Bought day return, couldn't travel, could it have been refunded on the day?

Howardh · 23 Jun 2019

Basically, last Tuesday bought a day return (Bon/WDM) dated for the following day Weds.
However, on Wednesday morning, just before I was due to leave, mum was ill so I couldn't travel.
Didn't think of it at the time; but could I have gone to the station and got a refund at mid-day?
Thinking probably not, as the tickets could have already been used in the morning and I was trying to pull a fast one...however as BON is gated, would there be a record of the ticket being used (or in this case, not used)?
Note, in the past I have bought a ticket, waited on the platform minutes later, train gets delayed, so I have gone back and got a full refund as the delay makes the journey pointless.
Thanks!

RailUK Forums

ForTheLoveOf · 23 Jun 2019

Howardh said:
Basically, last Tuesday bought a day return (Bon/WDM) dated for the following day Weds.
However, on Wednesday morning, just before I was due to leave, mum was ill so I couldn't travel.
Didn't think of it at the time; but could I have gone to the station and got a refund at mid-day?
Thinking probably not, as the tickets could have already been used in the morning and I was trying to pull a fast one...however as BON is gated, would there be a record of the ticket being used (or in this case, not used)?
Note, in the past I have bought a ticket, waited on the platform minutes later, train gets delayed, so I have gone back and got a full refund as the delay makes the journey pointless.
Thanks!

If your ticket has not been used for reasons unrelated to any rail industry failings then you're entitled to return it to the retailer for a refund, subject to an administration fee of up to £10. You can do this up to 28 days after the expiry of the ticket.

Such a refund would only come into question in the case of clearly identifiable use of the ticket to travel on a train, and even then, it is permissible to obtain a partial refund, consisting of the difference between the fare bought and the journey actually undertaken.

I think this is an area where, in more cases than not, retailers simply have to take customers' word for it when they say they haven't travelled - as, for example, it is perfectly possible one might pass through barriers before then deciding to abandon the journey without having travelled at all.

It is often possible for ticket offices to "non-issue" tickets that they have just issued, which means they effectively void the transaction and reverse it (i.e. without any administration charges). This function is primarily intended for situations such as unexpected disruption occurring, thereby meaning people no longer want to use the tickets they just bought, or in case an error is made during the purchasing process (e.g. wrong station selected).

There is usually a strict time limit of an hour or so from issue for this to be done. There is no strict entitlement to a fee-free non-issue for change of mind circumstances so it is done at the discretion of ticket office staff, and it is almost certain you would not be given the option to have a ticket non-issued a day later.

yorkie · 23 Jun 2019

Howardh said:
Basically, last Tuesday bought a day return (Bon/WDM) dated for the following day Weds.
However, on Wednesday morning, just before I was due to leave, mum was ill so I couldn't travel.
Didn't think of it at the time; but could I have gone to the station and got a refund at mid-day?

If that's where you bought it, then yes, subject to the standard £10 admin fee.

Howardh said:
Thinking probably not, as the tickets could have already been used in the morning and I was trying to pull a fast one...however as BON is gated, would there be a record of the ticket being used (or in this case, not used)?
Note, in the past I have bought a ticket, waited on the platform minutes later, train gets delayed, so I have gone back and got a full refund as the delay makes the journey pointless.
Thanks!

They would have the means to check if it had been through a gateline, yes.

alistairlees · 23 Jun 2019

ForTheLoveOf said:
If your ticket has not been used for reasons unrelated to any rail industry failings then you're entitled to return it to the retailer for a refund, subject to an administration fee of up to £10. You can do this up to 28 days after the expiry of the ticket.

Such a refund would only come into question in the case of clearly identifiable use of the ticket to travel on a train, and even then, it is permissible to obtain a partial refund, consisting of the difference between the fare bought and the journey actually undertaken.

I think this is an area where, in more cases than not, retailers simply have to take customers' word for it when they say they haven't travelled - as, for example, it is perfectly possible one might pass through barriers before then deciding to abandon the journey without having travelled at all.

