Delay Repay

Mojo · 29 Aug 2019

HantsExile said:
Yes I (almost) always claim Delay Repay, as matter of principle. (The 'almost' is if I forget or lose the ticket or am exceptionally busy - but I reckon I claim for 80-90% of my delays.)

I do the same; whilst I have not held a season ticket in over 10 years I frequently travel using single/returns and will always claim.

I’m of the opinion that almost every delay is within the control of the railway, whether that’s a person under train or incidents like the fire mentioned above. It’s up to the railway to have decent incident managers to control the spread of incidents, it’s up to them to form good relationships with emergency services to get incidents resolved quicker, and it’s up to them to be confident and willing to challenge decisions.

Decisions are also made in terms of having adequate stock, spare traincrew and a good relationship with their traincrew to ensure that outside of the incident area and post incident, they can run a decent service. I think this is one area that the railway does quite well on actually.

And before anyone says (not that it’s relevant), yes I do, and have previously done, jobs that involve all of those things above.

RailUK Forums

gordonthemoron · 29 Aug 2019

gazthomas said:
They do Paypal

I recently claimed a total of 83p from TfW. They cancelled a train leading to quite a wait!

I work in banking, I have serious concerns about PayPal security

Hadders · 29 Aug 2019

Rail fares are expensive enough so I always take every opportunity to claim.

ComUtoR · 29 Aug 2019

I don't claim because :

I don't like 'compensation culture'. (where there's blame, there's a claim etc)
I don't specifically care.
Most delays don't affect my journey because I tend to plan ahead and allow for things to go wrong.
I accept that things can go wrong or that mistakes, incidents can happen.
I find the concept needlessly punitive. I am not that angry at the TOC for delays.
I find my local service reasonably punctual.
I have a greater degree of tolerance.
I don't believe the concept of delay repay is actually working. I have been using the railway since I was a teenager. Nothing has really changed in terms of delays or cancellations. Delay repay hasn't made anything better; you just get paid off. Almost as if people will now accept the delay because they can claim a few quid back.
Delay repay is just another horse on the railway money-go-round. I'd be interested to see the maths involved. If I'm delayed on a few journeys a year and claim back £50-£100, when the ticket rise comes around; how much am I still out of pocket ? The more cost the railway incurs, the more they will take it back from the passenger.

gordonthemoron · 29 Aug 2019

Surely TOCs receive compensation from Network Rail or a.n.other TOC if the delay was their fault, so failing to make a delay/repay claim means that the TOC you claim from can pocket the money?

yorkie · 29 Aug 2019

ComUtoR said:
I don't claim because :...

If also I got 75% off, I might not claim either

gordonthemoron said:
Surely TOCs receive compensation from Network Rail or a.n.other TOC if the delay was their fault, so failing to make a delay/repay claim means that the TOC you claim from can pocket the money?

That's correct, but I suspect some people would probably rather the money stayed with the TOCs than was paid out to the TOC's passengers

ComUtoR · 29 Aug 2019

yorkie said:
If also I got 75% off, I might not claim either

Whilst true; does that mean that those who do get discounts are less inclined to claim or have a lesser entitlement ? As your the ticket expert, remind me again how many discount cards, schemes or promotions there are....

Ticket prices are a scam at the best of times. 75% off still means you can be paying a fair whack. For me, it certainly isn't about the money as I'm a leisure traveler more than anything and I'm fortunate to be in a position financially that I can swallow the cost. Less so if I was paying full price and last weekend in London I had to pay full price and almost choked.

What would be better ? A cheaper ticket or an expensive one that you can claim back when your delayed. What if we had an experiment and took 10% off all ticket prices for a year but delay repay was also then removed ? I guarantee that there would be a selection of people that would still want their delay repay.

I am more an advocate for cheaper fares, than having more discounts and compensation schemes.

yorkie · 29 Aug 2019

ComUtoR said:
Whilst true; does that mean that those who do get discounts are less inclined to claim or have a lesser entitlement ?

I refer you to posts #8 and #14; if the amounts are reduced then many people will not feel it's worth their time claiming.

So if someone is on £20k and has a £20 ticket, it's more likely that they will see it as worth their time making a claim, compared to someone who is a train driver earning over double that on a ticket that costs a quarter of the cost.

ComUtoR said:
As you're the ticket expert, remind me again how many discount cards, schemes or promotions there are....

