My daughter booked a train and when went to the checkout did not include the vouchers she had and paid in full, she then cancelled the trip and booked the same journey again using the vouchers. We tried to get a refund and were told we had to collect the tickets for the unwanted journey from the fast ticket machine, attach them to a refund form, send the form by royal mail special delivery and we would get a refund less a £10 admin charge, the refund would take up to 28 days to come through. I then rang the company and explained what had happened and that we had simply made a mistake when booking, the operator told me there was nothing they could do and we would have to follow this procedure, previously if I have booked tickets and not collected them from the fast ticket machine, we have managed to get a full refund. Beware of this refund policy and if you do decide to use this company make sure you check your payment information before checking out as a simple human error can prove to be very expensive with such an inflexible operator

Wish I had read the reviews of this company (which used to be good) before buying tickets.Makes virtually no attempt to provide decent customer service.No complaints procedure.Everyone including CEO ignores emails when it suits them.Beware.

There are no words to describe the shocking treatment that I have received from this company. Will never, ever deal with them or their staff again. There should be a score worse than terrible!!!

I booked a return journey from Manchester to Cornwall total cost £154. Unfortunately within a couple of hours I had to cancel the journey. I went on to the website and went through the refund procedure and thought that my refund would be processed. I kept checking but status was still "refund pending". I didn't think anything for a number of weeks as it does say refund will be paid within 28 days plus 5 days for it to clear my account. After a couple of months Inrang them only to be told I was supposed to print the form off and send it to them. Their words were "we can't possibly keep track of all the refunds online".!I would have thought an online request would be easier than receiving mountains of forms! They said it was now too late and that my refund was no longer on their system! I'm absolutely furious they have had £154 of my money. Nowhere on the refund page does ornate to print off the form. Is there anyone else I can complain to?

I used the red spotted hanky website on 29th May 2016 to purchase 3 adult tickets from London Euston to Watford Junction for 23rd July 2016 with the option of applying two railcards (one 16-25 and one two together cost) on an open return option. I wished to return the following day but was unsure on the exact time which is why I went for an open return option. The price came up as £21.60. On checking the details for this journey in my phone application I discovered that this had come up as a day return and not an open return. I telephoned immediately and spoke to a customer services operator. When I explained the situation they that it would be possible for a full refund because I had telephoned within the hour and I would need to make the adjusted booking and then telephone again where someone from customer services would be able to issue a refund for the incorrect booking. He said he would put a note on the system explaining this. When I went back into the website to rebook, I found that I was unable to do a open return for this service and each journey was coming in as a single journey at £21.60 (railcard discounts included). To book both journeys would be a cost of £43.20!! The cost of this for one stop is more than it is costing to get from Poulton-le-Fylde to London Euston return! I telephoned customer services and spoke to a lady this time, I explained my predicament and she checked my file and said that there had been no note put on it from your operative. The lady was quite rude and short with me and I felt that she spoke to me as though I was some kind of idiot. Some of the things she was asking me to do I was unable to as I was using my mobile telephone. You are probably aware that some information is not available on a phone website as is on a PC website which was the issue I was having. She too checked with National Rail enquiries and with your own website and agreed that because the journey from London Euston was short in length there was no open return available, so the cost would be £43.20 (two singles) which I would have to book separately then phone back for them to refund the £21.60 I had already paid. I said that the journey booked was no good to me at that price and said I didn't want to book a journey at £43.20! In tern I was told that I would be billed £10.00 for admin charges so would have £11.60 refunded back to me unless I re-booked. I ended the phonecall, but thinking about it I am outraged by the ladies attitude and an admin charge of £10.00 for something which is not clearly explained on their website by the options of ticket availability. I can't believe that it costs £10.00 to send an email out, which I never received for a journey that isn't until July!!! I had a response to my email ensuring that everything was correct in the ways I had been informed and that they would be able to assist further and were processing my refund minus the 10.00 admin charge! I regularly have used this company in the past but will never do so again in the future.

I booked a return journey FOR 2 from Stoke on Trent to Paignton costing £190,when trying to book it wouldn't give me reserved seats for the return journey, i phoned red spotted hanky and was told there computers had been playing up but book it then call back and they would sort it. My confirmation email stated no reserved return seats phoning again I was told it was because I hadn't specified a time for the return journey, when I pointed out that I had they said yes you have you will receive another email with your seat numbers, 2 days later I got another email saying they couldn't do anything after another phone call they said it might be because the train was full or I hadn't specified a time for the return journey, when I told them I wasn't standing up for over four hours and pointed out I had specified a time they said I would receive another email with seat numbers, 2 days later I did get another email this time I did get reserved seat numbers at the 3rd attempt. After all this I went to my local train station to print my tickets, and yes no return seating, after asking a very helpful attendant at the stations booking office he printed my tickets off and yes they had reserved seat numbers. Just when I thought it was sorted the attendant asked why have you paid £190 when you should have only paid £89.60, in despair I phoned yet again when I got home and was told it was because I hadn't specified a time and had paid for a anytime return ticket when it clearly shows the time on all my emails, Rubbish Service & Rip Off Merchants

Do not use this site!!! I booked a senior railcard to London, and realised straight after when they sent the confirmation email that it didn't include underground travel, so I rang to cancel. I was informed by the rather rude customer service assistant that the £8.20 ticket would cost £10 to cancel due to 'admin' charges and my only option was to book another ticker, which was not an option as they didn't do any tickets which included an underground ticket - So basically no refund even though I called straight away and explained I had made a mistake, never use these people

Booking fee is not obvious until you get to the payment stage. Other companies do not charge a fee. Also, the loyalty scheme states (hidden) that loyalty points collected in a calendar year must be used in that calendar year otherwise they expire. They do not send an e-mail to warn you about this, just hidden in terms. Not a good scheme.

