Digital Railcard renewal issue

[ValleyLines142]

Good morning,

My 26-30 railcard expired on Friday (4th March). A week beforehand, on the app it tells you that your railcard is due to expire soon, which is handy, and there is also a button to renew it.

I renewed my railcard a week earlier (25th February) and assumed that I'd be given a new code to enter on the first day of my new railcard, and also assumed (rather naively, as I've now realised) that the system would have noticed that I already hold a railcard until 4th March anyway. When I entered the code, the expiry date is now 24th February 2023, so they've clearly charged me for my new railcard from the day that I renewed, which I think is a bit of a con.

I got in touch with Railcards and they said that as I apparently did it as 'buy a new railcard' that is why I've essentially lost a week's worth of travel. However the only button on the app that was showing was 'renew', so I don't understand why they keep referring back to me buying a new one. They're also stating that as I entered my driving license this isn't necessary on a renewal. Well why was that the only option on there?

I can't even provide a screenshot as evidence, as they block screenshotting for security reasons.

Even if I did select it as buy a new railcard, with my log-in and account details on there there should have been a message along the lines of 'you cannot purchase yet as you still have a railcard remaining until 4th March'. Surely in 2022 the systems should be able to incorporate that?

They're not budging at all, because they know they have a completely farcical set up.

I've threatened to get in touch with the Railway Ombudsman as they're clearly maintaining their innocence. However I'm aware that this isn't TOC-specific, so who do I need to get in touch with to rectify this?

Any questions/feedback welcome.

Thanks.

 

[WesternLancer]

Good morning,

My 26-30 railcard expired on Friday (4th March). A week beforehand, on the app it tells you that your railcard is due to expire soon, which is handy, and there is also a button to renew it.

I renewed my railcard a week earlier (25th February) and assumed that I'd be given a new code to enter on the first day of my new railcard, and also assumed (rather naively, as I've now realised) that the system would have noticed that I already hold a railcard until 4th March anyway. When I entered the code, the expiry date is now 24th February 2023, so they've clearly charged me for my new railcard from the day that I renewed, which I think is a bit of a con.

I got in touch with Railcards and they said that as I apparently did it as 'buy a new railcard' that is why I've essentially lost a week's worth of travel. However the only button on the app that was showing was 'renew', so I don't understand why they keep referring back to me buying a new one. They're also stating that as I entered my driving license this isn't necessary on a renewal. Well why was that the only option on there?

I can't even provide a screenshot as evidence, as they block screenshotting for security reasons.

Even if I did select it as buy a new railcard, with my log-in and account details on there there should have been a message along the lines of 'you cannot purchase yet as you still have a railcard remaining until 4th March'. Surely in 2022 the systems should be able to incorporate that?

They're not budging at all, because they know they have a completely farcical set up.

I've threatened to get in touch with the Railway Ombudsman as they're clearly maintaining their innocence. However I'm aware that this isn't TOC-specific, so who do I need to get in touch with to rectify this?

Any questions/feedback welcome.

Thanks.

Is it possible for you to check if National Railcards (I think provided by part of what used to be called ATOC but I think has another name now) fall under the jurisdiction of the Rail Ombudsman? I'd be tempted to try it - but I tend to think Ombudsmen intervene when an organisation has done something wrong according to its own processes - and have they done a process wrong (as opposed to just having a bad / unfair policy on this)? You seem to have been penalized for being well organised!

 

[Bletchleyite]

Is it possible for you to check if National Railcards (I think provided by part of what used to be called ATOC but I think has another name now) fall under the jurisdiction of the Rail Ombudsman? I'd be tempted to try it - but I tend to think Ombudsmen intervene when an organisation has done something wrong according to its own processes - and have they done a process wrong (as opposed to just having a bad / unfair policy on this)? You seem to have been penalized for being well organised!

Whenever I've renewed using the renew button the new card has had an expiry date the same as the previous one plus one year exactly, so this isn't so far as I know policy. Only done "plastic card" ones, though.

 

[bakerstreet]

Good morning,

My 26-30 railcard expired on Friday (4th March). A week beforehand, on the app it tells you that your railcard is due to expire soon, which is handy, and there is also a button to renew it.

I renewed my railcard a week earlier (25th February) and assumed that I'd be given a new code to enter on the first day of my new railcard, and also assumed (rather naively, as I've now realised) that the system would have noticed that I already hold a railcard until 4th March anyway. When I entered the code, the expiry date is now 24th February 2023, so they've clearly charged me for my new railcard from the day that I renewed, which I think is a bit of a con.

I got in touch with Railcards and they said that as I apparently did it as 'buy a new railcard' that is why I've essentially lost a week's worth of travel. However the only button on the app that was showing was 'renew', so I don't understand why they keep referring back to me buying a new one. They're also stating that as I entered my driving license this isn't necessary on a renewal. Well why was that the only option on there?

