Oyster Card and claiming as expense

[MPwannadecentincome]

I am thinking of getting an Oyster Card for my once-in-month business travel into London.

I haven't asked my umbrella yet how this works as far as claiming expenses goes but I am thinking of switching to Ltd co anyway, so as each journey does not have a "receipt" how does this work out for claiming expenses?

Would I have to prove who I was meeting to prove I got there?

Cheers
Milind

[Moscow Mule]

I am thinking of getting an Oyster Card for my once-in-month business travel into London.

I haven't asked my umbrella yet how this works as far as claiming expenses goes but I am thinking of switching to Ltd co anyway, so as each journey does not have a "receipt" how does this work out for claiming expenses?

Would I have to prove who I was meeting to prove I got there?

Cheers
Milind

IIRC, once you've registered your oyster online you can print your PAYG transactions off like a bank statement.

Simply submit those as a receipt to the umbrella / Ltd co Finance Director.

[NickFitz]

IIRC, once you've registered your oyster online you can print your PAYG transactions off like a bank statement.

Simply submit those as a receipt to the umbrella / Ltd co Finance Director.

Unless they've improved things, you can only see journeys that you've made using credit added to the card online, not credit bought at a ticket machine or in a shop.

And of course when you buy credit online, you have to wait until the next day, then go to the station you specified to have it added to the card.

Nice joined-up thinking when they designed that system...

[rpgpgmr1]

Phone the Oystercard helpdesk ( think number on TFL / Oyster website) . They quite happily post out a paper statement of last 90 days useage. I did that and know couple other companies that request Oyster card useage on regular basis ( i.e a "shared office Oyster card " for business use within London ) .

[Gonzo]

Unless they've improved things, you can only see journeys that you've made using credit added to the card online, not credit bought at a ticket machine or in a shop.

And of course when you buy credit online, you have to wait until the next day, then go to the station you specified to have it added to the card.

Nice joined-up thinking when they designed that system...

If the card is registered online then it should be possible to get the history of all journeys made with the card, and that should be enough for the OP's purposes.

If it is only needed once per month I would be inclined not to bother with it and use the old fashioned paper travelcard instead.

When the Oystercards were introduced I was quick to take one up because I was not a daily tube user and found it much more convenient to have a pay as you go card for the two or three times per month that I did.

But try and get the credit on them back when you are sure that you never need it again. There's still £36 on mine.

[NickFitz]

If the card is registered online then it should be possible to get the history of all journeys made with the card, and that should be enough for the OP's purposes.

Ah, yes - it does now show all journeys. However:

Please note, it normally takes 48 hours for journeys to be added to your statement.

For legal reasons we are only able to display up to eight weeks of data.

If it is only needed once per month I would be inclined not to bother with it and use the old fashioned paper travelcard instead.

That would mean losing the Oyster daily price cap. The additional cost would almost certainly wipe out the gain from claiming the travel as a business expense, rendering the whole process moot.

There's still £36 on mine.

Even when working in London I never top up more than twenty quid at a time...

[HairyArsedBloke]

I am thinking of getting an Oyster Card for my once-in-month business travel into London.

I haven't asked my umbrella yet how this works as far as claiming expenses goes but I am thinking of switching to Ltd co anyway, so as each journey does not have a "receipt" how does this work out for claiming expenses?

Would I have to prove who I was meeting to prove I got there?

Cheers
Milind

Get a cabbie to give you more than one receipt and fill in whatever you like.

[Gonzo]

But try and get the credit on them back when you are sure that you never need it again. There's still £36 on mine.

Even when working in London I never top up more than twenty quid at a time...

Me neither. The balance was so high because I transferred over the unused credit on two cards that I loaned to my in-laws when they were visiting last October. I tried to get the credit refunded - but it was too difficult and transferring it to my card ended up being the only option that I could complete without too much difficulty.

[Gonzo]

Get a cabbie to give you more than one receipt and fill in whatever you like.

Buy a pack of blank cab receipts from Rymans and fill in whatever you like.

Not that I ever did of course.

[MPwannadecentincome]

Well thanks for the quick info everyone - 48 hours and 8 weeks is no hassle for me as that all fits in within a month's expense claim anyway.

The other benefit is no more queueing at the ticket office or the machine digging out change - which I would have spent on the car park ticket anyway.

As my journey will cross 8 zones - yes I live in zone 8 - I think its worthwhile for me even for just once a month.

And I probably won't top up by more than £20 either.

So I'm off to the local retailer this weekend to buy one ready for Monday - I'm lucky that I live in an area where it can be used on the overland train as well!

Cheers