do) via Special Delivery.

I asked for confirmation that my postage cost would be refunded and was told that they would not be. At this point I went from feeling irritated to feeling aggrieved. I could either sink financial loss of Special Delivery postage or the smaller loss and increased risk of a second class stamp - either way I would be out of pocket thought no fault of my own.

And this is where I stand looking to you all for advice, should I accept the loss of £6.40 postage as a consequence of booking though East Coast (normally I would accept the risk of a stamp but my finances are tight at the moment, and I would still be out 60p)? Or should I proceed a different way?

My inclination at the moment it to send it Special Delivery along with a letter before action demanding my full costs plus compensation.

Sorry for the long post - hopefully it doesn't leave you with any questions and that you can find the time to give me you opinions.

Thanks
Aaron

 

[Haywain]

You should go back to Guildford for a refund of the ticket that you bought as a result of the collection difficulties, not the ticket bought from East Coast. You should not have had to buy this ticket, and therefore SWT should refund it.

 

[ASharpe]

Will they refund a used and stamped ticket? If they do that would probably be the best outcome for me - better than an e-voucher refund.

Thanks

 

[Haywain]

As you should not have had to buy the ticket to start with, then yes, they should do.

 

[bb21]

I had a similar problem before. It was collection difficulties at an EMT station. EMT refunded me the cost of the new ticket I had to buy. I sent the claim to East Coast initially as I think it would throw more weight behind my case if it was forwarded to EMT from EC. I did lose out on the recorded post fee of about £2 but I put it down to one of those things in life. I doubt that had I gone straight to Loughborough demanding a refund on the new ticket I would have got anywhere.

So my advice would be, send it recorded (no need for special delivery) to East Coast, who can then forward the claim as they see fit. The rail industry can sort out the details themselves.

 

[Fare-Cop]

Royal Mail website shows that a Second Class letter sent by 'Signed For' mail and weighing up to 100 gms will be charged at 53p. That will be a 2 - 3 day delivery.

First Class 'Signed For' would cost £1.70 and although more likely to be delivered next day, doesn't guarantee it.

 

[bb21]

You forgot the £1.10 fee for "signed-for" in your second class example. The total price is £1.63.

 

[ASharpe]

Hi, thanks for you replies.

I will see how I get on at the SWT ticket office in Guildford next week when I do back.

If I do need to post it I will probably go for recorded mail to save cost - I think the reason EC (and the Royal Mail website) suggest Special Delivery is that the cost of the ticket exceeds the compensation limit for Recorded Delivery (£50).

Thanks

 

[trentside]

If a TOD is showing as 'Locked' there is a helpline that ticket office staff can call. The details and procedure are all available in the KnowledgeBase, which should be accessible to them - but given the time you had available, it may not have been possible to do so in the space of time.

 

[ASharpe]

I went through Guildford station today and tried to get this sorted - almost a success.

I was given a refund on the ticket I bought from the starion, minus a £10 admin fee. The clerk told me to contact SWT customer services to get that refunded. Apparently they had a problem with ToD that day and I should have been told to travel without a ticket.

The clerk appologiesed for the £10 fee and said she had tried her best not to charge it but it was adden on without her realising. With the receipt and note I got I don't think I should have too much trouble getting a full refund.

Thanks for the advice on going back to Guildford station.