Marston - TVL

[bluebottle]

Re: Marston - TVL

It is quite possible that 10 years ago, TVL obtained a conviction on OP at the possibly empty house, after they had left.

I think you may well have hit the nail on the head, BB. If it does turn out to be a dodgy conviction, HMCTS may well have to call the OP in to swear an SD and Marstons can then be called off.

[enquirer]

Re: Marston - TVL

It is quite possible that 10 years ago, TVL obtained a conviction on OP at the possibly empty house, after they had left.

For example ...

Rikki Thursfield was falsely prosecuted by TVL employees simply because she moved house and appeared to be an easy target. The conviction (which was pushed through in her absence), was subsequently quashed.
http://www.thisistamworth.co.uk/horr...#axzz2PtpPN1v7

[bizzybob]

Re: Marston - TVL

Rikki Thursfield was falsely prosecuted by TVL employees simply because she moved house and appeared to be an easy target. The conviction (which was pushed through in her absence), was subsequently quashed.
http://www.thisistamworth.co.uk/horr...#axzz2PtpPN1v7

This type of TVL shenanigans has gone on even before Crapita took over the TVL function from the Post office. I was viewing an empty house with Mrs Bizzy, with a view to purchase many moons ago, when the PO still did the enforcement and they had those crappy Commer PB vans with the coathangers sprouting from the roof, there was a knock on the door and a TV Licence Inspector was there with his bolshie attitude, He was narked when i told him no I don't live here, I am viewing the house, it is empty, he scribbled something, he said so there is no TV License at this address, I said looks like there is no TV. he said I need your name for the records, i said Foxtrot Oscar, he said he would be back with a policeman, said tough. I think he would have tried to get a dodgy conviction if i had given my name.....

[bluebottle]

Re: Marston - TVL

Did the TVL goon responsible forgo their £20 commission over that or end up washing graffiti off walls or languishing in one of H.M. Holiday Camps? I very much doubt it. It's time for people to put pressure on their MPs to clamp down on Capita/TVL over false convictions. Should Capita PLC face any sanction from the courts where a tv licensing conviction is found to be false? In my view, yes, they should. A Level 5 fine, which is £20,000, is small change to a company like Capita. The fine the ICO is permitted to impose, £500,000, is more of a deterrent. Imagine Capita getting fined £500,000 for each false conviction. After just 10 false convictions, they would be £5 million down. After 20, it would be £10 million. That sort of penalty, if nothing is done to abate false convictions, is soon going to start hurting Capita financially. Short of terminating their contract, clobbering Capita with fixed sum financial penalties on a per false conviction basis would provide them with an incentive to get things right first time and clamp down on employees who feel they can get away with deceitful and, in some cases, aggressive and bullying behaviour towards householders.

[bizzybob]

Re: Marston - TVL

Oh if only BB, best laugh i had at TVL was years ago on a night out at Brent Truck Park, some drivers were watching Rigonda portable TV's in their cabs and a detector van drove into the compound and four TV License men got out, at which point the security guards told them to get out, TV men said they were going to check if the drivers had TV Licenses, security guards let the Alastians loose.....

[bluebottle]

Re: Marston - TVL

Oh if only BB, best laugh i had at TVL was years ago on a night out at Brent Truck Park, some drivers were watching Rigonda portable TV's in their cabs and a detector van drove into the compound and four TV License men got out, at which point the security guards told them to get out, TV men said they were going to check if the drivers had TV Licenses, security guards let the Alastians loose.....

It's perfectly feasible, BB. It will need peeps to badger their MPs, though.

As for the security guards letting the Alsatians loose on the TVL goons at Brent Truck Park, the picture of a TVL goon running back to his van with an Alsatian hanging off his backside by its teeth is, indeed, a sight to relish and savour.

[labman]

Re: Marston - TVL

What about the OP gents? Any advice? :tinysmile_twink_t2:

I'd suggest they go to the court in person and try to get an audience with the fines officer. Explain to the front line staff no further steps notice had been received, and as they moved house at the time of the fine a full 10 years ago, they couldn't have received any paperwork as they would have responded.

It's worth the OP having a read of this:

http://www.legalbeagles.info/forums/...s-Courts-Fines

They should make notes as to which bits have not been followed, and should demand to see any distress warrant as mentioned in the guide. The lack of process could reveal a trail of shortcomings on behalf of HMCts exacerbated by the house move(s) which would have made it very hard for the court to keep up with the OP.

