TOCs and ticket retailers refusing to process refunds for disrupted trains

[CompactDstrxion]

The National Rail Conditions of Travel are clear:

30.1. If the train you intended to use is cancelled, delayed, or your reservation will not be honoured, and you decide not to travel, you may return the unused Ticket to the original retailer or Train Company from whom it was purchased, where you will be given a full refund with no administration fee being charged.This Condition applies to all Tickets, including Tickets (such as advance Tickets) that are otherwise non-refundable, and also applies if you have begun your journey but are unable to complete it due to delay or cancellations and return to your point of origin.

Yet on multiple occasions I have been refused the refund for unused tickets at the first time of asking. In fact I can't remember a single occasion where the refund was fulfilled when I first asked the retailer. (including Trainpal, Northern, Transpennine Express...)

I think this could be a problem throughout the railway and I am not aware of any webforms provided by TOCs/retailers for this specific purpose, unlike Delay Repay which is usually much easier to claim for. This will be putting many passengers off from claiming refunds they are entitled to when they decide not to travel during disruption.

I was wondering what everybody's experiences are like with other TOCs/retailers in these circumstances?

 

[smsm1]

With Greater Anglia, I've once had to ask for a refund from customer services due to not travelling. The initial response was telling me about some planned engineering works on a vaguely related part of the network. I emailed back with a clarification and was then sent an apology for the error in the original response and a cheque in the post. It was a mobile anytime day return ticket, which had been activated, however the disruption was only discovered after the incoming train couldn't arrive, and the earlier train driver's had discovered trees on the line after I was on the platform waiting.

 

[jawr256]

I've asked for a refund from TPE twice in the last year or two after not travelling owing to cancelled trains. There is now a webform to fill in:
https://firstgroup-refunds.fastrailticketing.com/?s=TransPennine+Express
(linked from https://www.tpexpress.co.uk/help/refunds).

This submits your refund request and also generates a printout to send off with your tickets.

It's worked pretty smoothly for me with a confirmation email when the request is approved and the money going back into my account.

 

[Tom B]

I had issues about 5 years ago with FGW and East Coast in a situation where I'd purchased a ticket from Paddington to Temple Meads, from Kings Cross (that being my nearest major BR station). The service from Paddington was toast when I arrived, both stations said the other should issue the refund but neither was willing to phone the other to confirm. I do recall the NRCOC wording being different though.

 

[RJ]

It's down to what staff are trained to do. If they're unsure they will err on the side of caution.

The reality is unless people claim the damages or cause a headache for people who have other things to deal with when the CoT is breached it isn't going to be a priority to get it right as per the examples given.