1B85
Member
- Joined
- 13 Apr 2017
- Messages
- 88
I had a VT train cause me a delay of over an hour in mid April, submitted the delay repay claim through their website within a couple of weeks, heard nothing back until just after lunchtime today...
VT: (paraphrasing for brevity - nothing here should be taken as a verbatim quote by VT Customer Services) - Thank you for contacting us and submitting a delay repay claim. We are sorry you were delayed. To qualify for compensation, you need to make a claim to one of the Train Companies ticket offices or Customer Relations offices within 28 days of your journey - stating the timetabled departure time of the train(s) you used, or intended to use for the journey. When you make your claim, you also need to provide a ticket or other authority to travel that was valid for that journey. In view of the above, we unfortunately won’t be able to offer any compensation on this occasion.
So I get that they've refused my claim due to one of the above, but it's just a form letter and there's nothing about why they've refused my claim specifically. So I call them. They can't find the reference given in the email, so they have to look it up by my email address. Call operator one is on the fourth attempt to spell my email address after giving it to her letter by letter in the NATO alphabet and she's still getting it wrong, so I thank her for her time and terminate the call. Call operator two got it after the first time, but puts me on hold for fifteen minutes only to come back and tell me I've called the wrong number. Finally after half an hour on the phone, I get through to someone who can help me out...
Me: Hello, I've got a query about a delay repay claim, the reference is XXXXXXXXX.
VT: Let me check that for you, OK, for security reasons I need you to confirm your address and postcode...
Me: <Address and postcode>
VT: What seems to be the problem?
Me: I'm just calling to check why you've emailed me to tell me why the claim was refused.
VT: We've refused this because the claim was submitted XX days after your journey was taken and claims must be submitted within 28 days.
Me: What's the date of the journey in question?
VT: XX April 2018.
Me: That date is exactly XX days ago. What's the date of the claim being submitted?
VT: It's logged as being submitted today.
Me: So you're saying the situation is that VT have managed to process a delay repay claim on the same day it was received?
VT: That's what the system says.
Me: Well, it's obviously wrong, I submitted the claim on <date>
VT: The system says its out of time. Is there anything else I can help you with?
Long story short, I was on the phone for an hour and still no closer towards getting this resolved, I think a letter is in order...
VT: (paraphrasing for brevity - nothing here should be taken as a verbatim quote by VT Customer Services) - Thank you for contacting us and submitting a delay repay claim. We are sorry you were delayed. To qualify for compensation, you need to make a claim to one of the Train Companies ticket offices or Customer Relations offices within 28 days of your journey - stating the timetabled departure time of the train(s) you used, or intended to use for the journey. When you make your claim, you also need to provide a ticket or other authority to travel that was valid for that journey. In view of the above, we unfortunately won’t be able to offer any compensation on this occasion.
So I get that they've refused my claim due to one of the above, but it's just a form letter and there's nothing about why they've refused my claim specifically. So I call them. They can't find the reference given in the email, so they have to look it up by my email address. Call operator one is on the fourth attempt to spell my email address after giving it to her letter by letter in the NATO alphabet and she's still getting it wrong, so I thank her for her time and terminate the call. Call operator two got it after the first time, but puts me on hold for fifteen minutes only to come back and tell me I've called the wrong number. Finally after half an hour on the phone, I get through to someone who can help me out...
Me: Hello, I've got a query about a delay repay claim, the reference is XXXXXXXXX.
VT: Let me check that for you, OK, for security reasons I need you to confirm your address and postcode...
Me: <Address and postcode>
VT: What seems to be the problem?
Me: I'm just calling to check why you've emailed me to tell me why the claim was refused.
VT: We've refused this because the claim was submitted XX days after your journey was taken and claims must be submitted within 28 days.
Me: What's the date of the journey in question?
VT: XX April 2018.
Me: That date is exactly XX days ago. What's the date of the claim being submitted?
VT: It's logged as being submitted today.
Me: So you're saying the situation is that VT have managed to process a delay repay claim on the same day it was received?
VT: That's what the system says.
Me: Well, it's obviously wrong, I submitted the claim on <date>
VT: The system says its out of time. Is there anything else I can help you with?
Long story short, I was on the phone for an hour and still no closer towards getting this resolved, I think a letter is in order...