Family and Friends railcard terms and conditions

[blakey1152]

Hi,
I've had a Family and Friends railcard on and off for several years and the Railcard has both mine and the wife's name on it as a second card holder.

Myself, My wife and my daughter have always travelled together so not had any issues - until Bank Holiday Monday.....
My daughter wanted to go out and as we had a treasure hunt thing for Canterbury thought we'd go there for the day - my other half couldn't go.
Purchased off peak returns from Slade Green to Canterbury Stations with the F&F Railcard from the machine and off we went.
All was going well until the tickets were checked and I was informed that the tickets with the railcard were not valid as there are two names on the railcard so both named members must be present to use the railcard.
I didn't realise this was the case and was sure that this wasn't correct - I was reasonably sure that either of us could use the railcard but he was adamant that he was correct and charged me the full fare as if we didn't have a railcard.

I want to find out if the ticket inspector on the train was correct (in which case I will just get a railcard in my own name next time) or if i can claim back the money from Southeastern.
Anyone know?

Thankyou

 

[Darandio]

They were talking garbage. It's a fairly simple T&C associated with the product and i'm staggered that any member of staff would claim otherwise.

To purchase discounted tickets, at least one cardholder and at least one child aged 5 to 15 years must be travelling together.

You certainly should be able to claim the money back for the additional fare paid.

 

[A Challenge]

You only need one of the two named people on the Friends and Family Railcard (either the main or second cardholder) and at least one child to be able to use it. Child in this case includes a 16 year old, provided the Railcard was bought before they turned 16.

 

[blakey1152]

I thought that was the case! Thankyou guys
Maybe he was confusing it with the two together railcard...As I imagine that its only the Family and Friends and Two Together railcards that have two named card holders on.
I don't think the Network Railcard does have a second holder option any more.

 

[Hadders]

Breathtaking incompetence from Southeastern here. A F&F Railcard is not an unusual product and the fact that the member of staff checking tickets was unaware of one of the most basic rules is extremely concerning.

I would be making a formal complaint.

 

[farleigh]

It doesn't sound great does it?

Some amateur posters on an internet forum know more than some people who are paid a wage to know the rules.

 

[GadgetMan]

It doesn't sound great does it?

Some amateur posters on an internet forum know more than some people who are paid a wage to know the rules.

When I first started as a Guard, we were put through a month long retail course run by a dedicated member of staff who had a thorough knowledge of all the various products. At that TOC now, new Guards are put through a 5 day course taught by a random Revenue Protection Officer who themselves went through the inadequate 5 day course when recruited. That says it all.

 

[furlong]

There's little excuse today - no need to carry and flick through bulky manuals - companies can make all the information required available electronically.

 

[CanalWalker]

It doesn't sound great does it?

Some amateur posters on an internet forum know more than some people who are paid a wage to know the rules.

Same way that enthusiastic amateur drivers are often better drivers than professionals (especially taxi drivers). On the one hand enthusiasts spend lots of time studying and practising their subject. On the other: employees are not likely to study the details of their job in thier own time.

 

[neilmc]

This is absolutely staggering. It's not some dubious routing we're talking about here but a product sold by the hundreds of thousands whose terms and conditions are crystal clear and anyone who has ever bought a F+F railcard is likely to be aware of them let alone the fare experts on this site.

 

[farleigh]

Same way that enthusiastic amateur drivers are often better drivers than professionals (especially taxi drivers). On the one hand enthusiasts spend lots of time studying and practising their subject. On the other: employees are not likely to study the details of their job in thier own time.

I agree but it would be nice if they studied the details at some point - possibly at work?

 

[Haywain]

This is absolutely staggering. It's not some dubious routing we're talking about here but a product sold by the hundreds of thousands whose terms and conditions are crystal clear and anyone who has ever bought a F+F railcard is likely to be aware of them let alone the fare experts on this site.

And one - count to make sure - member of railway staff.

 

[Typhoon]

.. product sold by the hundreds of thousands whose terms and conditions are crystal clear and anyone who has ever bought a F+F railcard is likely to be aware of them ....

You are more confident than me.

 

[A Challenge]

You are more confident than me.

Well it's obvious that the OP didn't (hence why this thread was started in the first place).

 

[PaxVobiscum]

Staff at my most used local station are generally excellent and have I often witnessed them spending extra time with passengers to check for tickets that would save them money.

However, the one time I had to gently disagree with one of the kindest and most helpful of them was over this appendix to the F & F Railcard T & C of which the member of staff seemed unaware:

INFORMATION:

Children aged under 16 at the time that the Railcard is purchased may still travel at the discounted child fare throughout the validity period of the 1-year Railcard, even if they become 16 years old during that time or, for a 3-year Railcard until the child turns 17.

It was easily solved by my offering to Google the T & C on my phone and accepted with good grace when I showed the above.

For the record I only had myself to blame because I volunteered the information that my youngest was now 16 but still eligible (rather than illegible as my phone was wanting to say just now )

With such a variety of tickets and cards it’s not surprising that the occasional error can crop up.

I invoke my username to all.
PV

 

[Altnabreac]

Staff at my most used local station are generally excellent and have I often witnessed them spending extra time with passengers to check for tickets that would save them money.

However, the one time I had to gently disagree with one of the kindest and most helpful of them was over this appendix to the F & F Railcard T & C of which the member of staff seemed unaware:



It was easily solved by my offering to Google the T & C on my phone and accepted with good grace when I showed the above.

For the record I only had myself to blame because I volunteered the information that my youngest was now 16 but still eligible (rather than illegible as my phone was wanting to say just now )

With such a variety of tickets and cards it’s not surprising that the occasional error can crop up.

I invoke my username to all.
PV

The other F&F T&C that sometimes confuses staff is using the card with an under 5 and choosing to buy a child ticket to get a discount overall. When my son was a baby I found a rate of about 1 in 10 staff didn't know of this possibility but most were happy to be told about it and only very occasionally did I have to actually have a more significant discussion / argument about it.

Once he was about 4 I used to just say he was 5 to save having to have the arguments.

 

[Surreytraveller]

There are a few rules staff seem unaware of. Child staff pass holders don't require photocards. You can break your journey overnight if you cannot complete it on the day your ticket is valid. A child season ticket can be issued to expire up to three months beyond the age (and expiry date of a child photocard) at which they turn 16.
Probably a few others which I had in my days in the ticket office. Like a previous poster said, when I started the ticket office course was 4 weeks, where we were taught all this stuff, and then there was a few more weeks training after that with someone in a ticket office. I don't know how long the course is these days