Delay repay. Do you bother?

[Andy Pacer]

I tend to claim when legitimate, I spend a lot on rovers/rangers so every little helps towards it.

 

[mangyiscute]

Just wondering, what would you do say if you have a return and you were delayed on both the outwards and return journey? Say 30 mins on the outward so its 25% and 60 mins on the return so its 50% - would you expect a total 75% refund and do you submit multiple claims? Or perhaps if both ways are delayed 120mins+ can you actually get extra money from the TOC?

Edit: also to add, what should one do when delayed twice on the same journey by two different TOCs - say you are delayed by 30 mins on your first train which is TOC A and then you get the train from TOC B that is half an hour later than the one you planned to get and it also gets delayed by 30 mins - you are at your destination 60 mins late, but which TOC do you claim at?

And finally, to combine these say you are delayed on an outward journey by TOC A and a return journey by TOC B, do you submit two claims and how much could you receive?

 

[Watershed]

Just wondering, what would you do say if you have a return and you were delayed on both the outwards and return journey? Say 30 mins on the outward so its 25% and 60 mins on the return so its 50% - would you expect a total 75% refund and do you submit multiple claims?

If the TOCs in question participate in the standard Delay Repay scheme, then yes, you would submit one claim for each leg and you would receive a total of 75% compensation.

Or perhaps if both ways are delayed 120mins+ can you actually get extra money from the TOC?

This used to be the case, but the new NRCoT introduced in February explicitly limits the maximum total of delay compensation to the amount paid for the ticket(s). How this is enforced in practice (particularly if claiming from multiple TOCs) is another matter.

Edit: also to add, what should one do when delayed twice on the same journey by two different TOCs - say you are delayed by 30 mins on your first train which is TOC A and then you get the train from TOC B that is half an hour later than the one you planned to get and it also gets delayed by 30 mins - you are at your destination 60 mins late, but which TOC do you claim at?

You claim from the TOC that first caused your journey to become delayed.

So if for example you were due to have a 40 minute connection, a delay to your first train of 30 minutes would not have caused you to miss your connection and so the first TOC would not be liable. Whereas if you had planned a 10 minute connection then evidently the first TOC would be liable.

And finally, to combine these say you are delayed on an outward journey by TOC A and a return journey by TOC B, do you submit two claims and how much could you receive?

You would make two claims and you would receive compensation in line with the length of delay, capped at the amount paid for the ticket(s).

 

[peterblue]

I usually only claim for >£5 compensation or with Northern for free vouchers. I don't bother if the amount is small

 

[nlogax]

No. Only when my schedule is really put out or it feels like there has been some almighty screw-up somewhere. Most of my DR experiences have been with Avanti which I'm sure anyone will confirm is a mixed bag at best.

 

[cf111]

I do, yes. I usually travel on Scotrail and find their system relatively easy to use especially when claiming from an e-ticket.

 

[miklcct]

I've only claimed about 3 or 4 times, seems more trouble than it's worth just for the sake of a pittance.

Some train companies frequently paid out more than what I applied. I have even told by the computer system that my delay was 120 minutes or more when I suffered a 20-minute delay when there was severe disruption causing mass cancellations across the whole network.

 

[DelayRepay]

When I used to commute into London with a season ticket, I would always claim. As I lived on the Thameslink route, there were plenty of claims to be had! This was in the days of compensation being paid by Rail Travel Voucher - It was worth claiming as it gave me a few cheap days out.

Now I don't have a season, I don't tend to bother claiming low values, but I do claim for longer delays or delays on more expensive tickets.

I recall one occasion when delays were particularly bad due to snow, South Eastern trains randomly sent me a £25 M&S voucher in addition to my rail travel vouchers. That was nice, but unexpected.

 

[miklcct]

I recall one occasion when delays were particularly bad due to snow, South Eastern trains randomly sent me a £25 M&S voucher in addition to my rail travel vouchers. That was nice, but unexpected.

I'd appreciate Lidl / Aldi vouchers more!

