Annual Tickets: Big Lump or Installments?

[Oisin88]

Just wondering, the people who have taxsaver annual tickets, do your employers take the cash off you from one paycheck or do they generally spread it over the year?

Someone new is starting at the bottom of the pile at work, and he could end up owing them money if he gets a yearly ticket!

[Mark Gleeson]

Its taken as 12 even amounts straight from salary before tax

[Rashers]

I think it really depends on the salary section of the employer. My company deducts in one lump sum. This actually puts a lot of people off.
However, and interestingly, from my limited research, most girls will not buy one for fear of losing it....
Touch wood, I've been buying them for 7 years, and never lost one. However, it did nearly end up in the washing machine a few times, plus, at least once or twice a year, i simply forget it...
And finally, the refunds for service failures which they round up to EUR1, are no good to me, due to the way I pay. However, on principal I apply!

[Mark Gleeson]

If you put it through the wash they will replace it at no cost, in fact there is a form to get it replaced theory is you fill in form and the new ticket is sent to a station you nominate and you collect by handing over the old one

In theory you should pay monthly, the finance act also allows for a cut in salary equivalent to the cost

[Colm Donoghue]

If you put it through the wash they will replace it at no cost, in fact there is a form to get it replaced theory is you fill in form and the new ticket is sent to a station you nominate and you collect by handing over the old one


Any idea where one would get this form?

[Mark Gleeson]

All I know if the from does exist and is mainly issued to people holding annual tickets where they no longer work in the turnstiles.

[Oisin88]

Thanks for answers. I will be talking to HSE to get them to spread the payment over 12 months.

I got the impression that you could get your annual ticket replaced. They tell you to put it on your home insurance all the same. I wonder why?

[James Shields]

My employer only does the single lump sum option, which can be a real pain.

As far as I know some companies will also allow you to buy monthly tickets (not yearly tickets spread over 12 installments) through the scheme and get tax back. This could be a real advantage if you're not sure that your public transport needs won't change during the year.

You can definitely get yearly tickets replaced. I presume the free replacement is only if you have the old ticket (I've heard of several people who had to get replacements because the magnetic strip wore out). If you lose your ticket, you can get a replacment, but there is a charge. I think it's something like €8 per month remaining on the ticket (so if your ticket runs till May and you lose it in March, you'll pay €24).

[Oisin88]

Salaries rang today to tell me that the hospital manager approved for my staff member to spread the payment over 12 equal monthly installments. Weyhey!!:) :) :)

So as they say on Braniac Science abuse: "it can be done"

[2Funki4Wheelz]

From previous experience, the BoI split it into 10 monthly payments, none around Xmas time, which was cool.
The place I'm in now told a girl who was leaving, she could pay the balance or leave the annual ticket behind:confused: . I thought you couldn't cancel an annual tickets??

[Mark Gleeson]

Its at the employers discretion since they admin it on behalf of the employee. Its not clear since its a company level t&c, way outside our domain, one of the conditions of the annual ticket tax scheme is a change in the terms of employment to cover the ticket.

It depends on your personal situation i.e. the new job, probably best off paying up if you still need the travel, the money you save is considerable, remember a annual ticket is 10 times the monthly price, then apply the tax saving.

Anyone in this situation sit down and look at the numbers, options and future needs pick what is best for you. You can get refunds but since in many cases you are paying by installments you don't own the ticket, if you have paid up front full value you can seek a refund subject to certain conditions. Best off talking to the people looking after salaries, IE or the revenue to understand whats possible

Two web pages to see
http://www.iarnrodeireann.ie/your_ticket/annual_ticket_conditions.asp
http://www.taxsavers.ie/

[TomB]

.

Best username ever! Welcome to the board :)

[2Funki4Wheelz]

Thanks, it's always been around, it's a bit more relevant now I get the train every day :cool:

[sandraoh]

My wallet was robbed yesterday along with my annual ticket and rather annoyingly the only key tomy bike lock which now remains locked at work.

I rang the tax saver commuter helpline people and they told me I would need to go into the Dublin Bus place on O'Connell street with 20 euro per month remaining on the ticket and a letter from my employer saying I was part of the scheme - all fine. I took an hour off work this afternoon to do the deed and on arrival at O'Connell street I was told I should be in Abbey street because my ticket was for the train and bus not bus and train or something obscure like that. I wandered to abbey street and queued quietly at the irish rail ticket desk. Once I got there I was told i'd need to deal with someone upstairs so she rang upstairs and told her what I wanted and eventually was asking so many questions that she just handed me the phone from behind the desk and i spoke to upstairs. I was then asked to take a seat and someone would be with me. 5 minutes later I was asked to fill out a peach coloured form and to wait for the person from upstairs. I sat for over half an hour waiting and then the upstairs person appeared and told me she couldn't get the ticket to print and she was on her own and can I come back tomorrow.
So I now need to buy another ticket in the morning - I only bought a day return because they told me it could be done there and then and I need to take another hour off work to do it because they close from 1-2 for lunch!

[Oisin88]

Rotten luck Ms O'H.
Does anyone know what's supposed to happen if you put it on your house contents insurance like they advise?

[grainne whale]

No wonder they are called 'A Clown Outfit'

[2Funki4Wheelz]

Rotten luck Ms O'H.
Does anyone know what's supposed to happen if you put it on your house contents insurance like they advise?

I was told by BOI they wouldn't cover it in my house contents and I'm guess the €20/pm mightn't exceed the 'excess' required.

And Sandraoh - I'd submit the extra tickets for refunds as you're 'double' (actually kinda treble with the €20pm) paying. Not your fault they'd printer problems.

[sandraoh]

Ok so I have my ticket finally. I went in today at 20 to 1 and got out at 20 to 2. They had to ring the engineers to figure out how to print my ticket. I tried to use today's ticket against the 20p/m I had to pay (which is what I understood I could do from the person I dealt with yesterday) but to no avail. This meant I had to go and queue in the bank with my drivers licence to get money as I have not yet received my new bank card. They were going to courier it to me this evening but they eventually got it fixed. I asked about the refund on todays 22 euro rday return ticket and one person told me it would take 7 working days and another person from the same office told me 12 to 14 working days. Thing is they just took the ticket off me and didn't even ask me to fill in a form so I'm sure I'll see none of it and even if I do it will be a fiver in the form of irish rail vouchers which are completely useless to me as an all services ticket holder. I can't wait to mention this crap when I join the Portlaoise Rail Commuters Action Committee in a meeting with Myles next week!

[2Funki4Wheelz]

Let us know how he fares (excuse the pun) at your meeting.
He was very vague with completion dates at the Portarlington meeting, and his excuses about the timetable were that it was being 'proofed at the printers' so it should be a shiny and complete now!