Advice please on alternative travel claim

[JoM]

I was due to return from kings cross to Darlington on 16th August with my party of 5. Trains were cancelled due to an electrical outage at Peterborough. After waiting around for a couple of hours, during which time I initially had the option to change our train time on the app ( no point as the other trains were all getting cancelled as the departure times came up), the app then changed to say our tickets could not be changed. After speaking to an LNER representative, he told us that he couldn’t advise if trains would run later and also couldn’t at that time day if LNER would cover the costs of hotel rooms or alternate travel arrangements. He also advised that other train companies would not accept our tickets, not that there were any real alternatives. We waited in Kings Cross until it was announced that tickets would be valid for travel the next day. I’ve now had an email about a refund in the tickets but would like advice on claiming the costs we incurred. Hotel rooms at a reasonable price were non existent so we hired a car. How do I claim for the cost of this, the petrol and the additional tube cost as we collected from Heathrow as the hire was substantially cheaper than a central London pickup. We’d also only travelled in zone 1 on the tube that day so had the additional zone cost too. Do I accept the ticket refund before making a claim or am I better to hang on? Any advice would be appreciated, thanks.

 

[miklcct]

I was due to return from kings cross to Darlington on 16th August with my party of 5. Trains were cancelled due to an electrical outage at Peterborough. After waiting around for a couple of hours, during which time I initially had the option to change our train time on the app ( no point as the other trains were all getting cancelled as the departure times came up), the app then changed to say our tickets could not be changed. After speaking to an LNER representative, he told us that he couldn’t advise if trains would run later and also couldn’t at that time day if LNER would cover the costs of hotel rooms or alternate travel arrangements. He also advised that other train companies would not accept our tickets, not that there were any real alternatives. We waited in Kings Cross until it was announced that tickets would be valid for travel the next day. I’ve now had an email about a refund in the tickets but would like advice on claiming the costs we incurred. Hotel rooms at a reasonable price were non existent so we hired a car. How do I claim for the cost of this, the petrol and the additional tube cost as we collected from Heathrow as the hire was substantially cheaper than a central London pickup. We’d also only travelled in zone 1 on the tube that day so had the additional zone cost too. Do I accept the ticket refund before making a claim or am I better to hang on? Any advice would be appreciated, thanks.

I think you will need to claim your travel insurance as you did not take the train company arrangement for travelling on the next day, and instead refunded the tickets.

 

[AlterEgo]

I was due to return from kings cross to Darlington on 16th August with my party of 5. Trains were cancelled due to an electrical outage at Peterborough. After waiting around for a couple of hours, during which time I initially had the option to change our train time on the app ( no point as the other trains were all getting cancelled as the departure times came up), the app then changed to say our tickets could not be changed. After speaking to an LNER representative, he told us that he couldn’t advise if trains would run later and also couldn’t at that time day if LNER would cover the costs of hotel rooms or alternate travel arrangements. He also advised that other train companies would not accept our tickets, not that there were any real alternatives. We waited in Kings Cross until it was announced that tickets would be valid for travel the next day. I’ve now had an email about a refund in the tickets but would like advice on claiming the costs we incurred. Hotel rooms at a reasonable price were non existent so we hired a car. How do I claim for the cost of this, the petrol and the additional tube cost as we collected from Heathrow as the hire was substantially cheaper than a central London pickup. We’d also only travelled in zone 1 on the tube that day so had the additional zone cost too. Do I accept the ticket refund before making a claim or am I better to hang on? Any advice would be appreciated, thanks.

Don't refund the tickets yet.

Contact LNER here https://www.lner.co.uk/customer-service/contact-details/ and give them the same spiel and ask for the expenses reimbursed. Make sure you have receipts!

 

[Watershed]

I was due to return from kings cross to Darlington on 16th August with my party of 5. Trains were cancelled due to an electrical outage at Peterborough. After waiting around for a couple of hours, during which time I initially had the option to change our train time on the app ( no point as the other trains were all getting cancelled as the departure times came up), the app then changed to say our tickets could not be changed. After speaking to an LNER representative, he told us that he couldn’t advise if trains would run later and also couldn’t at that time day if LNER would cover the costs of hotel rooms or alternate travel arrangements. He also advised that other train companies would not accept our tickets, not that there were any real alternatives. We waited in Kings Cross until it was announced that tickets would be valid for travel the next day. I’ve now had an email about a refund in the tickets but would like advice on claiming the costs we incurred. Hotel rooms at a reasonable price were non existent so we hired a car. How do I claim for the cost of this, the petrol and the additional tube cost as we collected from Heathrow as the hire was substantially cheaper than a central London pickup. We’d also only travelled in zone 1 on the tube that day so had the additional zone cost too. Do I accept the ticket refund before making a claim or am I better to hang on? Any advice would be appreciated, thanks.

Absolutely don't get a refund. By doing so you forfeit all other rights - you effectively unwind the transaction as if you had never bought the tickets at all.

Contact LNER and put in a claim for your alternative transport expenses. They may reject them initially, but seeing as you have saved them quite a bit of money you should hopefully succeed once all things are said and done.

If they refuse your claim and you don't fancy taking it further, you can always put in a refund claim for your ticket afterwards.