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Annual Taxsaver Bus Rail leap card Coronavirus Covid 19 refund for not used ticket

2»

Comments

  • #52
    L1011
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 69,536 ✭✭✭✭L1011


    The CIE and Luas annuals are priced as 10x monthlies; don't know if that principle applies to the private operators.

    I don't think they're going to pull that on any extensions, though.

    I think I may have used my ticket once in April and once in May; and I'm seriously considering going back on the train from Monday so doubt there's any extension for me!


  • #53
    0gac3yjefb5sv7
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,948 ✭✭✭0gac3yjefb5sv7


    I got my ticket via work in December to November this year.

    I'll only be using it once a week until next year I'd imagine. Should I cancel it or what's best financially?


  • #54
    cdeb
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 7,264 Mod ✭✭✭✭cdeb


    The more this goes on, the more it seems the best answer is to cancel and take the hit.

    An extension won't be worth much if you're in the office once a week.

    But everyone's circumstances are different of course.


  • #55
    L1011
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 69,536 ✭✭✭✭L1011


    Forgot I could check the usage on the phone (website has locked me out and reset emails seem to be sent by a human, so aren't being sent)

    Didnt use it in May at all, did one tram trip in April. So might get a month. I'm still in five days a week, been driving a branded pool vehicle as it would get waved through checkpoints.


  • #56
    loyatemu
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,103 ✭✭✭✭loyatemu


    I figured out that if I'm in the office twice a week, the taxsaver is worth it. Once a week, it's not but there's not much in it. This is because I'm in Greystones, one return journey into town on the Dart and I hit the Leap daily cap, so the Taxsaver is very good value for me.


  • #57
    0gac3yjefb5sv7
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,948 ✭✭✭0gac3yjefb5sv7


    How do you work out if it's worthwhile to cancel it or not?


  • #58
    cdeb
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 7,264 Mod ✭✭✭✭cdeb


    You'd probably have to see -

    > How much you would get back (depends on how long is left, how many months you are paying over, etc)
    > How much that means to you nett (which would depend on whether you pay top-rate tax or not) and
    > How much use you expect to get out of any extended period

    So if you got back €150 into your pocket for cancelling the last three months, that's only worth it if you expect to spend less than €150 on public transport over the three months' extension


  • #59
    Chivito550
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,695 ✭✭✭Chivito550


    loyatemu wrote: »
    I've been told that as the annual ticket includes 2 free months, they won't be refunded. My ticket expires end of this month so I'll get a 1 month refund for not using it in April/May/June.

    Where are you hearing this? That can't be right. Would be completely unfair.


  • #60
    loyatemu
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,103 ✭✭✭✭loyatemu


    Chivito550 wrote: »
    Where are you hearing this? That can't be right. Would be completely unfair.

    Company HR but they're getting it from Taxsaver. It's correct though, annual rail ticket is the price of 10 monthly tickets.


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  • #61
    Chivito550
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,695 ✭✭✭Chivito550


    loyatemu wrote: »
    Company HR but they're getting it from Taxsaver. It's correct though, annual rail ticket is the price of 10 monthly tickets.

    Yes, but we purchased an annual ticket, not a 10 month ticket. Pretty sure if anyone in legal profession was arsed digging deep into this they'd have to refund for those 2 months.


  • #62
    L1011
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 69,536 ✭✭✭✭L1011


    Chivito550 wrote: »
    Yes, but we purchased an annual ticket, not a 10 month ticket. Pretty sure if anyone in legal profession was arsed digging deep into this they'd have to refund for those 2 months.

    The refund for the first 10 months is based on the monthly ticket value, not a 12th of the total. The last two are considered at zero.


  • #63
    cdeb
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 7,264 Mod ✭✭✭✭cdeb


    Correct. It's a bit like a contract break clause I guess. It's what you signed up for, so talk of legal threats is nonsense.


  • #64
    Chivito550
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,695 ✭✭✭Chivito550


    L1011 wrote: »
    The refund for the first 10 months is based on the monthly ticket value, not a 12th of the total. The last two are considered at zero.

    So I can't even claim credit for those 2 months to use later?


  • #65
    cdeb
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 7,264 Mod ✭✭✭✭cdeb


    No, any extension period would seem to include them.

    You've bought them so should get the use of them. But they're free, so there's nothing to refund


  • #66
    Chivito550
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,695 ✭✭✭Chivito550


    cdeb wrote: »
    No, any extension period would seem to include them.