I bought a ticket, then needed to change the date by 1 day, which I couldn't, so I had to buy a new ticket, then was promised a refund. The refund process is very hard to fathom, but appeared to be working, so I left it, then wondered why I'd not got any money back. When I phoned them, I was told that I had needed to write in to them with the ticket in order to get the refund - absolute rubbish for an online company - and I'm now down £150. Don't use this company, I found the website to be unintuitive, and the help non-existent.

Just got off tge phone to RedSpooted Hanky ... I was trying to book a trip to london & was having no joy phoned & spoke to a very rude lady called Babs .... She spoke over me & down to me ..... Not the best customer service ..... Infact the worst i have experienced for a while . I paid more to boom thrpugh trainline bit worth every penny not to speak to their rude staff again

I checked with RSH several years ago and was told that these vouchers do not expire. Recently I found all my vouchers have disappeared from my account and that "This has been the case for some time and is available via the terms and conditions when converting your Tesco vouchers." Despite the horrible website, this was a useful service for getting maximum value from Tesco vouchers but I'll spend them elsewhere from now on, I no longer trust these people.

Up until recently I would have given a higher rating, but that is because I have had no problems. Tickets always arrived on time and no reason to contact customer service apart from confusion over using vouchers (even then I wasn't confident with their answer). I used to use another company but was tempted by Red Spotted Hankey's promotions for £10 off which were often in the newspapers and do think it's great that can use Tesco Clubcard points to purchase discounted tickets. However, recently I contacted them on behalf of my 18 year old daughter who has little of her own money. She tried to book rail tickets on the day of travel (had just been invited to an event) but there was a problem with the website, which meant she could not submit the order. She was in a bit of a rush so quickly downloaded their app. This meant she had to input her credit card details and all her other details. As she was in a rush she wrote the reference down incorrectly. Obviously, this was her own fault but you would think they would acknowledge that they had a problem with the website or acknowledge or understand my reasons for requesting a refund because this meant she had to buy tickets again at the station. I emailed them asking for a refund on the unused ticket (£12.50)and they said she could have £2.50 because £10 was an admin fee. Why, when she had to pay again do they have to charge £10. Where is the understanding of the situation. I also pointed out that due to the website not working properly her £10 voucher she had in her account expired and if she had used this, the journey would have only cost her £2.50. Instead she paid £12.50 + £14 at the station. I asked them to consider compensation in the way of her £10 voucher back in her account but they refused. My emails were polite but there was a standard reply with no warmth and no compensation. It wouldn't hurt them to do this, they would not have lost out and another journey would have been booked with them anyway. In two separate replies to my emails (one after I prompted them for a reply), they did not apologise for website having issues (I had asked them what the issue was too as could not 'submit' the order. I am due to spend over £300 on tickets soon for an holiday but I shall go elsewhere. This sort of lack of warmth or understanding type of customer service really gets me angry.

Red Spotted Hanky have no interest in their customers or the poor service their staff provide. Each time I correspond with them I am given conflicting information. I have asked them to investigate the incorrect information I was provided with about booking fees (to my financial detriment), but they have said none of their telephone calls are recorded...despite them previously advising me they do record their telephone calls. They are the worst company I have ever had the misfortune to deal with. Do not use this company.

RSH is fine if you book on line, collect tickets & everything is OK etc. However, if you hit a snag, like I have, their customer service is awful. The ticket machine failed to print the tickets & said consult station staff. They were not able to print tickets either. After contacting RSH they said they will re-issue the tickets under a different booking reference. Four days later & they still haven't done this & have no idea when I can get the tickets. Some e-mails are not even replied to, others take all day. Would not use again.

Twice now we have met the criteria for £10 reduction on tickets which Redspottedhanky has failed to honour. Will not use them again.

In short, I ordered something. It didn't arrive and Redspottedhanky are taking no ownership for this and in no way are looking to offer any level customer service at all! Very disappointed and I won't be using them again...I'll go back to thetrainline.com! I recently purchased some train tickets to be delivered by post. I phoned them as my journey is in the near future and I still do not have any tickets. I was advised that the system for re-issuing tickets is not working; and even if it was there is nothing they can do. "The tickets are non-refundable". I need to buy more tickets. Very poor customer service. Where is the common sense and empathy!

I booked a ticket which I had to cancel and did so within their terms and conditions. They told me I could have a refund when I rebooked and when I tried to do so they refused. The agent I spoke to - Pat - was the rudest customer service operator I have ever had to deal with. He kept quoting terms and conditions that didn't exist. I had them open in front of me and he swore they said something different. Can't believe they are still in business if that's how they treat their customers.

Having purchased a return ticket for travel on-line the outbound leg of the journey was then decided to take place on an earlier date, it was therefore decided to change the outbound ticket. During the call through to a customer service representative it became apparent that their lack of a grasp on the English language was unbelievable. After 45 minutes of confusion the change in booking was complete... until the confirmation email arrived and the outbound ticket was booked for a week after of the return date? After numerous calls and speaking to various 'team leaders' I was then informed that it was my fault for not being clear and would not be entitled to a refund of any sort and would in fact have to purchase another outbound ticket if I wished to travel! This sort of service is totally unacceptable and just goes to show the lengths that some companies will go to trying to save money, and squeeze out every last penny of ours!