marstons tv licence fine

[dinara]

Hi, i would like some advice for my current prediciment. I'm a single mum of 3. During my time as a student i recieved 2 tv licence fines for £125 each. I finished uni and had my daughter now 1. The fine payments were being taken directly from my income support at £2.50 a week untill last year when the benifits agency decided i could not afford the repayments and cancelld it??? The debt was returned to me, and marstons then contacted me (Nov 2011) with a bill of £250, they wanted £100 immedietly and gave me 4 weeks to pay the rest, i haggled and paid £40 and they gave me 8 weeks to pay the rest. With my sons birthday, xmas etc i was unable to pay, (im struggling to pay the current tv licence). The 8 weeks have past, this morning a bailiff came by with a £500 bill and i have untill sataday to find this. Is there anything i can do?

[Monzter]

Re: marstons tv licence fine

Hi there dinara, sorry you're being put through this. Someone will be along soon to help you out my knowledge is limited on this subject, but there are others on here that know a lot that can help you.

One thing though - you say that they contacted you in Nov wanting £250 (was this the whole balance left?) and you paid £40 and had 8 weeks to pay the rest (£210 left to pay?) Now this morning a bailiff has turned up demanding £500, that's an increase of £290 - is there any explanation of what this amount is for?

I know it's easier said than done, but please try not to worry, there are great people on here that will help you with the course of action you need to take to get this sorted.

[dinara]

Re: marstons tv licence fine

Hi, yes i'm just as confused, i assume that the £250 was the total for the two fines, im not sure how much i had already paid through my income support when they stopped the payments thou.

Your right i paid £40 and there was £210 left to pay, I asked what the increased charge of £500 was for and they replied that this was because the debt has been passed onto the bailiff, his charges i assume?

Many thanks for your support, im trying not to worry :tinysmile_grin_t:

[ploddertom]

Re: marstons tv licence fine

Are you still on Benefits?

[dinara]

Re: marstons tv licence fine

Hi there, yes i am, i explained that to him but he said to call round friends and family or get a loan and call him back tomorow to let him no when i can pay the balance in full, would not accept any payment plan.

[ploddertom]

Re: marstons tv licence fine

OK, have a read of this - http://www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/...ent-agents.pdf - page 9 applies to you. You need to contact Marstons and advise them you should be classed as vulnerable being a single parent & on Benefits. You will have to provide some form of proof for this.

You should also contact the Court and advise them similarly and ask for a Means Hearing. Are you still at the same address when the offences occurred. Have you received any letters from the Court prior to the Bailiff being involved?

[dinara]

Re: marstons tv licence fine

Hi many thanks, yes im still at the same address. I received one letter from the courts I called them and this is when i found out that it was no longer being paid from my beniefits, they sent me out another form to declare my current income and outgoings unfortunaly i was late returning this, and recieved the letter from marstons.

[dinara]

Re: marstons tv licence fine

Hi, well today hasn't been as successful as i'd hoped,

I phoned the courts who said there is nothing they can do while the debt is with marstons.

I called Mastons to advice them that im classed as vulnerable being a single parent & on Benefits. I offered to pay the £210 today (from the bank of mum) this was refused and i was told to speak with the bailiff.

I went to my local CAB office they have told me not to allow entry of the bailiff and hide my car, and that £500 debt was not worth them bringing locksmiths and police and it will hopefully be returned to court.

The bailiff called me to see how i'm getting on raising the funds, said just because im a single parent on beniefits im not vulnarable and he has a warrant that allows him to force entry but that he didnt want it to come to that. I said that i didnt have his money, so he said he will arrange for removal next week. I just hope he is calling my bluff???

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[dinara]

Re: marstons tv licence fine

I do have one question, if i refuse access and he comes with the locksmiths and police will there be more charges?

[labman]

Re: marstons tv licence fine

Go back to the bailiff and tell him you've looked at the National Standards for Enforcement Agents and under vulnerable people it mentions the following:

Those who might be potentially vulnerable include:

• the elderly;
• people with a disability;
• the seriously ill;
• the recently bereaved;
• single parent families;
• pregnant women;
• unemployed people; and,
• those who have obvious difficulty in understanding, speaking or reading English.

Ask which court he was certificated in, and for his name (you may already have this) - if he asks why, say you want to make an official complaint about him. He probably won't like this - if at all possible record the conversation.



As far as the court goes, you have every right to ask for a means hearing - my understanding was they cannot refuse this.

[Guest]

Re: marstons tv licence fine

I do have one question, if i refuse access and he comes with the locksmiths and police will there be more charges?

He cannot make you pay any charges at all, unless the bailiff has obtained a costs order against you, or you have been adjudged to pay the fees on top of the fine.

[Monzter]

Re: marstons tv licence fine

The bailiff called me to see how i'm getting on raising the funds, said just because im a single parent on beniefits im not vulnarable and he has a warrant that allows him to force entry but that he didnt want it to come to that. I

Have you asked to see a copy of this? Ask him for this at the same time you ask for his certificate details.

Also, it was the benefits agency that stopped your payments in the first place as they decided you couldn't afford it, could this be considered hardship? Does anyone know?

[Guest]

Re: marstons tv licence fine

This is Court fine and the HMCTS contract the enforcement officer operates provides a different set or rules on who is classed as vulnerable for the purposes of civil enforcement.

Do you fall into any of these?

[labman]

Re: marstons tv licence fine

HC,

Can I ask - is this contract for ALL the companies the courts use?

I imagine it must be, but just want to check.

[Guest]

Re: marstons tv licence fine

Yes it is.