    You've bought them so should get the use of them. But they're free, so there's nothing to refund

    How do I get to arrange my 1.5 months for a later date though? I won't be working in town again for several months so have no need for public transport right now.


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  • #67
    cdeb
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 7,264 Mod ✭✭✭✭cdeb


    Details are tbc per the Taxsaver website.

    We don't know yet


  • #68
    PCros
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,078 ✭✭✭PCros


    Hi just wondering what I should do here.

    April was the last month that I contributed anything to my Taxsaver leap car and May/June were my zero payment months thus completing the year.

    HR are saying the refund for April goes back to them and not myself - is that correct?


  • #69
    Sarn
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,091 ✭✭✭Sarn


    PCros wrote: »
    Hi just wondering what I should do here.

    April was the last month that I contributed anything to my Taxsaver leap car and May/June were my zero payment months thus completing the year.

    HR are saying the refund for April goes back to them and not myself - is that correct?

    It sounds like you didn’t pay the full amount for the ticket.

    In our workplace the payment is spread over 12 months. If you paid the full annual cost for the ticket, then the refund, if any, should be passed to you. If you cancelled the ticket at 10 months and have not fully paid for the ticket then the refund would go to your employer, my understanding is that they could also look for any outstanding amount, given that they pay for it in full at the start.


  • #70
    PCros
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,078 ✭✭✭PCros


    Thanks for the reply.

    My ticket is paid for over 10 months not 12.


  • #71
    cdeb
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 7,264 Mod ✭✭✭✭cdeb


    There's no particular reason for HR to keep the refund.

    Best thing to do is work out how much you've paid from your payslips. You know the overall price of the ticket - so you can compare what you have paid to what you should have paid. If you've paid the full price, then you are owed a refund.

    HR should be able to reconcile the invoice total, minus the refund, to what's on your payslips.


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  • #72
    cdeb
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 7,264 Mod ✭✭✭✭cdeb


    Worth noting too that Iarnród Éireann do appear to be accepting back-dated refund requests going back to 1st April. This would cancel your ticket and presumably waive any extension period once all this is over (because you can't get a refund and an extension)

    Not sure if Luas/Dublin Bus are doing the same though.


  • #73
    jack presley
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,687 ✭✭✭✭jack presley


    Do most people get their salary deducted for 10 months and then nothing the other two or is the cost spread out over 12 months? Mine is spread out over the 12 and might explain why my employer has said I'll be getting two months cash back at the end of this month. My ticket only started in February and I made 4 monthly payments but stopped using the ticket in mid March like most people so they could be refunding me the 2 months that they charged me but hadn't paid Taxsaver yet. is that a possibility?


  • #74
    cdeb
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 7,264 Mod ✭✭✭✭cdeb


    You can agree repayment terms with HR.

    Taxsaver recommend you do 10 monthly deductions because it ties in to their costing. Most people split it over 12 months because that's longer (and it's also a reminder for HR/Finance as to when the ticket is about to expire)

    Or you can deduct it all in one go if you want - some people are happier taking one hit out of their salary and then being back to normal for the other 11 months.


  • #75
    billyhead
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,960 ✭✭✭billyhead


    My annual pass is due to expire the end of June. Does anyone know if the validity of the tickets should just roll over beyond the end of the month?


  • #76
    jack presley
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,687 ✭✭✭✭jack presley


    cdeb wrote: »
    Do - don't mean to come across as one of those "You're wrong!" internet types, but if you've gotten a refund for past months (which I don't think you have unfortunately), then that means something solid has happened after a couple of months of complete stasis really.

    Just to update on this, I got my payslip for June and I have been refunded €260 as well as not having the -€162.50 taken out any more (these are the pre-tax amounts).


  • #77
    cdeb
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 7,264 Mod ✭✭✭✭cdeb


    Yeah, it does look like Iarnród Éireann and Dublin Bus are both allowing Taxsaver tickets to be cancelled retrospectively with effect from 1st April if you haven't used it in that time. Haven't heard if Luas are doing the same thing. I presume you don't get any extension period in that event, but if you're going to be working from home for a while, then the extension period probably isn't worth it anyway.


  • #78
    namloc1980
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,329 ✭✭✭✭namloc1980


    Is there any word from the NTA on this yet? Nearly 2 months since they made an announcement and said they were working on designing how things would work. I may have missed it but I've seen nothing from them since.


