A bit of an opposite to the normal posts. Incredibly quick response from a delay repay claim to cross country.

[bradleyd]

So, I'm in a bit of shock currently. At 4:30pm today, I put in a delay repay claim to cross country online for a journey last week pontypridd to Metheringham on the outward part of an off-peak return (splitting at Gloucester, thanks to RailUK tickets which I was more than happy to use to purchase through) which was more than 2 hours delayed at arrival due to a cancellation. I've just received (6hrs 20 later) and email confirming they've approved it, and I'm getting the entire return cost refunded.


This is out and out the quickest response I have ever had to a delay repay claim of any size, by at least 4 days.

It just shocked me so much I had to share


Please move this if I've posted it in the incorrect subforum

 

[zero]

Other TOCs have paid very quickly too when the ticket was bought from their ticket machines or their website/app, so they already have the ticket details - but (AFAIK) XC has no ticket machines and you didn't buy it from their website, so this is interesting - and on a public holiday too.

My previous claims from XC have taken 3-4 weeks but I do have one to file when I have time in the next few days so let's see if it gets paid quickly - unfortunately it's from a ranger ticket so maybe needs manual validation

 

[sot]

Probably just think they should just pay up immediately with some of their terrible service yesterday, starting up short on numerous trains. Lack of support staff seemed to be decision.

 

[W-on-Sea]

I had a similar experience with XC Delay Repay a couple of months ago - processed within hours of the claim being submitted.

(This was when the Cardiff-Nottingham service was reduced to a fraction of its normal schedule, so presumably few checks to carry out before approving the claim. I'd purchased the ticket through Trainsplit).

 

[Birmingham]

Lack of support staff seemed to be decision.

TSSA members at CrossCountry (including control staff) were on strike yesterday. https://www.tssa.org.uk/news-and-events/tssa-news/tssa-plans-boxing-day-strike-at-crosscountry

Rail union TSSA has notified CrossCountry that it will take strike action at the train operating company on Boxing Day and 27 December as part of the ongoing national dispute over pay, job security and conditions.

Union members will walkout in a 24-hour stoppage from 9pm on Boxing Day until 9pm on 27 December. …
…
TSSA members in Cross Country carry out a variety of essential roles, including Customer Service Managers (CSM), Driver Managers (DTM), Trainers, Control, Customer Communications, Safety, Timetabling and Planning.
…
Action by CSM, DTM and Control could take out all CrossCountry services. Customer Service Managers manage conductors and would be involved in contingency cover. The last time these staff had a pay rise was 2019.

 

[Hadders]

Simple straightforward claims processing is automated which probably explains the quick response.

Anything that needs looking at by a human will take longer.

 

[Egg Centric]

Ain't over till the fat lady sings - let us know when it actually reaches your bank account!

 

[sot]

TSSA members at CrossCountry (including control staff) were on strike yesterday. https://www.tssa.org.uk/news-and-events/tssa-news/tssa-plans-boxing-day-strike-at-crosscountry

Seems poor form to leave them in the timetable if they knew almost two weeks ago that there would be problems running them.

Yes do keep up to date with if and when it comes through - never know they might say we allowed it in error, sorry we won't pay it.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I find that payment is always very quick if it's a simple case where validity can be automatically checked really easily, i.e. a direct train between the origin and destination on the ticket.

Takes much longer if it's more complex and so requires a human to check it.

 

[bradleyd]

Ain't over till the fat lady sings - let us know when it actually reaches your bank account!

I will do!

 

[sheff1]

Just had a claim rejected by these shysters because "the service is not operated by CrossCountry Trains". The train concerned was a Plymouth to Leeds which I boarded at Birmingham New St.

 

[JBuchananGB]

And I have been waiting 3 months for them to process my DR claim where XC delayed the first leg of my journey which had knock on effects delaying the subsequent LNR leg of the journey, which lost more time, so I missed connection onto Merseyrail, increasing the delay to 30 minutes, but Merseyrail was held 9 minutes due to a signalling glitch, total delay 39 minutes. I think the original XC leg of the journey was delayed about 8 minutes.

 

[Scott1]

I find that payment is always very quick if it's a simple case where validity can be automatically checked really easily, i.e. a direct train between the origin and destination on the ticket.

Takes much longer if it's more complex and so requires a human to check it.

I imagine part of the problem is that they will receive a lot of claims all at the same time too, especially if the service fell over for a day, putting all the claims in one big queue. When it's just the odd train the automated system will usually handle it easily, and even if it doesn't there won't be many claims 'in the pile' so to speak.

 

[156421]

So, I'm in a bit of shock currently. At 4:30pm today, I put in a delay repay claim to cross country online for a journey last week pontypridd to Metheringham on the outward part of an off-peak return (splitting at Gloucester, thanks to RailUK tickets which I was more than happy to use to purchase through) which was more than 2 hours delayed at arrival due to a cancellation. I've just received (6hrs 20 later) and email confirming they've approved it, and I'm getting the entire return cost refunded.


This is out and out the quickest response I have ever had to a delay repay claim of any size, by at least 4 days.

It just shocked me so much I had to share


Please move this if I've posted it in the incorrect subforum

I find there's often a very long time between the claim being approved, and the payment being sent (days, weeks, in some cases even months). Yet when you buy a ticket, the money leaves your account almost instantly. How strange.

 

[VC00]

I find there's often a very long time between the claim being approved, and the payment being sent (days, weeks, in some cases even months). Yet when you buy a ticket, the money leaves your account almost instantly. How strange.

Worth noting the money does not go directly to them, you can see it in pending transactions for 2-3 days before actually being sent to them. Usually DR payments are all sent off automatically a few days later with other claims, perhaps to save on transactions fees or allow time to cancel payments

 

[W-on-Sea]

Just had a GWR delay repay claim approved in a few hours, as well as my earlier similar experience with XC (the payment on that occasion was also prompt), so maybe there is some new pressure on companies to deal with such things more promptly than previously.

 

[bradleyd]

I received the payment in my account yesterday, so less than the 10 working days quoted, so I'm quite happy with this outcome

 

[sheff1]

Just had a claim rejected by these shysters because "the service is not operated by CrossCountry Trains". The train concerned was a Plymouth to Leeds which I boarded at Birmingham New St.

3 weeks later I have had no response to my email pointing out (politely) that they were talking nonense and asking they make the DR payment I am entitled too.

Meanwhile, TPE have settled a claim from last weekend within 2 days - I had half expected them to try and hide behind the Timetable of The Day, but they didn't, so credit to them.