The same thing has happened to me this month. I've been an LA fitness member for nearly 2 years and suddenly this month my direct debit has increased from £40 to £50. I spoke to member services who said this was a standard price rise and that I would have been sent a letter about this. However I never received this letter and the address details they hold for me are and have always been correct. Has anyone else been in a similar situation?

Further update on the situation. Since my last post I wrote a letter to my MP who contacted National Express on my behalf. Had partial success in that I received a cheque for £15 from National Express. Strangely I received just a cheque through the post, nothing so much as a covering letter was attached or even any description as to what this cheque was for. So I phoned National Express and got to speak to their Customer Relations manager who explained that this was in respect of the £15 that I originally paid for my ticket Now, I suppose I should be grateful for receiving something but I'm still rather p**sed off. The way I see it, I unjustly had to pay a £93 penalty for not being able to produce a ticket, despite having already paid £15 for my original ticket. Then they offer to refund the original £15 I paid! This is crazy - surely if they accept I paid to be on the service, there's no justification for the penalty fare. Anyone think I may have any joy through the courts or further appeal somehow? Incidentally I haven't cashed the cheque, I'm considering wiping my a*se with it, may give me more satisfaction

An update on the situation. PF finally got back to me, a few days after the deadline that they set themselves to respond. As I had predicted they didn't get NXEA to give me a refund. Below is the actual response: Thank you for your complaint with National Express East Anglia (NXEA). I’m sorry to hear of the problems you encountered at Liverpool Street Station which resulted in you being issued with a Penalty Fares Notice. I can appreciate your frustration. Under the terms and conditions of your contract, the National Rail Conditions of Carriage, it states that “A ticket is your evidence of your right to make a rail journey and its your responsibility to keep it safe. If you lose or mislay a ticket... it will not be replaced nor will any of the cost be refunded.” I understand that you had previously shown you ticket to the Inspector on board the train that you did have proof of purchase. However without a valid ticket for the journey the ticket barrier staff are within their rights to issue a Penalty Fares Notice. I have escalated your complaint to NXEA’s Customer Relations Manager and unfortunatley they have declined to refund the cost of the fine issued. I have argued your case on the basis that you did find the ticket after the incident and have supplied documentation to prove this. As they are not legally obliged to provide a refund of the fine I cannot persue the matter any further with them. I am disappointed with this outcome as I had hoped NXEA would offer something towards this cost. I know you will be disappointed with this outcome but trust I have clarified our position on this. Thank you for contacting Passenger Focus. Can anyone advise as to whether there is any further I can do? Is it likely I would have any success through the courts? In summary, to anyone reading this. Lose your ticket and you are screwed. Equally get mugged / someone steal your ticket while leaving the train and from what I can make out, you'd be equally screwed. It's utterly ridiculous that a penalty fare should ever be enforced despite being able to prove I purchased a ticket.

Thanks for your replies. For clarification, I was issued with a penalty fare for failing to produce a valid ticket (lost ticket is actually indicated on the form). I've noted the comments made earlier and have contacted the independent rail consumer watchdog - Passenger Focus. PF are going to contact Nat Express EA on my behalf. It seems to me though that there is no real incentive for the train company to overturn the IRCAS appeal decision so am not expecting a successful outcome, but I'll post any developments on here.

I received a penalty fare, whilst travelling on a National Express East Anglia service from Norwich to London. The reason the penalty was issued was that I was unable to produce a valid ticket (lost ticket). I had paid for my travel in advance and had a ticket covering my entire journey but somehow managed to temporarily misplace it when getting off the train (my ticket was checked on board the train but I couldn't locate it at the station exit). I say temporarily because when I arrived at work later that day, typically enough, there it was, in one of my many pieces of luggage I was carrying. I appealed the penalty fare - even sending in my original tickets (I have a copy) , but have just received notification that is has been refused - please see below: A Penalty/Unpaid Fare Notice was issued as production of a valid ticket or other authority to travel was not possible on the date concerned. I note that on this occasion, although a ticket/authority to travel was purchased prior to travel, production for inspection when required was not possible. It must be stressed that the safekeeping of a ticket is the rail users responsibility. A ticket must be shown or handed over when required to the staff of any Train Operating Company. If the passenger fails to do so they will be treated as having joined the train without a valid ticket and, where applicable, will be liable to pay a Penalty Fare or Unpaid Fare Notice. A ticket is the passengers' evidence of their right to make a rail journey. Tickets or other evidence produced at a later date can not be considered as a ticket must be shown to the member of staff when requested at the time of travel. So really I ask these questions: 1. While I accept that it was my fault for temporarily misplacing the ticket, it was mostly due to tiredness, having more luggage with me than usual and travelling further than usual. Is a fine justified in these circumstances - a fine for losing a ticket rather than fare evasion? 2. The amount of the fine was £93 (Norwich to London on Weds 24 Sept 0800 am). My ticket cost me £15. Where has all the extra come from? 3. How would I be able to appeal this further because I believe I have been unfairly treated? Any help you can provide will be greatfully received.