  • #79
    cdeb
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 7,264 Mod ✭✭✭✭cdeb


    The Taxsaver website still has the same update from two months ago anyway.

    I haven't seen any update since. I asked about extending a ticket a couple of weeks ago and there was no details as yet.


  • #80
    BRYAN Is Ainm Dom
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 418 ✭✭BRYAN Is Ainm Dom


    namloc1980 wrote: »
    Is there any word from the NTA on this yet? Nearly 2 months since they made an announcement and said they were working on designing how things would work. I may have missed it but I've seen nothing from them since.


    Everyone involved are totally shower, from NTA to Department Transport and Taxsaver. No updates in 2 months and some cases no information at all. Total disgrace.


    Department Transport did not respond to my mail 10 weeks ago on the matter. NTA gave me reply 4 weeks which was just the press release, send follow email last week, so will see if i get reply on that. No reply from Tax Saver.


    I am civil servant and spoke to Peoplepoint on issue, told me it is not under their remit and I should go to HR, went to HR, send me back to Peoplepoint, complete lack of ownership on the matter from everybody.


    Spoke to my provider who is a private operator and just said they are working on it, that was 4 weeks ago tomorrow.


  • #81
    0gac3yjefb5sv7
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,948 ✭✭✭0gac3yjefb5sv7


    If you've used the ticket in the past 2 weeks etc, I'm assuming they can still cancel it back to 1st April and deduct any usage?


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  • #82
    Rodney Bathgate
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,445 ✭✭✭Rodney Bathgate


    MattS1 wrote: »
    If you've used the ticket in the past 2 weeks etc, I'm assuming they can still cancel it back to 1st April and deduct any usage?

    I suspect they will certainly try exclude any month in which you use it. Hard to say as no details are available.

    I have a yearly ticket, I haven’t used it since mid March, so I would expect a refund for April, May and June so far. If I do go into the city center in July or August, I will not bring / use my yearly ticket to ensure I don’t fall victim to that.


  • #83
    namloc1980
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,329 ✭✭✭✭namloc1980


    It's ridiculous that two months later there continues to be radio silence form the NTA on this. I haven't used my ticket since mid March but my company's HR said if I cancel then it is only going forward and there is no arrangement agreed yet on what happens with tickets unused since April as there is no direction from the NTA. Very shoddy from the NTA to have this still outstanding months later.


  • #84
    cdeb
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 7,264 Mod ✭✭✭✭cdeb


    While I agree the silence is annoying (though it is a very tricky time for public transport it has to be said), both Iarnród Éireann and Dublin Bus are allowing ticket cancellations to be backdated to 1st April.

    They haven't exactly been spreading the word, but if you haven't used your ticket since March, you should be able to backdate the cancellation to 1st April


  • #85
    SeeMoreBut
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 800 ✭✭✭SeeMoreBut


    My ticket expires today but HR keep saying they've been told nothing official. All I'll get back is 1 month for April as last 2 months are free but if I hold off until I'm back in the office which could be next year then will the extension hold off till then as I'd get 3 months for the price of 1 + the tax benefit.

    They should have something more concrete at this stage or at least some sort of update


  • #86
    namloc1980
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,329 ✭✭✭✭namloc1980


    cdeb wrote: »
    While I agree the silence is annoying (though it is a very tricky time for public transport it has to be said), both Iarnród Éireann and Dublin Bus are allowing ticket cancellations to be backdated to 1st April.

    They haven't exactly been spreading the word, but if you haven't used your ticket since March, you should be able to backdate the cancellation to 1st April

    How do you go about that? My ticket is a Cork City Bus & Rail combo. My HR saying they've heard nothing about any arrangements.


  • #87
    cdeb
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 7,264 Mod ✭✭✭✭cdeb


    There's a standard credit application form you submit when you want to cancel a ticket and it asks you for the date of cancellation. It says you can't backdate the cancellation - but put in 1st April anyway, and ask the question when sending it in.

    I presume the Cork rail part is still part of IÉ. Private bus operators may work differently, though again, I presume if it's a joint ticket with the rail, it's going to be part of the same group.


  • #88
    namloc1980
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,329 ✭✭✭✭namloc1980


    cdeb wrote: »
    There's a standard credit application form you submit when you want to cancel a ticket and it asks you for the date of cancellation. It says you can't backdate the cancellation - but put in 1st April anyway, and ask the question when sending it in.