Too many to count, though the number of discount cards isn't really relevant; what matters is whether it is deemed worth it by each individual, comparing the price paid with the perceived value of the persons time, as stated in the earlier posts.

ComUtoR said:
Ticket prices are a scam at the best of times. 75% off still means you can be paying a fair whack. For me, it certainly isn't about the money as I'm a leisure traveler more than anything and I'm fortunate to be in a position financially that I can swallow the cost. Less so if I was paying full price and last weekend in London I had to pay full price and almost choked.

That's exactly my point!

ComUtoR said:
What would be better ? A cheaper ticket or an expensive one that you can claim back when your delayed. What if we had an experiment and took 10% off all ticket prices for a year but delay repay was also then removed ? I guarantee that there would be a selection of people that would still want their delay repay.

This is getting into speculation territory now; feel free to create a new thread with your proposals, so that we can properly discuss them without going off the topic for this thread.

ComUtoR said:
I am more an advocate for cheaper fares, than having more discounts and compensation schemes.

I don't think trading PRIV discount for a 10% discount and abolishing Delay Repay would wash with the unions but if you wish to propose any changes a new thread is best.

bspahh · 29 Aug 2019

Trainfan2019 said:
Applying for compensation online is an awkward process as I only buy mobile tickets.

Its easy to take a screen capture of a mobile ticket (on an Android phone Hold down the power and volume-down buttons for a couple of seconds. Hold down the power key until a screen appears and tap Take screenshot).

I did once try to do a delay repay claim with the Greater Anglia app, but it didn't work, so I do it from a laptop instead.

For a paper ticket, I take a photo of it when I'm on a delayed train, in case it gets swallowed at a ticket barrier.

xotGD · 29 Aug 2019

I opt for the Northern free tickets wherever possible. Better than a couple of quid.

Dr Hoo · 29 Aug 2019

gordonthemoron said:
Surely TOCs receive compensation from Network Rail or a.n.other TOC if the delay was their fault, so failing to make a delay/repay claim means that the TOC you claim from can pocket the money?

As has been pointed out so many times before, the Schedule 8 performance regime payments are related to future revenue loss, not refunds or direct costs such as overtime and taxis at the time of the incident. This structure has existed broadly since the time of privatisation, long before Delay Repay came along. The payments are not calibrated to ‘include’ Delay Repay exposure.
In any event, what a lot of people either forget, ignore or are simply unaware of, the Schedule 8 regime is based on being financially neutral if performance is at ‘expected’ levels. There are no ‘penalties’ paid or bonuses ‘earned’ if this is the case but a significant number of disruptions are still taking place at the expected (benchmark) level. A TOC may well be paying bonuses to Network Rail in a good period but at the same time still be giving some passengers Delay Repay.
Under the ‘star model’ an operator never receives compensation from another operator. All payments flow through Network Rail. If the other TOC is meeting its benchmark it won’t be paying anything to Network Rail.

gazthomas · 29 Aug 2019

gordonthemoron said:
I work in banking, I have serious concerns about PayPal security

How you raised them with the FCA?

GlosRail · 29 Aug 2019

Yes, although only if it's worth it. Maybe £10 and over.

I didn't bother the other week when my TFW service was 45 minutes late one way as I would have ended up with about £1.50 back

trainophile · 29 Aug 2019

I claim on principle. Oh okay, I claim because I am a tight so-and-so :oops:

, and every little helps. My main annoyance is when claiming from TPE for a cancellation, they require me to print off a form that seems to show nothing more than a reference number and a barcode, and post it to them (Freepost) with the relevant ticket/s. This is additional to uploading a photo of the ticket/s with the claim. Seems very labour intensive but I do it because I can!

717001 · 29 Aug 2019

westv said:
Wasn't that on a rolling 12 month period so, if you renewed at the "wrong" time, you missed out on any discount?

From what I remember most people qualified on my then journey - have moved towns since.

bubieyehyeh · 29 Aug 2019

My main annoyance with delay repay claims with Southern, is they regularly reject claims, and if have to enter all the information again to object, they have eventually paid up so far, but on one occassion I had to open a complaint. They only provide 256 characters to explain the delay which is often not enough. They also seem to not read the information you give them, and assume you took different trains.