It is often possible for ticket offices to "non-issue" tickets that they have just issued, which means they effectively void the transaction and reverse it (i.e. without any administration charges). This function is primarily intended for situations such as unexpected disruption occurring, thereby meaning people no longer want to use the tickets they just bought, or in case an error is made during the purchasing process (e.g. wrong station selected).

There is usually a strict time limit of an hour or so from issue for this to be done. There is no strict entitlement to a fee-free non-issue for change of mind circumstances so it is done at the discretion of ticket office staff, and it is almost certain you would not be given the option to have a ticket non-issued a day later.

Non-issuing really only applies (or should only apply) in the same shift as the ticket was sold in. So on the same day and from the same ticket office, that should be fine, as station ticket office shifts get closer at the end of the day usually. Different day / different ticket office, not fine to non-issue.

alistairlees · 23 Jun 2019

Howardh said:
Basically, last Tuesday bought a day return (Bon/WDM) dated for the following day Weds.
However, on Wednesday morning, just before I was due to leave, mum was ill so I couldn't travel.
Didn't think of it at the time; but could I have gone to the station and got a refund at mid-day?
Thinking probably not, as the tickets could have already been used in the morning and I was trying to pull a fast one...however as BON is gated, would there be a record of the ticket being used (or in this case, not used)?
Note, in the past I have bought a ticket, waited on the platform minutes later, train gets delayed, so I have gone back and got a full refund as the delay makes the journey pointless.
Thanks!

Where are BON and WDM anyway?

yorkie · 23 Jun 2019

Bolton and Windermere

Bletchleyite · 23 Jun 2019

alistairlees said:
Non-issuing really only applies (or should only apply) in the same shift as the ticket was sold in. So on the same day and from the same ticket office, that should be fine, as station ticket office shifts get closer at the end of the day usually. Different day / different ticket office, not fine to non-issue.

I've had a ticket from LM issued at Bletchley non issued at Euston (yes, with me having used part of it). They preferred doing this (then issuing a replacement) than the overdistance excess I actually asked for.

So I guess it depends on the retail system.

Howardh · 23 Jun 2019

Thanks - if there's a £10 fee it's hardly worth it! But it's educated me as to what to do should I buy a longer distance ticket that can't be used on the day.

Hadders · 23 Jun 2019

Seat reservations excepted there really isn’t any point in buying flexible ‘walk on’ tickets in advance of travel in case plans change.

JBuchananGB · 23 Jun 2019

I used to buy walk up tickets in advance and even collect them in order to avoid the scrum at the booking office and the TVMs at Billericay when catching the first off peak train of thy day. Of course now I live in Merseyrail territory, my only option is the booking office, but there isn’t any scrum for the 9.32 at Birkdale!

Saperstein · 23 Jun 2019

alistairlees said:
Where are BON and WDM anyway?

As @yorkie said Bolton and Windermere.

List of station code can be found here.

https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations_destinations/48541.aspx

alistairlees · 23 Jun 2019

Saperstein said:
As @yorkie said Bolton and Windermere.

List of station code can be found here.

https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations_destinations/48541.aspx

Yes, though I was really referring to the forum rules which politely request that, the first time a station is mentioned, it is by its full name and not the three letter code. The forum rules can be found here:

https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/please-read-before-asking-for-fares-advice.50404/

BluePenguin · 23 Jun 2019

If you haven’t travelled home yet, you could excess it from an Off Peak Day Return to an Off Peak Return to use another day? Hopefully you will be able to pay the difference.

I bought a day return once when I wasn’t coming back for a week and the conductor happily sold me an excess

Saperstein · 23 Jun 2019

alistairlees said:
Yes, though I was really referring to the forum rules which politely request that, the first time a station is mentioned, it is by its full name and not the three letter code. The forum rules can be found here:

https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/please-read-before-asking-for-fares-advice.50404/

Oh, OK, I misunderstood and was just being helpful with the link

Bought day return, couldn't travel, could it have been refunded on the day?

Howardh

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ForTheLoveOf

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