 

[jfollows]

I will dip my toe in the water for the first time; 1H71 this evening 16:40 Euston-Wilmslow was the first train held up because of a lineside fire around Harrow (why are they always Harrow, is it always the same place?). 1S82 16:30 departure made it through. Overhead power turned off, but when I saw 9S93 16:43 Euston-Edinburgh leave delayed at 17:02 (2x221) I guessed it wasn't going to be a major delay. We left 17:30 when the power came on with nothing in front of us. 56 minutes late in the end into Wilmslow, finally held up by the stopper after Chelford, so I'll get £41.10 back, let's see if Avanti's automated system works, they do make it a big faff to sign up to "automated" delay repay, I don't remember the same palaver with Virgin, just buying a ticket with them was enough whereas Avanti make you sign up for "automated" delay repay in addition.

Last time I was on 1H71 it was retimed to leave at 16:35 and I complained to Avanti because they never told me; had the same thing happened today it too would probably have made it in advance of the stoppage.

EDIT Automated delay repay email received the following morning and I have put in for payment now.

 

[blakey1152]

I always claim Delay Repay providing it's a genuine claim. I personally think that it should be paid out if the train doesn't arrive on time at all - I feel that the minimum 15 minutes before a claim can be made is like saying anything between 1 and 14 minutes late is still classed as on time!
If I rocked into work 10 minutes late every single day it wouldn't take long before I was docked pay or had to have a chat with my manager.

The fares in the UK are some of the most expensive in the world so the least the train companies can do is pay up if the train is late for any amount of time, it all adds up over the course of a year if you commute.

 

[AM9]

I always claim Delay Repay providing it's a genuine claim. I personally think that it should be paid out if the train doesn't arrive on time at all - I feel that the minimum 15 minutes before a claim can be made is like saying anything between 1 and 14 minutes late is still classed as on time!
If I rocked into work 10 minutes late every single day it wouldn't take long before I was docked pay or had to have a chat with my manager.

The fares in the UK are some of the most expensive in the world so the least the train companies can do is pay up if the train is late for any amount of time, it all adds up over the course of a year if you commute.

Then expect timetables to have 10 minute slack built into them to avoid things such as passengers slow boarding, alighting and holding doors open etc., i.e. delaying trains enough to have knock-on circumstaces.

 

[SuspectUsual]

I always claim Delay Repay providing it's a genuine claim. I personally think that it should be paid out if the train doesn't arrive on time at all - I feel that the minimum 15 minutes before a claim can be made is like saying anything between 1 and 14 minutes late is still classed as on time!

Apart from being pretty unrealistic, if delay repay kicked in at one minute late fares would just go up. Its like seeing what happens to your insurance premium if you reduce the excess from £250 to nil

 

[trainophile]

I do think there should be a tier between 30 minutes and 59 minute. If 15 minutes is a yardstick then surely 45 minutes should be too.

 

[SuspectUsual]

I do think there should be a tier between 30 minutes and 59 minute. If 15 minutes is a yardstick then surely 45 minutes should be too.

Just more complexity and more edge cases, meaning more rejections and appeals, and the whole thing costing more to administer. Currently each band doubles the one before - it seems sensible enough to me

 

[Watershed]

Just more complexity and more edge cases, meaning more rejections and appeals, and the whole thing costing more to administer. Currently each band doubles the one before - it seems sensible enough to me

It wouldn't be terribly difficult to make it something like "1⅔% of the relevant portion per minute of delay", with a minimum delay threshold of 15 minutes. C2C do something similar with delays of 2-14 mins for smartcard season ticket holders, offering 3p compensation per minute of delay.

 

[zero]

Then expect timetables to have 10 minute slack built into them to avoid things such as passengers slow boarding, alighting and holding doors open etc., i.e. delaying trains enough to have knock-on circums

Some timetables already do

I think many people would prefer a bit more slack if their trains arrive "on time" more often, with the occasional early arrival as a bonus

Some people already build in slack to their personal timetables because their trains are frequently delayed

 

[AM9]

Some timetables already do

I think many people would prefer a bit more slack if their trains arrive "on time" more often, with the occasional early arrival as a bonus

Some people already build in slack to their personal timetables because their trains are frequently delayed

Some do but clear but many don't judging by the number of complaints about slightly late trains missing unofficial connections well below the minimum interchange times published.

