Further Steps Notice

[Mollie2002]

Good afternoon and thanks for taking the time to read my problem !
Im a full time student studying at Leeds Beckett Uni and have been informed by my dad that a letter have landed at home from West Yorkshire Collection and Enforcement today which is advising I owe £2046.00 and they are going to issue a warrant etc etc.
Firstly this is the first letter I have had from these people and it doesn’t advise what this is for. I have emailed them asking but had no response. The only ever time I have had a fine is earlier this year when police came to our student accommodation and issued fines for breach of covid rules as we had more people in our dorm than allowed and as I was one of two names for that room I was issued £800 fine. I was told to ignore it which I did though I couldn’t afford to pay it anyway! I was told it wouldn’t go to court and had not further correspondence for this.

I don’t just want to ignore it again as it could be an awful problem and my parents have gone mad although they also don’t know what it’s for.

any help on what to do would be appreciated

thank you
MM x

[echat11]

islandgirl Can you please take a look and advise, many thanks.

[islandgirl]

Hello Mollie. I suspect what has happened (though I do not know this - it is speculation) is that you have been issued a fixed penalty covid breach notice at your uni flat. You should not have ignored the fine. Looking online this is probably the fine involved:

Large gatherings of more than fifteen people

£800 (reduced to £400 if paid within 14 days)

I don't know who advised you ignore it but it was the worst possible advice. If you could not pay you should have contacted the court and asked for a payment plan. They may have taken £5 a week.

This may be the first time you have heard from the debt collectors but you were aware of the offence and the original fine. That £800 has now grown to a large amount because the debt collector's charges go on top.

The warrant will most likely be a warrant of control meaning they can come and take goods to the value of the debt (a car if you have one for example)

Someone else may come along with advice about how to deal with the debt collectors but I think it it were my daughter in this situation I would be asking the debt collector to reduce their fees due to my lack of income and request a payment plan to pay off the debt.

Sorry not to be able to give you better news but this is my view on your problem. Maybe someone else will contribute but one thing is for sure do not leave this! The debt collector will not go away.

[echat11]

You need to find out if they are debt collectors or bailiffs.

Here are some templates that you can amend to try to negotiate a reduced amount with creditors -

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/de...-to-creditors/

https://www.westyorkshire.police.uk/...tor-or-bailiff

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/de...re-vulnerable/

[Mollie2002]

Oh nooo! I did receive the first letter but nothing about court :-(. Not sure if they are debt collectors it just says West Yorkshire Collection and Enforcement Centre which states following steps to be taken;

issue a warrant of control to enforcement agents to take control of your goods.
Register the account in the Register of Judgements orders and fines
Make an attachment of earnings order
make an application for benefit deductions
clamp remove or sell your vehicle
make an application to the high court or county court to enforce the amount outstanding

Appeal
you have the right to appeal to the court against the fines officer decision set out in the notice. You must write to us within 10 days etc

I was just told at the time to ignore it and if it did go to court we could agree a low payment plan as I only earn a few hundred pounds a month working on minimum wage in a bar ! I do have a car that my dad bought me but not sure who’s name it is in!

OMG how stupid am I !

thank you for your help
MM x

[Mollie2002]

I’ve actually found the original Penalty notices that were issued to us, they were sent to our student accommodation in Leeds at the time in March 2021 which is 2 notices from ACRO Criminal Records Office. First one says attending a local address house party in January 17th and first offence which is 1st offence £200 - second letter the same from ACRO says 5 people were asleep on our kitchen floor 15/02 and this is second offence £400. Both letters posted to Broadcasting tower 25/3. As we left that address we have seen no further correspondence until this one sent to my parents address today. Again assume it’s related as it’s the only thing I’ve even been fined for.
Each letter says Option 1 pay within 28 days which I couldn’t do as couldn’t afford too and neither did anyone or Option 2 Request a court hearing.

thank you MM x

[Mollie2002]

It’s me again seriously panicking ! Is there any mileage in saying we left the student accommodation as the university was closed and went back home therefore not receiving the notices and first I know is the letter to my home address ? Most students did leave around this time. Clutching at straws no doubt

MMx

[islandgirl]

I don't quite know what to do in this situation to be honest. You could contact the court and tell them you got the original notice but nothing further as you were not at the address.

As you received the original notice and were aware of the fine I do not know if they would allow you to do a statutory declaration and "reset" the fine to its original levels. It may be worth getting in touch with the court that issued the fines and explaining that you moved away and heard nothing further and thought the matter had "disappeared". You can also give them details of your income and the difficulty you would have paying the fine. It is worth a try.

Contact the debt collectors and say you are in communication with the court and that they must not take any further action pending resolution. Perhaps someone who knows more about debts etc could advise but I would certainly in your shoes try to contact the court.

You are not stupid at all - you just got bad advice!

[islandgirl]

It’s me again seriously panicking ! Is there any mileage in saying we left the student accommodation as the university was closed and went back home therefore not receiving the notices and first I know is the letter to my home address ? Most students did leave around this time. Clutching at straws no doubt

MMx

Yes as above explain that you left the address and heard nothing more until now. It is certainly worth a try

[Mollie2002]

Thank you it’s appreciated, how would I know which court as it doesn’t say anywhere ? Would the West Yorkshire Collection & Enforcement Centre give me that info ? Or the original ACRO Criminal records office ?

[islandgirl]

If it does not say on the original notice or the debt letter I suspect it will be the magistrates court nearest to your student accomodation? If there is a contact number on the original fine try ringing them and finding out where it was issued - explain that you have not received the letters as you moved away and want to reopen the issue with the court

[Mollie2002]

islandgirl Thank you I will try tomorrow

[echat11]

Here is a Income and Expenditure form, might be an idea to fill one in, so you can demonstrate that you can only pay 'X' each month.

https://nedcab.cabmoney.org.uk/splash-2.asp

[Mollie2002]

Thank you, spoken to the court and been advised to email the Magistrates the hearing was done at and advice I’d had no correspondence and they will reopen the case and advice fines department to put on hold. Thanks for all your help
MM x

[islandgirl]

Excellent. Well done. Please come back and tell us what happens.