    I presume the Cork rail part is still part of IÉ. Private bus operators may work differently, though again, I presume if it's a joint ticket with the rail, it's going to be part of the same group.

    My company uses travelhub online portal. No option to backdate on that. I sent a mail to the NTA and they just quoted back to me word for word the press release from the start of May.


  • #89
    Sheep Shagger
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators Posts: 6,542 Mod ✭✭✭✭Sheep Shagger


    namloc1980 wrote: »
    My company uses travelhub online portal. No option to backdate on that. I sent a mail to the NTA and they just quoted back to me word for word the press release from the start of May.

    I'm pissed at myself, have not used public transport since late March. Up until now I didn't even know you could cancel an annual ticket part way through its term.

    When I looked at travel hub a few mknths back all it said was people would get months added on their expiry date, nothing about cancelling.

    Won't be working 5 days a week again in the office so will cancel the annual ticket and switch to the pay as you go option via a normal leap card.

    Pity I've lost €130pm for April, May, June and July.

    Am angry I didn't cop on to this earlier, nor did travelhub or my HR ever explain the options under COVID-19.


  • #90
    irsy
    Registered Users Posts: 12 ✭irsy


    I have annual TaxSaver Dublin Bus and Rail ticket (€1800). The ticket has started on 1st of April 2020. So, I didn't use it a single time. I got an announcement today our offices will remain closed till January 2021. So, I unlikely will use the ticket anyway. If I cancel that ticket now is there any chance to get a refund for 4 unused months? My HR has no information about that.


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  • #91
    cdeb
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 7,264 Mod ✭✭✭✭cdeb


    It seems they are reimbursing with effect from 1st April alright, given the circumstances.

    I'm not sure how refund works on a ticket that's never been used - do they still take the two months off?

    But HR should be able to apply for a credit with effect from 1st April based on the standard credit application.


  • #92
    veryangryman
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,600 ✭✭✭veryangryman


    Got my Irish Rail refund credit note today (well HR did and will pass to Payroll)

    The annual ticket was 4960 and i hadnt travelled since March.

    Credit note is for 3472. This indicates a 7 month refund. Which makes sense as ive travelled 3 months and the annual includes 2 free months so 7 left in it.

    The refund i guess is a gross credit as it hadn't been taxed yet. So with that in mind as i'm on the higher rates, i'd get 48% of the amount which is 1666.56

    Any tax afficianados here to help confirm my calculations?


  • #93
    cdeb
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 7,264 Mod ✭✭✭✭cdeb


    Sounds ballpark correct alright.


  • #94
    Tzardine
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,884 ✭✭✭Tzardine


    Very frustrating situation.

    I have an annual ticket which I pay for over 12 months.

    I was unable to use it for 3 months. I have spoken to HR a number of times about getting a refund but they have said that no guidance has been issued yet (public sector employer). I should be due about €600 refund after the tax benefit.

    Also, this nonsense about losing two months refund on the annual ticket should not be right. From the taxsaver.ie website:

    "For commuters who are to continue employment with their current employer, under the NTA plan, the customer will be offered free travel for a number of months equivalent to the length of time they have been unable to use their ticket as a result of travel restrictions."


  • #95
    cdeb
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 7,264 Mod ✭✭✭✭cdeb


    Tzardine wrote: »
    Also, this nonsense about losing two months refund on the annual ticket should not be right. From the taxsaver.ie website:

    "For commuters who are to continue employment with their current employer, under the NTA plan, the customer will be offered free travel for a number of months equivalent to the length of time they have been unable to use their ticket as a result of travel restrictions."
    The two months is if you cancel. The extension is if you don't cancel. They're two different matters.


  • #96
    billyhead
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,960 ✭✭✭billyhead


    When does the extension take effect?


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  • #97
    cdeb
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 7,264 Mod ✭✭✭✭cdeb


    Details still TBC


  • #98
    jack presley
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,687 ✭✭✭✭jack presley


    Update here

    https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/annual-bus-and-luas-passes-to-be-automatically-extended-by-six-months-1.4328676


  • #99
    devnull
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 11,684 Mod ✭✭✭✭devnull


    The NTA have announced that a six month extension is being applied to all annual TaxSaver cards.

    New Thread on this here as I can't merge due to a tech issue.
    https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2058103992


This discussion has been closed.
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