to be annoyed with train company (season ticket related)

[lastnightiwenttomanderley]

I have commuted into London for the past 5 years, currently spending over £5500 a year on my ticket.

On my route, service is somewhat variable meaning that every year I have received a renewal discount of either 5 or 10% by way of compensation. Our train company don't do this journey by journey like some others do.

Now I'm pregnant and won't be renewing my ticket, I've just realised that this means I will get no compensation at all for this year's awful service (it has been truly awful, at least 1hr delay on a 45 min journey more than once a week for the last 8 weeks of the year). I appreciate I should have seen this coming but it seems utterly unfair that anyone not renewing their ticket gets nothing in the way of acknowledgement of the poor service.

Interestingly I have taken to google and found that Virgin give equivalent vouchers or a cash refund in this circumstance - which seems perfectly reasonable and fair. Why on earth aren't other companies forced to do this? Advice from other former commuters appreciated!

The whole compensation thing is kind of weird, in my mind. I don't really get the justification or sense of entitlement (yes I am a regular commuter & sometimes get delays).

Abellio Greater Anglia do a free upgrade to first class for mums to be in the last 8 weeks of pregnancy- does your company do this? At least you can be in comfort during the delays.

I do have sympathy- they should get you from A to B on time YANBU

Maybe try complaining to Passenger Focus.

It really is about time that rail companies were subject to the same consumer laws as any other company providing a service to the public.

I suffered this too when I went on maternity leave and with hindsight think I should perhaps have written to the train company to request cash refund / vouchers, especially given that other train companies do this (which I didn't know until now). I remember thinking it was unfair. YANBU. Write to them I think.

ragged - I don't get your post! You don't understand compensation for delayed / cancelled train journeys? It's that whole, "paid for a service you didn't receive" thing! Pretty common in most areas of society to expect your money back in that situation.

Thanks all for the responses.

Alerie Yes, they do but only if there are no seats available anywhere else on the train. Fortunately, my trains may be delayed but due to the distance I travel I am rarely without a seat (there is a magical evening train which doesn't stop at Reading!)

Sounds like i'm not being daft in following it up but I don't hold out much hope.... Will go the 'polite ignorance' route to start with and see where that gets me. The rail companies really do get away with a lot and there seems to be a real disconnect between the people who use the service and the people who control the franchise.

ragged is it really so unusual to expect some acknowledgement of poor service? If you paid over £5k for something and it didn't work fairly certain you'd be back to the shop sharpish. Why should a service be any different?