Sold wrong ticket; could I have got into trouble?

[ChewChewTrain]

After having completed my journey to a London terminal, I went to the Excess Fares window and asked for a Travelcard from my starting station. (Not that it’s really relevant to this thread, but I had a valid reason for not having bought a ticket before then.) I was charged the usual amount and provided with a ticket.

The ticket didn’t open the barrier, but this isn’t particularly unusual given that the magnetic strips can seemingly quite easily become corrupted. I showed the ticket to the attendant who let me through without any issue. The same thing then happened upon my entry into the Underground, the exit at my destination, and then my entry on the return journey to the London terminal.

It was only when trying to exit at the terminal that the attendant pointed out that the ticket was dated 3 days in the future! No wonder it wasn’t working. Luckily for me, he was understanding (and seemed to find my explanation all too believable) and let me out, whereupon I was able to exchange the ticket for a correctly dated one.

But what if he hadn’t been so accommodating? Would TfL have been likely to prosecute? Would it have made any difference if the guy who missold the ticket had remembered what I’d asked for and admitted to the error? Or would it just have been a case of tough luck, the strict liability bylaw offence is complete, next time check your ticket as soon as you receive it? In which case I’d have been rather unhappy and rather less likely to patronise the railway in future!

 

[Hadders]

A lucky escape. You should always check that the ticket you’ve been sold is exactly what you asked for.

 

[Class800]

A lucky escape. You should always check that the ticket you’ve been sold is exactly what you asked for.

And if it's not, can/will anything be done to rectify?

 

[Hadders]

Couple of times the ticket I’ve been sold isn’t exactly what I’d asked for. A polite word with the ticket clerk has always seen it sorted out.

 

[Starmill]

If you've just sold the ticket you should be able to non issue it and replace it.

 

[robbeech]

And if it's not, can/will anything be done to rectify?

Even some of the notoriously bad ticket offices will usually swap this for you with little more than a huff and a puff under their breath. If they don’t then purchasing the correct ticket and writing to the operator for a refund should be ok. I appreciate there is always a risk of the railway running off with your money but it is very low, especially in these cases.

 

[ChewChewTrain]

A lucky escape. You should always check that the ticket you’ve been sold is exactly what you asked for.

I suspected as much, and I certainly will do that every time without fail from now on. Lesson learnt, and luckily not the hard way.

I can see what posters such as @robbeech are getting at when they say that things are often stacked in the railway’s favour, though. They sold a ticket I obviously wouldn’t be wanting in that situation, then failed to notice that it was invalid at four consecutive barriers, despite the training they presumably receive. Yet my amateur oversight was the only one that had any likelihood of being punished, possibly quite heavily so. The fact that brazen barrier-jumping is regularly ignored at the terminal concerned would have made me feel all the more hard done by had I ended up in court! Since I still thought my ticket was valid, I sought out the member of staff; someone trying it on would presumably have either doubled up behind someone or exited at a nearby unbarriered station.

This reminds me of the time at Paddington when I asked for a Travelcard from Mortimer and got given a ticket routed via Basingstoke and not Reading. More expensive and yet would have been invalid when returning to Mortimer. Fortunately, I noticed straight away, not that the clerk seemed to appreciate why I was somewhat irritated that his actions could have led to me being stung by Revenue Protection. He should have known it was via Reading, and he should have asked me or a colleague if he wasn’t sure. IMO, that was worse than simply a mistake.

Careful out there, folks! No matter how familiar you are with the railway or particular journeys or stations, don’t let your guard down with this kind of thing...

 

[Hadders]

This reminds me of the time at Paddington when I asked for a Travelcard from Mortimer and got given a ticket routed via Basingstoke and not Reading. More expensive and yet would have been invalid when returning to Mortimer. Fortunately, I noticed straight away, not that the clerk seemed to appreciate why I was somewhat irritated that his actions could have led to me being stung by Revenue Protection. He should have known it was via Reading, and he should have asked me or a colleague if he wasn’t sure. IMO, that was worse than simply a mistake.

For information, in this particular example you cannot be reported for prosecution or issued a Penalty Fare for being off route. You would be liable for an excess fare which is the difference in price between the appropriate fares. Condition 5 of the National Rail Conditions of Travel makes this clear (my bold below).

9.5 Where you:
9.5.1 are using a time-restricted Ticket (such as an “off-peak” or “super-off-peak” Ticket) that is correctly dated but invalid for the service on which you are travelling; or
9.5.2 are using a route for which your Ticket is not valid; or
9.5.3 break your journey when you are not permitted to do so; you will be charged the difference between the fare that you have paid and the lowest price Ticket that is valid for the train you are using.

 

[ChewChewTrain]

As ever, @Hadders, you’re a mine of useful information and your tireless contributions are much appreciated.