Southern Delay Replay declination

[ajb690]

Hello all,

Quick question before I go and complain at Southern - wanted to ask the experts on here whether I am in fact in the right.

Southern have just declined my delay repay claim. The basic facts are

Journey: Polegate to Chichester, changing at Brighton.

Delay cause: the Polegate-Brighton leg was on time. However, my connecting train to Chichester, and the one after, were both cancelled. These were both Southern services. I therefore caught the first available train, which was the sporadic FGW to Bristol. My ticket was any permitted, so no problems with validity.

(I can drag out the dates and precise times if it turns out to be relevant, but I don't think it is TBH).

I was delayed for just over one hour in total, all spent in Brighton station.

Reason for denial: To quote - "Our records indicate the delay was caused by a different TOC (FGW). We will forward details of your claim to them and write to you separately with their contact details."

My question is - this seems nonsense? I was delayed by the two Southern trains being cancelled, FGW ran their train to time? Or have I missed some obscure part of how delay attribution works?

Thanks

Drew

 

[maniacmartin]

Southern probably misread your complaint.

Write back to them explaining that you only took the Great Western train because the two previous trains run by them were cancelled.

 

[323235]

Southern seem to have been making up some nonsence reasons for not paying out delay repay of late. I Would personally write back and confirm that what they are saying is incorrect as you were delayed by their own trains being cancelled.

 

[crehld]

Welcome to the club! Govia Thameslink Railway (who run the Southern brand) seem to be systematically refusing delay repay, even in the simplest of cases where a passenger is incontrovertibly entitled to compensation.

I currently have an outstanding claim with them which was incorrectly refused, as do a number of other posters:
http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=129967

For the avoidance of doubt, you are owed compensation. There are no grounds for your claim to be dismissed whatsoever. The delay to your journey is not GWR's fault.

Reply to Southern and explain they are wrong. As their services have been cancelled, they are the ones responsible for your delay. Best of luck. I've been to-ing and fro-ing since early March.

 

[ajb690]

Thanks all for the quick reply. I've appealed using their webform (250 characters...seriously?) and will await a response, albeit not with optimism.

If that fails, then it'll be time for a letter. It's only 7 quid or so, but as a daily commuter Southern have treated not just us but their staff so appallingly I don't want to let it slide.

thanks again,

Drew

 

[Kite159]

Reply back to the rejection email, mentioning that you will complain to Passenger Focus (or whatever it is called this week).

 

[bubieyehyeh]

I've had two claims declined recently due to slopply checking by southern.

First was I bought tickets two single tickets, for myself and my brother and claimed after a delay, they accept claim for one ticket but rejected claim for other ticket as a duplicate. Even though I provided the ticket numbers and a photo of both tickets.

Second was rejected by email saying they could not find a train at 2155, however I claimed for a train at 2153 not 2155, which I confirmed by checking the auto-reply email to my original claim.

I'm starting to wonder if it is incompetence staff, or they are being pressured to decline as many as possible in the hope people will give up and not be bothered to complain.

 

[ajb690]

First was I bought tickets two single tickets, for myself and my brother and claimed after a delay, they accept claim for one ticket but rejected claim for other ticket as a duplicate. Even though I provided the ticket numbers and a photo of both tickets.

I've had that before. I think you need to submit two separate claims, one for your brother with his ticket - in his name - and one for yours. Doesn't matter who purchased them, they'll only compensate the traveller. Given the potential for abuse, I can actually see their point.

 

[MikeWh]

I've had that before. I think you need to submit two separate claims, one for your brother with his ticket - in his name - and one for yours. Doesn't matter who purchased them, they'll only compensate the traveller. Given the potential for abuse, I can actually see their point.

Does that include 5 year old travellers?

 

[yorkie]

My question is - this seems nonsense? I was delayed by the two Southern trains being cancelled, FGW ran their train to time? Or have I missed some obscure part of how delay attribution works?

Yes. It is nonsense.

The train company causing the delay was Govia Thameslink Railway (formerly Southern Railway and operating the Southern route brand), and it is they, and not Great Western Railway (formerly First Great Western), who are liable for the delay.

Give them one last chance, and if they still don't pay out, contact Passenger Focus.

GTR are not known as Britain's worst train company for nothing!

 

[DelayRepay]

For what it's worth I have recently submitted 3 Delay Repay claims to GTR and two were incorrectly declined. They do appear to be attempting to reduce the compensation bill by incorrectly declining compensation.

 

[TYC2]

I've had a strike claim declined on the basis of 'the picture was too large, please resubmit'. May be a technical issue with their system but to be declining smartphone images only creates more hoops for the passenger to jump through, and less likely to claim again.

 

[Wolfie]

Time for systematic complaints about this dire company to DfT (copied to MPs) for franchise violation... you never know, "Mr Connex" Horton may manage to lose his employers another franchise (he does have past form)!

Actually if RMT and ASLEF had any sense they would be systematicly encouraging passengers to (legitimately, obviously) claim on every conceivable occassion against GTR - that would do wonders for their cashflow....

 

[paul1609]

GTR is a management contract, all revenue is passed directly to the government. No commercial company would be willing to underwrite disruption from the Thameslink Project.
The DOO dispute is hitting the DFT directly it will result in either increased subsidy from Taxpayers ot less investment elsewhere in the Rail Industry.
Go-Ahead gets around 3% as a fee.

 

[Southern]

Submitted two claims last month, one was processed 1st June but hasn't arrived and the other has been declined. In both instances, Southern caused the initial delay resulting in a missed connection, yet the reason for the declined claim was ' you have the wrong train company.' That claim is now allegedly being "investigated"...

 

[Tetchytyke]

London Midland play exactly the same tricks. I'm not normally one to claim malice when incompetence will explain everything, but with GoVia, well...

 

[ajb690]

To bring closure to this thread,Southern have today paid the correct amount of delay repay after I used their web form to complain. So that's nice

 

[Harpers Tate]

...they accept claim for one ticket but rejected claim for other ticket as a duplicate. Even though I provided the ticket numbers and a photo of both tickets.
.

Same here (Thameslink). All details right up to and including the fare paid differed between the two except, of course, the train used and extent of delay. Commonality responsible for their "error"? Same Email address used for both claims..... Apparently, two people can't share an Email.

 

[bubieyehyeh]

Same here (Thameslink). All details right up to and including the fare paid differed between the two except, of course, the train used and extent of delay. Commonality responsible for their "error"? Same Email address used for both claims..... Apparently, two people can't share an Email.

Just to followup, I chased my appeal after no hearing anything after 6 weeks, by email, 1 day short of 3 weeks later, they replied saying sorry will send cashable voucher for the other ticket. Not yet received by its been over 3 months since we travelled!

The also advised to do as seperate claims in future. I can't see this will make any actual difference, the problem is their systems are clearly not checking the ticket numbers you provide when deciding if it is a duplicate.