I bought two easyBus tickets in advance for the 12.40am service from Stansted airport to London’s Old Street on 15 July. The cost was £7.98. We arrived at the pick-up point at 12.25am and waited until 1am, but the easyBus failed to show up.

This was the last bus of the evening and trains were no longer running, so we had no choice but to pay £78.50 for a taxi home. I have since sent two complaint letters to easyBus’s customer services – one on 16 July and one on 12 August.

I demanded a refund for the ticket cost as well as the unforeseen taxi costs – a total of £86.48. I have received no reply and they have failed even to acknowledge my letters.

Internet research suggests there are many issues with easyBus (including a previous article in the Guardian about a “lost driver”) and there are numerous negative reviews online.

Please help. I have not ruled out going through the small claims court. CH, London

EasyBus – owned by the EasyGroup – bills itself as “probably the cheapest” way of getting from central London to Gatwick, Stansted and Luton airports. But you are right to say that it has a reputation for providing an unreliable service; it is currently ranked a lowly 372 out of 375 in the travel and holidays category on customer reviews website Trustpilot.

The London City (Old Street station) to Stansted service is its newest route. Had the bus simply not turned up, as you claim, then you would have been entitled to a refund of your ticket price. And the company’s terms and conditions make it clear that if a plane arrives early or late, you may use the same ticket at no extra cost to travel on the next available bus, up to 60 minutes either side of your booked time. Clearly that was not an option as this was the last scheduled bus of the day.

But when we contacted the company – which went back to check its official records (and through independent RAC telematics) – it disputed your version of events and claimed the bus had turned up on time that night. A spokeswoman said: “We have investigated this incident and can confirm that our scheduled service arrived at Stansted at 12.36am, in time to pick up the scheduled service at 12.40am. The driver also confirmed on the waybill [journey form] that the bus departed at 12.40am, collecting five other pre-booked passengers.”

The company’s terms state that it does not give refunds (or re-credit easyBus accounts) to passengers who miss their booked easyBus for any reason.

Oddly, though, it said that in cases like this, it is the driver’s word versus yours, as it was not clear whether you might have been waiting at the correct stop. You said you had printed out the online map showing the pick-up point to take with you on holiday, knowing that you would be returning late at night and might be tired after your flight.

As to why easyBus had not replied to your complaint, it said those it received online trigger an automated standard response and then a follow-up where necessary. But its general policy on letters sent by post (as yours was) is not to routinely reply, although it will categorise and process refunds where customers are eligible. We think it needs to improve this.

The good news is that despite disagreeing with your version of events, easyBus has – generously and, some might think, puzzlingly – agreed to pay a full refund “over and above its usual policy”, amounting to £90. It has spoken to you about this and you have decided to accept its offer.

We welcome letters but cannot answer individually. Email us at consumer.champions@theguardian.com or write to Consumer Champions, Money, the Guardian, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU. Please include a daytime phone number