Currently I've got three open claims, one of which has been rejected twice already, since they seem to only consider direct trains when a non-direct I intended to use is quicker.

flitwickbeds · 30 Aug 2019

Does anyone else use a claiming service? I used to use Delay Repay Sniper but recently moved to www.trainclaimer.com as it's much cheaper and (imo) more useful.

DaveB10780 · 30 Aug 2019

I mostly claim but I have deep concerns because of the blame culture. We are delayed therefore it is somebody's fault. Extra costs must be incurred each time and fares must rise because of it. I have benefited mostly because of missing connecting services with a short connection time, where the next local train is 1 hour away.

Failed Unit · 30 Aug 2019

I generally don’t as the process is too time consuming. GTR have made it difficult to do.

Generally their process is as follows.

1. apply.
2. Get rejected.
3. Appeal and have to key in everything you put in 1 again (as they don’t cross-reference)

If you are lucky they will pay but on too many instances you need to go to travelwatch to get them to pay.

Unless the delay is over 1 hour it isnt worth the time claiming from GTR.

Matt_pool · 30 Aug 2019

Tried to claim from Northern once, but I bought my ticket on the Northern app. Once the ticket has expired you can no longer view the ticket, although on the screen it says "Ticket expired" and it also shows the booking reference number.

But according to Northern this isn't enough evidence that I had purchased a ticket on the app!

I also have a Merseytravel Trio pass. I put in a claim online (Northern again!), which involved having to upload a photograph of my Trio pass, and nearly 30 days letter I was compensated a ridiculously miniscule amount of about 47p!

NB if I put in a claim every time I experienced a delay or cancellation by Northern I'd be a millionaire now, but I haven't got the time or energy!

mrmatt · 30 Aug 2019

Failed Unit said:
GTR have made it difficult to do.

I have never had a claim rejected by GTR (on the ThamesLink MML side) and find the online form easy, but perhaps because I use the key and therefore don't have to upload anything and they can validate the touch times it is straightforward. Then again they've always paid when I haven't had to tap in or out when rerouted via the GN.

I therefore always claim as I can do it in less than 2 mins by now.

Failed Unit · 30 Aug 2019

mrmatt said:
I have never had a claim rejected by GTR (on the ThamesLink MML side) and find the online form easy, but perhaps because I use the key and therefore don't have to upload anything and they can validate the touch times it is straightforward. Then again they've always paid when I haven't had to tap in or out when rerouted via the GN.

I therefore always claim as I can do it in less than 2 mins by now.

Unfortunately I use paper tickets, so have to go through all the hastle of taking a copy, writing down the ticket number (even if this can clearly be seen on the photo-graph) all of which are time consuming when you need to do it twice following rejections.

Examples of why they reject.

Wanted to catch the 1721 London Kings Cross - Welwyn Garden City - train cancelled.
They say the 1736 London Kings Cross - Welwyn Garden City ran to time.

It maybe did, but not much use when they didn't tell you the 1721 was cancelled after the 1736 had left, nor given any indication the 1736 would be the better option.

bubieyehyeh · 2 Sep 2019

Failed Unit said:
Examples of why they reject.

Wanted to catch the 1721 London Kings Cross - Welwyn Garden City - train cancelled.
They say the 1736 London Kings Cross - Welwyn Garden City ran to time.

It maybe did, but not much use when they didn't tell you the 1721 was cancelled after the 1736 had left, nor given any indication the 1736 would be the better option.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who has these issues with GTR. I've just had one exactly like your one rejected twice, accepted on the third attempt. They clearly don't read the comments or what train you said you intended to get. They also make it difficult to explain since they only allow you 256 characters to explain the delay.

I've also had
1) Train doesn't exist (its in the timetable!)
2) They assume you can change trains with a gap of only a minute between arrival and departure from different platforms at a station like clapham junction.
3) Ticket not valid (it was a 7 day season used over only part of route)

I reckon about 25% of my claims are rejected at least once, but they have all subsequently been accepted.

HH · 3 Sep 2019

gordonthemoron said:
I work in banking, I have serious concerns about PayPal security

I have serious concerns about banks’!

In other news I feel sure that many TOCs deliberately make it hard to claim although this is slowly improving. As they were mentioned elsewhere I’ll point to the awful TPE downloadable form. They do now have an online version, but that is certainly more painful than others, particularly in getting repaid in the form requested - a friend was eventually sent a cheque, even though they’d asked for their card to be credited.

