To think they should pay for expenses

The role is for remote work so the chances are the interviews aren’t going to be in everyone’s home town. If they are willing to travel or not is on the people being interviewed. Don’t go to the interview if you’re not happy about travelling and the cost involved

If they are expecting all interviewees to travel to a city that is not where the role is based, then yes, absolutely, they should be open to reimbursing expenses.

whether that stretches to overnight accommodation would depend on the time and distance, but transport costs are a a yes at a minimum.

No one forced Op to go to the interview

"The other candidates had more experience" is one of the generic lines that you use when sending out a rejection letter. It a bit like the "it's not you, it's me" line in relationships. It means you don't have to put anything overly critical about the candidate themself, and be quite polite. In addition because the rejected candidate doesn't know what the candidates experience is they can't counter argue.

Particularly given the reason you were rejected - they could have seen the other candidate’s experience on paper and not wasted your time.

I would ask for the hotel and travel expenses. It’s disgraceful that you had to pay that much.

If you knew in advance then what is the point of this post? To ask if they should change their policy? To ask how people feel in general? That's not the vibe of your first post and in fact knowing that they are non-reimbursers should have been right up there in your first post.

The fact that you know asking is an option shows you are in the club. Many aren’t and don’t know asking is a reasonable thing to do. Having these advantages is one thing, denying you have the advantage is just not cricket.

Send them an invoice. Absolutely i would expect expenses to be covered for interviews.

This is all lovely but she hasn't actually asked for them to pay expenses. The other candidates may well have been paid. You can't blame a lack of social mobility on corporates when the individuals are not showing any common sense.

Totally agree it's a barrier and a reflection on the company. Much like places that don't state salary expectations or have 'hybrid' in their conditions and refuse to say prior to application what that means in real life. It's a form of discrimination too. That said, lots of companies have policies prohibiting the paying out of expenses - I know a lot of heritage and charity places like this.

I don’t think your expenses should be paid, imagine if a company had to pay expenses for every interview candidate they have. Let’s say a company interviews 5 people and they all spend £300 on travel, do you think the business should pay £1500 out to people that they aren’t even hiring? Can you see how you’re being unreasonable? You said yes to the interview and made plans to travel so the cost is on you.

The unintended consequence of not paying travel expenses for interview is that people who have less disposable income can’t apply for better roles. It stops social mobility. If you’re already an ok earner, you’re in a couple and the other person is earning a reasonable amount or you come from a family that has spare cash and is willing to fund you you’re ok. If you’re doing this all on your own it’s another invisible barrier to progression. Just like the new suit an earlier poster mentioned - all expenses that show you’re either in the club (already middle class) or you’re not.

In terms of the 'experience' rejection - people can write any old manner of exaggerated dross on their CV/job applications. They won't know until the final interview whether or not someone stands up to that experience. We've all been rejected for a role because of the 'experience' answer - it just means that someone was better at proving that experience on the day.

Expecting reimbursement after attending without ever having mentioned it before looks unprofessional. This is a conversation you have after the first interview when you ask what the next stage is - where they would have said about the second interview, and then when you were offered the second interview and knew where it was, that was the time to talk about expenses.

I'm sorry you're out of pocket and don't have the job, but this is the process I have been through my whole professional life. Plus some companies just don't and never will reimburse interview expenses if it's just not in their policy. When you know the costs involved and if you will/will not be reimbursed then you make a choice on that basis. I hope you find a really good role very soon.

Why aren't you going to ask them? You should have asked before really but you can't whinge about not being paid for something you haven't asked for.

I can’t afford them. They are on my credit card. £300 is not negligible to me. It’s a large sum to me
You knew from the start that there was a reasonable chance you wouldn't get the job. If it was such a large sum for you, why didn't you asked about expenses when you were invited for a second interview? It seems like a lack of initiative on your part.

I think it’s just one of those things like buying a new suit for an interview etc.

YABU because you should have asked about this before you went.
YNBU for having expenses repaid

That's kind of selfish. They should have offered to pay.
I think it would be reasonable to write to them saying you were sorry not to get the job and struggled to afford the cost of attending this interview so early that it meant a hotel stay, so please could they make a contribution. Appeal to their better nature.

I understand but I guess it’s one of those unavoidable costs of employment alongside work attire, commuting costs etc.

On the basis you got through to second stage and that it seems like the job will be well paid given how far you’d have to travel to it I suspect it means you’ve a fair chance of getting another similar job soon that’ll cover the loss so good luck!

Assuming you don't intent to work for them in the future, I'd email requesting expenses paid.

On the basis that they knew the other party had longer in the industry, I'm assuming there were other things that tipped it, they just found this as the easiest explanation.

I’d email and ask! I’ve been to ones like this and train travel was paid for

I've read this before as well, someone else has had the exact same experience, I don't know how there's turned out but I don't suppose it could be the same employer could it?