Unsatisfactory response from Avanti having been stranded overnight

[Haywain]

To clarify a few points I did suggest am amount but they came back with this goodwill gesture of only £20.

What did you 'suggest'?

 

[gray1404]

What did you 'suggest'?

I'll DM you.

 

[skyhigh]

I'll DM you.

I don't quite understand the secrecy? You've already posted enough that you could be identified by anyone who has dealt with the case at Avanti. It's impossible to give advice if you won't tell us what you want.

 

[gray1404]

I don't quite understand the secrecy? You've already posted enough that you could be identified by anyone who has dealt with the case at Avanti. It's impossible to give advice if you won't tell us what you want.

I'm trying to avoid going off topic again about the cost of a taxi to Formby and what I've asked for being compared to that.

 

[Titfield]

Doesn't look like a particularly bad outcome to me. Without wanting to go over what others have said, the 8 hour delay wasn't inevitable. So I don't see to much of an issue with 20. Nothing wrong with writing back and asking for more though. Although as others have mentioned, may have been a better idea to ask for a sum in earlier correspondence

If you were to write back and ask for say £50 Avanti have two options (realistically).

1) Agree to pay £50
2) Say no and repeat £20. (they really cant go back on this).

You can then accept the £20 if all that is offered or the £50 of that is offered.

It doesnt take a great deal of effort to put the ball back in their court.

I suspect that if you go to the Ombudsman it will be a lot more work for potentially no or little more money.

Go for the low hanging fruit is my advice. One further email and then call it a day and accept whatever is offered.,

 

[gray1404]

If you were to write back and ask for say £50 Avanti have two options (realistically).

1) Agree to pay £50
2) Say no and repeat £20. (they really cant go back on this).

You can then accept the £20 if all that is offered or the £50 of that is offered.

It doesnt take a great deal of effort to put the ball back in their court.

I suspect that if you go to the Ombudsman it will be a lot more work for potentially no or little more money.

Go for the low hanging fruit is my advice. One further email and then call it a day and accept whatever is offered.,

Yes.

What would be a polite and assertive way of basically emailing back asking for more?

 

[Starmill]

Does Avanti necessarily disbelieve the OP's account? They have accepted that the OP was stranded overnight. They have further accepted that they ought to have arranged onward transport to Formby for the OP and that their staff failed to do so. They have apologised for leaving the OP in that situation. But they have not accepted any financial liability and have simply offered a goodwill gesture in the form of a £20 cheque.

Avanti has probably assessed that with no evidence of any financial loss, or of harm to them incurred by having to wait overnight, the OP is not in a strong position to make a claim against them for anything more than the cost of a taking a taxi home to avoid the wait for a train.

That is true, but I suppose regardless of the true thought process by the case handler the outcome is the same: the bare minimum.

The OP was advised how they might get more than the bare minimum in compensation but they didn't take that advice. It seems now that regardless of what the OP does they won't get much more.

 

[skyhigh]

That is true, but I suppose regardless of the true thought process by the case handler the outcome is the same: the bare minimum.

The OP was advised how they might get more than the bare minimum in compensation but they didn't take that advice. It seems now that regardless of what the OP does they won't get much more.

Having got a PM from the OP they did take the advice from @AlterEgo and request an amount that I would consider reasonable in the situation. They obviously declined that and have offered £20 cash to settle the complaint.

I really don't wish to be rude but given the OP had another discount code (if that was issued in response to another complaint rather than a general promotion or whatever) it might be that they have them marked down as a serial complainant and decided to offer the minimum. Really not trying to cast any aspersions on the OP but just offering a potential thought of what might be going on to get the bare minimum.

 

[gray1404]

Having got a PM from the OP they did take the advice from @AlterEgo and request an amount that I would consider reasonable in the situation. They obviously declined that and have offered £20 cash to settle the complaint.

I really don't wish to be rude but given the OP had another discount code (if that was issued in response to another complaint rather than a general promotion or whatever) it might be that they have them marked down as a serial complainant and decided to offer the minimum. Really not trying to cast any aspersions on the OP but just offering a potential thought of what might be going on to get the bare minimum.


Having got a PM from the OP they did take the advice from @AlterEgo and request an amount that I would consider reasonable in the situation. They obviously declined that and have offered £20 cash to settle the complaint.

I really don't wish to be rude but given the OP had another discount code (if that was issued in response to another complaint rather than a general promotion or whatever) it might be that they have them marked down as a serial complainant and decided to offer the minimum. Really not trying to cast any aspersions on the OP but just offering a potential thought of what might be going on to get the bare minimum.

I highly doubt it. The other discount code was issued to me my other half (different name and address) following a landslide.

Indeed this complaint here is actually my first complaint to Avanti for a couple of years at least. My second ever complaint to Avanti.

 

[skyhigh]

I highly doubt it. The other discount code was not issued to me, rather my other half (different name and address) following a landslide. However they are happy for me to use it.

Indeed this complaint here is actually my first complaint to Avanti for a couple of years at least.

That's good to know, in which case ignore the suggestion.

Given everything I'm unsure if they will go any further, but you can always ask.

 

[madjack]

I don't think it's personal against the OP, just that expenses are always easier to justify if they're correctly accounted for (receipted etc), as a matter of good financial practice and to safeguard against potential fraud.

(Avanti's response does mention specifically that no expense receipts were received.)

 

[Starmill]

Having got a PM from the OP they did take the advice from @AlterEgo and request an amount that I would consider reasonable in the situation. They obviously declined that and have offered £20 cash to settle the complaint.

I really don't wish to be rude but given the OP had another discount code (if that was issued in response to another complaint rather than a general promotion or whatever) it might be that they have them marked down as a serial complainant and decided to offer the minimum. Really not trying to cast any aspersions on the OP but just offering a potential thought of what might be going on to get the bare minimum.

I see. In that case I think the only realistic avenue the OP has to recover more money from the company is to litigate for damages.

 

[gray1404]

I too am doubtful that they will offer anything further. So I'm wondering if it's worry drawing a line under this now.

If it went to the Ombudsman I could see them being useless and saying they can't compel an operator to award compensation. Although it has been admitted Avanti failed in the duty to provide a taxi.

But I wonder if it's best to draw a line under this one now on receipt of the £20 cheque.

 

[gray1404]

If you were to write back and ask for say £50 Avanti have two options (realistically).

1) Agree to pay £50
2) Say no and repeat £20. (they really cant go back on this).

You can then accept the £20 if all that is offered or the £50 of that is offered.

It doesnt take a great deal of effort to put the ball back in their court.

I suspect that if you go to the Ombudsman it will be a lot more work for potentially no or little more money.

Go for the low hanging fruit is my advice. One further email and then call it a day and accept whatever is offered.,

Having followed this advice I have today heard from Avanti with a good outcome. I got back in touch asking them to reconsider a more reasonable amount and I suggested £50.

Having paid out £20 initially they have agreed to send a further £30 to bring the compensation for leaving me stranded overnight to £50.