 

[jfollows]

I do think there should be a tier between 30 minutes and 59 minute. If 15 minutes is a yardstick then surely 45 minutes should be too.

Well, since I was 56 minutes late yesterday I'd vote for it .... but seriously I think the current setup is fine.

 

[Deltic1961]

Just submitted a claim for a 30 minute delay on a Scotrail service worth about £1.95. Pedantic but if they cancel due to "train faults" then it should cost them money.

 

[Edsmith]

Just submitted a claim for a 30 minute delay on a Scotrail service worth about £1.95. Pedantic but if they cancel due to "train faults" then it should cost them money.

Yes I agree that on principle you should claim for something like that although I must admit I probably wouldn't bother. I'd gladly let a charity claim on my behalf and they keep the money.

 

[trainophile]

I think on some websites you have a choice of how you want your money paid, including donated to charity.

 

[Deltic1961]

Approved just under 24 hours from the delay. I'm going out tonight to celebrate!

 

[trainophile]

Don't spend it all at once!

 

[deltic]

I have a quandary when traveling on business and paying with a company credit card. The system is not designed to deal with refunds and the question is who is entitled to the refund, you, the company or your client. In these cases I often don't bother to claim.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

I have a quandary when traveling on business and paying with a company credit card. The system is not designed to deal with refunds and the question is who is entitled to the refund, you, the company or your client. In these cases I often don't bother to claim.

Surely it's the individual who has actually been delayed who is entitled to the Delay Repay payout? Can't you go for the rail travel voucher or charity options?

 

[jfollows]

I have a quandary when traveling on business and paying with a company credit card. The system is not designed to deal with refunds and the question is who is entitled to the refund, you, the company or your client. In these cases I often don't bother to claim.

I understand, but I think this would be the ideal case for a refund to a charity, which I believe was an option when I recently dipped my toe into the scheme for the first time, for Avanti anyway.

 

[Watershed]

I have a quandary when traveling on business and paying with a company credit card. The system is not designed to deal with refunds and the question is who is entitled to the refund, you, the company or your client. In these cases I often don't bother to claim.

Which system are you referring to? The expenses system of your employer?

Refunds (where you don't travel, or abandon your journey and optionally return to your origin) will always be due to the party that paid for the ticket. Effectively it constitutes rescission of the contract.

By contrast, delay compensation (where you do travel but are delayed) is always paid to the passenger - regardless of whether they are the party who paid for the ticket. Effectively it constitutes liquidated damages for breach of contract.

Obviously if someone is paying for your ticket, they may do so on the proviso that you must pass on any delay compensation which you receive - but that is a matter between you and whoever is paying for your ticket.

The TOC will always pay compensation to the passenger, unless the passenger nominates someone else to claim on their behalf.

Surely it's the individual who has actually been delayed who is entitled to the Delay Repay payout? Can't you go for the rail travel voucher or charity options?

See above - though you can of course opt for a voucher or charitable donation.

 

[Hapana]

Yes I agree that on principle you should claim for something like that although I must admit I probably wouldn't bother. I'd gladly let a charity claim on my behalf and they keep the money.

Yes I always claim. The reason being that the management of the TOC are bound to be more interested looking at their management information each month where they see ££ going out to members of the public. In particular when they fail to hold connections for a couple of mins longer.

 

[miklcct]

It wouldn't be terribly difficult to make it something like "1⅔% of the relevant portion per minute of delay", with a minimum delay threshold of 15 minutes. C2C do something similar with delays of 2-14 mins for smartcard season ticket holders, offering 3p compensation per minute of delay.

I'd appreciate if the universal delay repay threshold is reduced to 3 minutes. The reason is that, most official connecting time is 5 minutes, and a delay of 3 minutes is generally enough for me to miss an official connection that I may need to pay for alternate transport to complete my journey.