I can't even provide a screenshot as evidence, as they block screenshotting for security reasons.

Even if I did select it as buy a new railcard, with my log-in and account details on there there should have been a message along the lines of 'you cannot purchase yet as you still have a railcard remaining until 4th March'. Surely in 2022 the systems should be able to incorporate that?

They're not budging at all, because they know they have a completely farcical set up.

I've threatened to get in touch with the Railway Ombudsman as they're clearly maintaining their innocence. However I'm aware that this isn't TOC-specific, so who do I need to get in touch with to rectify this?

Any questions/feedback welcome.

Thanks.

If you can recreate the issue it might be worth taking a screenshot via a separate phone and literally take a photo of the screen.

I accept it might be too late as your account will have now reflected the new purchase.

But it may demonstrate that the app will only offer renewal as an option but is interpreting this as something else in the background

 

[alholmes]

My railcard expires in a couple of weeks time so thought I’d have a look, in view of this thread.

Clicking on ‘renew railcard’ from the railcard app takes you to the website to purchase a railcard. However, it’s not made clear that you should log-in to the website first for it to be treated as a renewal, nor does it log you in automatically. If I just followed the screens through to completion without logging in I suspect that it would have just issued a new railcard from today’s date, just like the OP.

However by logging in to the railcard website with my email address and password, it’s showing clearly as a renewal from the expiry date of the old railcard.

So I can see how the OP has been caught out by this - simply clicking on the Renew Railcard link doesn’t necessarily take the user to the renewal page - very poor user experience, in my opinion.

 

[PinnerMet]

I renewed my 26-30 on a desktop an hour ago (that expired last week) and the expiry is 13th March so it all seems a bit random?

 

[Bletchleyite]

I renewed my 26-30 on a desktop an hour ago (that expired last week) and the expiry is 13th March so it all seems a bit random?

When you buy a fresh plastic Railcard online (not renewal) it gives you a few extra days to take account of postal delays. I'm surprised it does it for electronic cards, though.

 

[PinnerMet]

Aha I don't think it happened the last couple of years but I'll take it. I'll have to make full use of my one discounted day when I'm 32 haha

 

[SuspectUsual]

My railcard expires in a couple of weeks time so thought I’d have a look, in view of this thread.

Clicking on ‘renew railcard’ from the railcard app takes you to the website to purchase a railcard. However, it’s not made clear that you should log-in to the website first for it to be treated as a renewal, nor does it log you in automatically. If I just followed the screens through to completion without logging in I suspect that it would have just issued a new railcard from today’s date, just like the OP.

However by logging in to the railcard website with my email address and password, it’s showing clearly as a renewal from the expiry date of the old railcard.

So I can see how the OP has been caught out by this - simply clicking on the Renew Railcard link doesn’t necessarily take the user to the renewal page - very poor user experience, in my opinion.

Even without logging in, if the OP has used the same email address (as opposed to just the name, as the email address obviously will be unique) for both the original transaction and the attempt to renew, its a pretty poor system that doesn't recognise the link. Most often, it prompts a message along the lines of "this email address has been used before, please log in"

 

[furlong]

Firstly there is a 14 day no questions asked cancellation period for digital railcards though they stipulate that you shouldn't have entered the code onto your phone to use that but as you already had a valid one covering the period they ought still to be able to process it that way as it was never used. Secondly you could try to argue you are a victim of mis-selling and the contract is void (was the new expiry date displayed for you to agree before you chose to complete the purchase?) - misrepresented as a renewal when it was not and inform the ORR which regulates this area (but rarely seems interested in acting) or failing them, trading standards.

Terms & conditions for having your Railcard delivered to your mobile device


If you purchased your digital Railcard online or by telephone, you have the right to cancel this contract within 14 days without giving any reason. The cancellation period will expire 14 days from the day on which you receive your token to enable you to download your Railcard to the Railcard app.

You will be able to download your digital Railcard to your mobile device before the end of the 14-day cancellation period referred to in the previous paragraph, but if you do so you will lose your right to cancel. If you are not sure you want your Railcard, do not download it before your cancellation period expires.

To exercise your right to cancel, you must inform us of your decision to cancel this contract by a clear statement (e.g. a letter sent by post or email) using the contact details on this website. You can also download, complete and submit the model cancellation form, but it is not obligatory. If you choose to exercise the right to cancel, we will send you an acknowledgement of receipt of the cancellation by email or post without delay.

To exercise your right to cancel, you need to send us your cancellation notification before the end of the cancellation period.

If you cancel this contract, we will reimburse all payments received from you. we will make the reimbursement without undue delay, and not later than 14 days after the day on which we are informed about your decision to cancel this contract. We will make the reimbursement using the same means of payment as you used for the initial transaction and you will not incur any fees as a result of the reimbursement.

Refunds are not available after the 14-day cancellation period has expired.