Marstons TV Licence

[Dzeko10]

Hi all

Not sure if this is the right place to post but here goes.

I had a fine for TV licence and I missed a couple of payments and have now had a letter from Marstons threatening to break in and take goods etc. I phoned the Court enforment and Fines dept and told them of my situation that I come under the vulnerable person rules, and I asked for a means hearing. I was told by the person on the phone that as it is with Marstons I have to contact them and provide a Doctors letter and see if they will send it back to the Courts. They said I can only have a means hearing if the case was handed back to the Court.

Now I have been reading different forums and stuff and not sure if they told me a pack of lies, and I am wondering if they lied to me by refusing a means hearing, so do I have to contact the bailiffs or can I make the Court listen and grant me a means hearing? I am stressing out over this.

Thanks in advance for your help.

[CleverClogs]

Re: Marstons TV Licence

Bailiffs tell lies.

[labman]

Re: Marstons TV Licence

Technically they've not lied. A means hearing would come later once the bailiffs have had their pound of flesh.

However, if you can get a doctor's letter and go to the court in person asking for a means hearing, you would probably get it. It is at the discretion of the court, but keep going back and back and back and they're likely to give you one. Importantly you're also showing keen to pay the fine.

Keep us updated, as there's more we can do if they refuse still, but as long as you're persistent, you should get the hearing you want. A letter from a medic would make a big difference.

Ignore the other forums. You don't need conflicting or inaccurate help.

[Dzeko10]

Re: Marstons TV Licence

Thanks for the replies, I will ignore other conflicting advice, I did pay some more on the card they sent me then today I got a letter saying kind of thanks but no thanks as it's with the bailiffs etc so don't pay any more on the card lol, it's daft how they are owed money but don't seem to want it.

I have an appointment with a consultant next week and will get a letter from them as it might carry more weight than a GP.

[Mrs James]

Re: Marstons TV Licence

Hi Dzeko10,

I take it from your username that you are a fellow Man City fan! Follow the advice given on here and you won't go far wrong.

[Dzeko10]

Re: Marstons TV Licence

Hi Mrs James, yeah I sure am a City fan, thanks I will

[labman]

Re: Marstons TV Licence

Hi Mrs James, yeah I sure am a City fan, thanks I will

OMG!!!!:jaw::jaw::jaw: Do I HAVE to help a City fan?

[Mrs James]

Re: Marstons TV Licence

OMG!!!!:jaw::jaw::jaw: Do I HAVE to help a City fan?

We'll set Nigel de Jong on ya if ya don't! lol

[ploddertom]

Re: Marstons TV Licence

My understanding is that if you have a Court fine and either fail to pay or fall behind with payments they are supposed to send you a Further Steps Notice telling you to bring your account up to date or else certain other things may happen including being referred to Bailiffs. I'm also told that HMCTS have inadvertently sent a load of these to Bailiffs before the Further Steps Notice has been sent. Have you had this Notice? If not may I suggest you contact the Court and ask them if it was sent & if not why not.

Although Court fines do carry a forced entry provision this is very rarely carried out as it is mainly for those who treat this a profession. The Warrant they have only lasts a short time and is then returned to Court so the longer you can avoid the Bailiff the better.

[labman]

Re: Marstons TV Licence

You are correct. Below are the first three steps of the Magistrates' Courts Procedure. As you can see step 2 clearly states the Further Steps Notice. It is worth making the point that this will only delay things though, not resolve or stop them.

• After you have been fined, you will be sent notice of the fine and the repayment rate, if one has been set.
• If payments are not made, or payments are missed, you will be sent a reminder (Further Steps Notice)
  
• If you do not bring your repayments up to date, a court hearing will be arranged and you will be told the date.

[Dzeko10]

Re: Marstons TV Licence

Hi all

Sorry I have not been very well so not been on for a while, I sent Marstons a copy of my Benefits etc as they asked for and didn't hear a thing until a letter came through the Door this morning threatening to turn up with a Locksmith and take my stuff, I am at my wits end now as to what to do.

[Galahad]

Re: Marstons TV Licence

just out of interest, the payment that you made on the card which presumably is a payment card issued by TV licencing, did they refuse the payment or was it accepted?

Presumably you went into a Post Office and paid the amount onto the card, so unless the Post Office picked up on it straight away, then have you been refunded?

[Dzeko10]

Re: Marstons TV Licence

just out of interest, the payment that you made on the card which presumably is a payment card issued by TV licencing, did they refuse the payment or was it accepted?

Presumably you went into a Post Office and paid the amount onto the card, so unless the Post Office picked up on it straight away, then have you been refunded?

Hi

Yes the payment was made from the card they sent me, and I got a receipt for it and all seemed fine until I got a letter saying thanks but no thanks lol, and that it would be deducted from the Bailiffs total but it hasnt, the amount is still £390 even though the original fine was £35 plus costs which was £105 in total and I have paid about £40 in total on the card.

[labman]

Re: Marstons TV Licence

Dzeko, have a read of the 'Magistrates Court' sticky at the top of the Bailiffs section. There is a very clear procedure set down for MC fines which must be followed.

Did you ask about the Further Steps notice? This is a critical part of the procedure and is sometimes bypassed.

Several of your other issues are answered in that sticky as well, sorry I can't post a link from here.

Also, did you follow my advice about the Means Hearing? If you go to the crust with a doctor's note and keep on and on returning, although it is discretionary, you are more likely to be granted one.

[Mrs James]

Re: Marstons TV Licence

Here's the link to the sticky Labman mentioned.
http://www.legalbeagles.info/forums/...s-Courts-Fines