Ticket to chide

Are you a rail traveller whose life has been made a misery by the delays of recent weeks? A professional complainer offers 10 steps to get your grievance heard.

For thousands of rail users caught up in the current wave of delays, the restoration of a fast and reliable service is not the only thing they are looking forward to.

What you are due

Under the rail passenger's charter, if your train is more than an hour late, you are entitled to at least a 20% refund on your fare

Some companies offer more as a matter of course or depending on individual circumstances

Many are also eagerly awaiting a cheque from their rail company, compensating them for the inconvenience of recent weeks.

Rail operators are in the process of contacting season ticket holders directly. But a question mark hangs over many of those who travel on weekly passes or day tickets.

While they are eligible for money back under the terms of the Rail Passenger's Charter, actually getting an acceptable refund may require considerable effort.

Many of those who have claimed for compensation in the past believe there is little, if any, consistency in how refunds are calculated.

And the journey time in 2000 will be...

Amounts vary between different operators and sometimes two passengers stuck on the same train will receive notably different sums.

Your success in winning compensation may rest on how well you make your case, believes seasoned complainer Jasper Griegson, who has written a book on consumer rights.

Here, Mr Griegson offers long-suffering rail passengers advice on how best to claim. (Click here to return to the top of the page.)

1) Revenge is a dish best served cold, says Mr Griegson. Rather than ranting and raving at railway guards and officials, save your energy.

2) Save your ticket as proof of travel. If you have already thrown it away, all is not lost. The Association of Train Operating Companies says providing proof of purchase - a bank statement, credit card bill or receipt - will be enough.

The typewriter is mightier than the pen

3) For those who paid with cash, Virgin Trains says it will "look favourably" on a letter from your employer stating you travelled on a certain day. Mr Griegson says other documents, such as shop receipts or hotel bills, might cut it with other companies.

4) Set out your complaint in a letter, rather than using an off-the-peg compensation form, says Mr Griegson. Forms can be hard to come by, and allow limited space to set out your complaint.

5) Use a word processor or typewriter for clarity.

6) Do not over write your complaint. "Make it pithy; to the point," says Mr Griegson. But do make clear how the delay inconvenienced you.

7) Include all essential information: the timetabled departure time of your train, the time it arrived at your destination and how late it was. Remember to include your name and address and, if you are a regular customer, make your loyalty clear.

Please find enclosed proof of pregnancy

8) Include any special circumstances that may have made your journey more traumatic. Are you disabled or pregnant?

9) Don't specify exactly how much compensation you're after - it might be less than they would offer anyway. "I always say I'm looking for a 'meaningful gesture of goodwill'," says Mr Griegson.

10) Don't waste your money on recorded delivery. "It's expensive and the postal service is generally very reliable. I'd only recommend recorded delivery for small, dodgy companies."

---

Some frustrated passengers are bound to feel that even the most sharply worded letter will end up buried under the avalanche of current rail complaints.

In which case, Mr Griegson is offering to forward grievances directly to offending train operators through his website Complainer.co.uk (see Internet links), for free.