Techniquest · 7 Sep 2019

Ever since 15 minute claims were possible, whenever I have such a claim it's started before the end of the journey and completed on the walk home (if I have enough charge in the phone to do so) or at home the next day (if I was too tired the day of travel) and WMR get claims so often off me that I always have to wait a minimum of 10 working days for additional checks now. My last one is still waiting for such checks to be made, and while it's probably only worth £1 it's the principle of it. I have too much time on my hands so spending 5 minutes submitting a claim is no bother.

I also look at it more as very delayed payback for all the delays back in the Central Trains days!

Been a good couple of weeks since my last journey on WMR so not had to submit a claim lately. Next two rail journeys are on GWR so I'm not expecting to need to claim but we'll see.

js1000 · 8 Sep 2019

I claim compensation from Northern for the last year or so since the May 2018 timetable fiasco. Although performance is still poor and I'm still having to make a claims - usually a couple of times a week.

It's a shame not everyone claims compensation as if they did I guarantee the TOCs would employ sufficient numbers of staff and delays/cancellations would be reduced.

I'll keep claiming until they get the message to add another tph service or more staff to mitigate delays/cancellations.

trainophile · 8 Sep 2019

js1000 said:
I claim compensation from Northern for the last year or so since the May 2018 timetable fiasco. Although performance is still poor and I'm still having to make a claims - usually a couple of times a week.

It's a shame not everyone claims compensation as if they did I guarantee the TOCs would employ sufficient numbers of staff and delays/cancellations would be reduced.

I'll keep claiming until they get the message to add another tph service or more staff to mitigate delays/cancellations.

I feel sorry for the TOCs when it's Network Rail's "fault", e.g. overrunning engineering work, or some other unavoidable reason. Come to think of it, apart from those who have pared staffing levels down to the bare minimum with no slack for sickness or holidays, I don't suppose any operator would cause a delay if it was at all avoidable. It must be soul destroying when there's a major problem and their offices are swamped with hundreds of claims.

flitwickbeds · 8 Sep 2019

trainophile said:
I feel sorry for the TOCs when it's Network Rail's "fault", e.g. overrunning engineering work, or some other unavoidable reason.

For any fault that is in NR domain (signal failure, track defect, suicide...) the TOCs start getting compensation from 5 minute delays onwards. This in theory is given back to passengers in Delay Repay... But of course the remaining money which passengers don't claim is kept as profit, not to mention they get compensation after 5 minutes but don't have to pay customers until they experience a 15/30/60/120(!) minute delay.

trainophile said:
I don't suppose any operator would cause a delay if it was at all avoidable.

I disagree.

js1000 · 8 Sep 2019

trainophile said:
I feel sorry for the TOCs when it's Network Rail's "fault", e.g. overrunning engineering work, or some other unavoidable reason. Come to think of it, apart from those who have pared staffing levels down to the bare minimum with no slack for sickness or holidays, I don't suppose any operator would cause a delay if it was at all avoidable. It must be soul destroying when there's a major problem and their offices are swamped with hundreds of claims.

That may be true in some cases where trains are delayed/cancelled due to infrastructure faults but unfortunately a disproportionate number of Northern's delays do arise from unavailability of train crew/drivers. It has been said on here by others that Northern benefit from Sunday cancellations despite it being a result of union / weekly working hours dispute.

SteveM70 · 8 Sep 2019

trainophile said:
I feel sorry for the TOCs when it's Network Rail's "fault", e.g. overrunning engineering work, or some other unavoidable reason. Come to think of it, apart from those who have pared staffing levels down to the bare minimum with no slack for sickness or holidays, I don't suppose any operator would cause a delay if it was at all avoidable. It must be soul destroying when there's a major problem and their offices are swamped with hundreds of claims.

About as soul destroying as their excuse for failing to deal with delay repay claims within the stipulated SLA being “due to an unexpectedly high number of claims”. Perhaps some genius at Northern might one day realise there’s a correlation between poor timekeeping and the number of claims they get

Delay Repay

Do you claim Delay Repay?

Yes

No

Forum Staff

RailUK Forums

Established Member

Veteran Member

Established Member

Established Member

Forum Staff

Established Member

Forum Staff

Established Member

Established Member

Established Member

Established Member

Member

Established Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Established Member

Member

Member

Established Member

Member

Established Member

Veteran Member

Member

Established Member

Member

Member

Established Member