Tweet
Hi all,
I've not been on this forum for a while but would really appreciate some urgent advice...
Last November I was fined £350 + £150 costs for a drink drive offence and ordered to repay £25 every fortnight.
Unfortunately I got a little behind with repayments over Christmas but endeavoured to catch up and was back on schedule in repaying the fine by end April.
In total I paid £350.00 to the courts by debit card, however on 28 March one of my £50 payments was returned to my bank account and I was unable to make any further payments, so I therefore still owe £200.00.
A couple of days later I received a Notice from Philips bailiffs demanding £375.00.
I ignored the notice and began trying to (unsuccessfully) contact the HMCS Collection centre to find out what was going on, however, they never seem to be available to answer their phones.
So a few weeks ago I wrote to HMCS asking why the fine had been passed over to the bailiffs and how much they'd agreed in charges and whether the fine could be passed back to the courts.
The unhelpful reply that I received on Friday reads as follows:-
Dear Madam,
When a payment arrangement made by Court has been defaulted a 'further steps notice' was issued to you on 3rd Feb advising that you had broke your arrangement, you have 10 days to pay in full and the steps that can be made against you if you do not comply.
A warrant of distress was issued to Philips bailiffs on 21st February 2011. The fees charges by Philips are pre-arranged standard fees, if you require further information you will need to contact Philips directly.
A warrant of distress cannot be contested. Whilst the warrant is valid the Courts cannot intervene.
The money you have paid since the warrant has been refunded to you as the Courts cannot accept payment whilst the warrant is valid.
Yours faithfully....
As far as I am aware I never received a 'Further Steps Notice' and further more, the last payment to be successfully made to the Court left my account on 23/02/11.
Today I got home from work to find that a bailiff has visited my home (1st visit only other correspondence was via royal mail) and they now want £575!!!
I am on my own with two children, I work part time but don't earn much as I get some help with Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit plus WFTC.
I feel very distressed and vulnerable after reading that the bailiff can force entry and don't know what to do, I don't have access to that sort of money and don't understand how my fine can increase from £200 to £575 after a couple of letters and one visit by the bailiffs and how the Court can be so unhelpful when it was obvious that I was making payments to clear the fine.
Please any advice appreciated.
Yours worriedly,
Jo
I've not been on this forum for a while but would really appreciate some urgent advice...
Last November I was fined £350 + £150 costs for a drink drive offence and ordered to repay £25 every fortnight.
Unfortunately I got a little behind with repayments over Christmas but endeavoured to catch up and was back on schedule in repaying the fine by end April.
In total I paid £350.00 to the courts by debit card, however on 28 March one of my £50 payments was returned to my bank account and I was unable to make any further payments, so I therefore still owe £200.00.
A couple of days later I received a Notice from Philips bailiffs demanding £375.00.
I ignored the notice and began trying to (unsuccessfully) contact the HMCS Collection centre to find out what was going on, however, they never seem to be available to answer their phones.
So a few weeks ago I wrote to HMCS asking why the fine had been passed over to the bailiffs and how much they'd agreed in charges and whether the fine could be passed back to the courts.
The unhelpful reply that I received on Friday reads as follows:-
Dear Madam,
When a payment arrangement made by Court has been defaulted a 'further steps notice' was issued to you on 3rd Feb advising that you had broke your arrangement, you have 10 days to pay in full and the steps that can be made against you if you do not comply.
A warrant of distress was issued to Philips bailiffs on 21st February 2011. The fees charges by Philips are pre-arranged standard fees, if you require further information you will need to contact Philips directly.
A warrant of distress cannot be contested. Whilst the warrant is valid the Courts cannot intervene.
The money you have paid since the warrant has been refunded to you as the Courts cannot accept payment whilst the warrant is valid.
Yours faithfully....
As far as I am aware I never received a 'Further Steps Notice' and further more, the last payment to be successfully made to the Court left my account on 23/02/11.
Today I got home from work to find that a bailiff has visited my home (1st visit only other correspondence was via royal mail) and they now want £575!!!
I am on my own with two children, I work part time but don't earn much as I get some help with Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit plus WFTC.
I feel very distressed and vulnerable after reading that the bailiff can force entry and don't know what to do, I don't have access to that sort of money and don't understand how my fine can increase from £200 to £575 after a couple of letters and one visit by the bailiffs and how the Court can be so unhelpful when it was obvious that I was making payments to clear the fine.
Please any advice appreciated.
Yours worriedly,
Jo
Comment