File a Complaint Against First Bus and Get Refunded

Chances are good that you've ridden a First Bus somewhere in the UK—the company is based in Aberdeen, but their fleet runs all over most of Scotland, England, and Ireland. First Bus was the first nationwide bus company to offer completely digital services, from buying your ticket to planning your trip. With all these buses running, something will inevitably go wrong at some point. When that happens, do customers have options besides firing off a bad review on the app? Yes, you do–and DoNotPay has all the info you need to file .

How to File a Complaint Against First Bus

If you've left your Tesco bags or Hermes scarf on the bus and they're not there when you go back to retrieve them, you have the grounds for a complaint. The same thing is true if you're injured on a bus—someone spills their hot latte on you—or your property is damaged ( your seatmate's burrito leaks onto your seat and ruins your pants).

If you've had a problem with First Bus, the company website asks that you contact them first to resolve the issues. Here's how you can get in touch with their customer service department.

First Bus Support/FAQ Site	Help and Support
First Bus Phone Number (Customer Support)	0345 646 0700
First Bus Phone Number (Complaints)	0345 646 0707
First Bus Contact Form	Online Form

When to Call

Monday - Friday
8 am - 6 pm

They do say that the best time to call is between 11 and 3, so if you can manage it, call then.

Online

First Bus Website

Quite frankly, calling in person is the fastest way to get in contact with an agent–if you use the website, it can take up to three days for an agent to respond.

The Complaint Process

Once you file the complaint, the customer service agent will try to solve your problem right away, but sometimes the situation is more complicated and takes longer. If the agent thinks your case will take some time to resolve, you'll get a case reference number so any agent you speak with can quickly reference your case.

Information You’ll Need

The number of the bus—a five-digit number that's indicated on both the front and the back of the bu, and inside near the driver.
The time and date of the incident

You must have the bus number as that allows the company to retrieve the CCTV from the bus.

If First Bus Can’t Resolve Your Problem

If you've tried to resolve your and feel like you're beating your head against the wall, you do have other options. In the UK, there are three sources for complaint resolutions beyond the company itself.

Alternative Dispute Resolutions (ADR)
Ombudsman
Small Claims Court

Of these three, your best bets are an ADR complaint or a trip to small claims court—the ombudsman option does not apply to all transportation, just the rail lines.

Escalate Your Complaint to ADR

If you're not happy with First Bus' resolution, you can use the ADR process. First Bus participates in this scheme and asks that you contact Bus Users UK to file further complaints and actions. Bus Users UK represents the passenger in these cases and works to clear up any miscommunications between the bus line and the consumer—like what happened to your missing groceries. Bus Users UK will only get involved after you've gone through the process with First Bus, so don't try to skip that first step.

Contact: Bus Users UK

Suing First Bus in Court

If Bus Users UK hits another dead end, then you may opt to send demand letters to the company for a court claim (this used to be a small claims court). These are the maximum allowed damages if you go this route.

England and Wales: £10,000
Scotland: £5,000
Ireland: £3,000

Filing Online

You can send demand letters to First Bus by filing online. Here's what you'll need.

Name, address, and email of the defending company (First Bus)
Debit or credit card number to pay the complaint letters fees

DoNotPay Can File for You

Or, you can decide you don't need the hassle and let DoNotPay claim you. It just takes a few minutes on our mobile app, and you're done. Here's how.

Get Any Customer Service Issue Resolved With DoNotPay

The truth is, we can help you resolve almost any customer service complaint. Our state-of-the-art mobile app is like your own palm solicitor, ready to help you out with lots of life's small nuisances—and without those hefty solicitor fees.

It doesn't matter if your issue is with a government entity, a utility, or a private company—we have the technology to draft a letter specific to your problem.

Can DoNotPay Handle Other Stuff?

We don't stop with complaints. Our app can help you with parking tickets, hotel bills, flight compensation, and getting free trials—just to name a few. Join DoNotPay today to protect your rights and fight bureaucracy in just a few clicks!