unpaid fare notice

[phoneguru]

hi hope some

 

 

one can help .

 

 

i was issued a unpaid fare notice a ecm via east coast trians .

 

 

here is the story.

 

 

i was going to a job interview.

paid for a return ticket via my debit card .

 

 

i was very nervous and prior to going for the interview

 

 

threw my home bound ticket away in the office bin of the company .

 

 

coming home i still didnt know i had thrown the wrong ticket away and

 

 

was issued with a unpaid fare notice.

 

 

tried to explain to the guard but it fell on deaf ears.

 

 

i phoned the company on the way home in the train and they found the ticket in the bin and posted it to me . very kind of them .

 

 

i sent appeal letter in detailing again what had happened but

 

 

they still want the fine and now admin charges on top.

 

 

it seems really harsh

 

 

.how should i conduct this further,

[BazzaS]

hi hope some

 

 

one can help .

 

 

i was issued a unpaid fare notice a ecm via east coast trians .

 

 

here is the story.

 

 

i was going to a job interview.

paid for a return ticket via my debit card .

 

 

i was very nervous and prior to going for the interview

 

 

threw my home bound ticket away in the office bin of the company .

 

 

coming home i still didnt know i had thrown the wrong ticket away and

 

 

was issued with a unpaid fare notice.

 

 

tried to explain to the guard but it fell on deaf ears.

 

 

i phoned the company on the way home in the train and they found the ticket in the bin and posted it to me . very kind of them .

 

 

i sent appeal letter in detailing again what had happened but

 

 

they still want the fine and now admin charges on top.

 

 

it seems really harsh

 

 

.how should i conduct this further,

 

Firstly : loose the attitude, and look at it from the TOC's viewpoint. Then you can look at your options and the way forward.

 

It is YOUR responsibility to have a valid ticket, keep your ticket and show it on demand.

 

I understand you were nervous and threw away the wrong portion but what were you expecting of the on-train staff?

They will have heard every excuse under the sun, and if they felt you were trying to fare dodge, wouldn't have issued an UFN, but instead would have reported you for prosecution.

So, I doubt "it fell on deaf ears" but you didn't get the "free pass" you had hoped for : that doesn't sound unreasonable to me!.

 

With you showing that you had in fact bought a ticket, (did you send in the unendorsed ticket having made a copy of it?) with your explanation of events : I'd have expected them to cancel the UFN. Did you use similar emotive language when you wrote to them??

 

BTW, it isn't a "fine": only a court can fine you.

Also, a UFN is just that : a notice to pay an unpaid fare!

If you are talking about fines and admin charges : things must have progressed further ...... have you "simplified" events or missed something out??

 

If this was East Coast .... Was your appeal to RPSS?

Did you make a further appeal to Passenger Focus if your initial appeal was refused?

Have you complied with any time limits of appeal?

I note ECT's webpage noting appeal doesn't negate the need to pay a UFN ...... Presumably on successful appeal any payment gets refunded

 

http://www.eastcoast.co.uk/customer-service/revenue-protection-policy/

 

Mind you, ECT aren't going to look unbiased, but

If you're issued with an unpaid fare notice it's best to pay it within the time limit even if you've got a genuine reason why you didn't have a ticket. You can then complain or appeal to the train company and try to get your money back

Is what Citizens Advice say on the matter

http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/england/consumer_e/travel_leisure_and_food_e/consumer_transport_e/consumer_public_transport_e/consumer_trains_e/unpaid_fare_notices_on_trains.htm