Delay Repay Surprise "Good Will Gesture"

On 8th January, I was delayed by 31 minutes, just enough to claim for Delay Repay. Assuming that because the journey in question came under my monthly Shenfield-Chelmsford season ticket, I would have no issues claiming for the delay, but then it struck me, this is Abellio and they never make things easy, especially when it comes to them giving me money.

They claimed that my ticket was not on the system and I would have to send it to them as proof that I had a ticket for the journey I was claiming for. Given the fact that they're supposed to have a log of monthly or annual season tickets on their system, I thought it was a bit odd (Again, this is Abellio we're talking about) So as I like to keep a record of my tickets, I scanned the ticket, along with my season ticket photo card and sent them the scanned copy, along with this letter on 22nd January:

Greater Anglia Contact Centre

Delay Repay Department

Ref: GA150119-BBMX

Dear Sir/Madam,

Thank you for your letter about my Delay Repay claim for 8^th January 2015. The letter you sent to me requested that I sent you the ticket to further process my claim, which confused me, as I was under the impression that monthly and annual season tickets were stored on your computer system, thus negating the need for the passenger to send proof of the ticket.

I buy a monthly season ticket most months on my travels between Shenfield and Chelmsford, getting weekly tickets during months when I have annual leave from work. I’ve been doing this for nigh on four years now, and never before have I had so much trouble claiming for delays. For your convenience, however, I have photocopied the ticket I was using on 8^th January, along with my season ticket photo card. Although given the fact I’m using my own paper and ink to do so, I feel as if I should be charging you for my time and for the paper and ink I’m using, as I seem to be doing your job for you.

I pay over £100 per month to AGA for a shoddy service and I seem to get treated with contempt at every turn, the fact you want proof suggests that you don’t believe that I’ve bought a ticket, upon which I am complaining. As if it wasn’t enough to expect me to have to pay to use a filthy and often late running service, you don’t want to pay out for when your service is running 31 minutes late.

Please send me my compensation and make it easier for me, and other passengers, to claim for when you inconvenience them. Thank you.

Kind Regards,

Daniel Collins.

As you can see, it's reasonably strongly worded, but it got my point across. I've been waiting for a reply since and low and behold, this morning, I got one. And here it is:

Needless to say, much to my shock, they not only gave me my Delay Repay, which, given a 31 minute delay, should have been roughly £2.75, they decided to top it up to a whole £5 because of the "poor service" I have received. £2.25 doesn't quite cover the continued poor service you give and the disgusting conditions, I and thousands of others are expected to travel in on AGA's trains. But, I'm not going to look a gift horse in the mouth (I certainly wouldn't want to look Jamie Burles or Jonathan Denby in the mouth) and I'll take it and use it on one of my forthcoming season tickets in the next few months.