Looking for some advice on claiming compensation

[generaloneill]

I was travelling home from Skegness on the East Coast line, when I was delayed by 40 minutes, leading to me missing all my connections and having to get home at 2207, instead on 2107 yesterday.

This was due to a broken down train which delayed all trains for up to 2 hours and all services were travelling slowly due to too many trains on the same line at the same time.

I was also, on the longest leg of my journey (nearly 4 hours), sitting in coach C where I had reservations, and there was no air conditioning on a really hot day. I managed 10 minutes in the furnace like conditions before my wife asked the Ticket Inspector to move us, I then had to carry all our luggage through the train.

Looking to get a small bit of compensation to cover the added stress to the journey/overcrowding on trains/loss of reserved seats.

Who should I be writing to/emailing? Is there any template letters I can use or rules I should be quoting?

I have 6 singles to the value of £134.30 that were delayed for between 40 minutes to an hour. Grantham to Falkirk Stations ADVANCE Singles.

edit, just realised its based on when you arrived at your final destination, which was approximately 60 minutes later than I should have.

Thanks.

 

[Olympian]

I would treat the delay and onboard conditions as two separate issues.

For the former, you need to claim from East Coast under their Delay Repay scheme since it was an delay to their train that caused you to arrive late at your final destination. Under Delay Repay, you are entitled to claim back 100% of the cost of a single ticket if you arrived at your destination between 60 and 119 minutes late and I believe that this will still be treated as a journey from Grantham to Falkirk even if you used split advance tickets (not sure if you had through tickets for the whole journey or not). You should therefore get the whole £134.30 back. See http://www.eastcoast.co.uk/about-us/passengers-charter1/delay-repay/ for full details and how to claim.

For the latter issue, I would complain to East Coast customer services. See http://www.eastcoast.co.uk/about-us/contact/.

 

[bb21]

You claim from the company that caused the initial delay. If you were first delayed between Skegness and Grantham, resulting in you missing the connection at Grantham, then you claim from East Midlands Trains. If your initial delay was with East Coast, then claim from them.

 

[generaloneill]

You claim from the company that caused the initial delay. If you were first delayed between Skegness and Grantham, resulting in you missing the connection at Grantham, then you claim from East Midlands Trains. If your initial delay was with East Coast, then claim from them.

Just about to put in the compo claim now. Skegness to Grantham was open return, I got the train with plenty of time to make the connection.

Anyone else been delayed on the East Coast yesterday? I saw this crazy lady demanding someone move, there were clearly no reservation tickets on the whole train. Some people have no manners.

 

[bb21]

If you have split tickets, just be warned that they might only pay out compensation on your first ticket only (despite your delay being calculated on the basis of delay to your journey). Yes, I know it is daft and against the spirit of the rules for the Delay Repay scheme, however some customer service advisors are clearly using a loophole in the interpretation to get away with paying as little compensation as possible, and the toothless Passenger Focus are not the least bit interested.

 

[yorkie]

I saw this crazy lady demanding someone move, there were clearly no reservation tickets on the whole train. Some people have no manners.

Just refuse. If there are no reservations, then it's just like most commuter trains, sit anywhere you can. If anyone has reserved a seat and there are none spare, firstly the guard might upgrade them to 1st class if possible, and failing that if there are really no seats spare then EC will give compensation under their 'Seat Guarantee' scheme.

Note that a journey can only be compensated under one of the schemes.

 

[generaloneill]

If you have split tickets, just be warned that they might only pay out compensation on your first ticket only (despite your delay being calculated on the basis of delay to your journey). Yes, I know it is daft and against the spirit of the rules for the Delay Repay scheme, however some customer service advisors are clearly using a loophole in the interpretation to get away with paying as little compensation as possible, and the toothless Passenger Focus are not the least bit interested.

What are split tickets? My tickets say Grantham to Falkirk Stations.

 

[yorkie]

You are permitted to use a combination of tickets for one journey. If you are claiming compensation on a Skegness to Falkirk journey, then it is fine to use separate tickets, "splitting" at Grantham.

"Ticket splitting" is simply a term meaning 'splitting one ticket into a combination of two or more tickets'.

However some TOCs try not to pay compensation on the entire combination, which goes against the spirit of the Delay Repay rules. They do this by using the term 'ticket' instead of 'ticket(s)' in their small print, but I do not believe that such small print gets them out of their obligations to provide compensation for your journey.

 

[bb21]

What are split tickets? My tickets say Grantham to Falkirk Stations.

Where is your initial delay?

 

[generaloneill]

Where is your initial delay?

Grantham, then Newark North Gate, Both trains late causing me to miss the on time service 2037 Haymarket to 2107 Falkirk Grahamston, I had to get the service 2137 Haymarket to 2207 Falkirk Grahamston.

.

 

[bb21]

Split ticket is where you use two or more tickets for one journey.

If you claim for the journey Skegness - Falkirk, you are using split tickets. If you claim for Grantham - Falkirk, then you are not.

My previous post was simply to warn you that if you claim for Skegness - Falkirk, there is a possibility that they might only pay out compensation on one ticket (or equally they might pay out on both tickets). This would not be an issue if you claim for Grantham - Falkirk as it is all one ticket (if you accrue sufficient delay from there onwards).

I assume that you got your booked train at Grantham?

 

[richw]

What are split tickets? My tickets say Grantham to Falkirk Stations.

Split tickets are where you use more than 1 ticket for a journey.
You used split tickets from what you have placed in this thread.
Skegness- Grantham and Grantham to Falkirk Stations.

I should think you are entitled to reimbursement for the cost of Grantham to Falkirk under delay repay.

 

[reb0118]

If possible can you show your booked journey and your actual delayed journey in tabular form. This would help the slower members of the forum (inc. me) work out the best option for you.

 

[sheff1]

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