[CleverClogs]

Re: Marston - TVL

This type of TVL shenanigans has gone on even before Crapita took over the TVL function from the Post office. I was viewing an empty house with Mrs Bizzy, with a view to purchase many moons ago, when the PO still did the enforcement and they had those crappy Commer PB vans with the coathangers sprouting from the roof, there was a knock on the door and a TV Licence Inspector was there with his bolshie attitude, He was narked when i told him no I don't live here, I am viewing the house, it is empty, he scribbled something, he said so there is no TV License at this address, I said looks like there is no TV. he said I need your name for the records, i said Foxtrot Oscar, he said he would be back with a policeman, said tough. I think he would have tried to get a dodgy conviction if i had given my name.....

Whereas the fine was imposed on Mr F. Oscar?

[bizzybob]

Re: Marston - TVL

Whereas the fine was imposed on Mr F. Oscar?

Probably at the address we were viewing, the sudden appearance of the goon was enough for Mrs Bizzy to opine she didn't like the neighbourhood, she didn't think that a TVL goon could be naughty, and they would be silly whatever the area as he said Licence evasion was worse the higher class the area........

Now to Op's issue, they need to ascertain the date the conviction was obrtained, and if it was after they left the property a Stat Dec should do the trick, they could also be the victim of one of Marston's infamous faulty traces as in four J Smith's in an area so eenie meenie minie mo!

[enquirer]

Re: Marston - TVL

I think he would have tried to get a dodgy conviction if i had given my name ...

There are numerous instances of this.

It will need peeps to badger their MPs, though.

I wonder if any MP's do 'consultancy work' for this firm.

On an even more sinister note, Capita also runs the Criminal Records Bureau and has taken over the back office functions of at least three police forces.
http://www.capita.co.uk/news-and-opi...ce-system.aspx

[bluebottle]

Re: Marston - TVL

What about the OP gents? Any advice? :tinysmile_twink_t2:

I'd suggest they go to the court in person and try to get an audience with the fines officer. Explain to the front line staff no further steps notice had been received, and as they moved house at the time of the fine a full 10 years ago, they couldn't have received any paperwork as they would have responded.

It's worth the OP having a read of this:

http://www.legalbeagles.info/forums/...s-Courts-Fines

They should make notes as to which bits have not been followed, and should demand to see any distress warrant as mentioned in the guide. The lack of process could reveal a trail of shortcomings on behalf of HMCts exacerbated by the house move(s) which would have made it very hard for the court to keep up with the OP.

I agree with your suggested course of action, Labman. The OP does need to tackle HMCTS about this.

[bluebottle]

Re: Marston - TVL

Probably at the address we were viewing, the sudden appearance of the goon was enough for Mrs Bizzy to opine she didn't like the neighbourhood, she didn't think that a TVL goon could be naughty, and they would be silly whatever the area as he said Licence evasion was worse the higher class the area........

Now to Op's issue, they need to ascertain the date the conviction was obrtained, and if it was after they left the property a Stat Dec should do the trick, they could also be the victim of one of Marston's infamous faulty traces as in four J Smith's in an area so eenie meenie minie mo!

That is not beyond the realms of possibility, BB. If it is a faulty trace, Marstons requires a good hard kick up its corporate backside and the person who made the faulty trace needs pointing in the direction of their nearest JCP office.

[bluebottle]

Re: Marston - TVL

There are numerous instances of this. Too many.


I wonder if any MP's do 'consultancy work' for this firm. Take a look in the Members' Register of Interests

On an even more sinister note, Capita also runs the Criminal Records Bureau and has taken over the back office functions of at least three police forces. Thank God they haven't gotten their grubby mitts on the Criminal Records Office (CRO). That could have serious repercussions, given Capita's talent for cocking things up.
http://www.capita.co.uk/news-and-opi...ce-system.aspx

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[handcut]

Re: Marston - TVL

Went to court today; they were very helpful. They couldn't tell me which law this is being pursued under; I'd have to make an appointment to view the warrant "through a window", literally through the glass at the desk and that a further steps notice was sent to my current address before Marston's got hold of the case. A stat dec would not be accepted because a) it is past 21 days and b) "a third party" (I've no idea who that was) made a payment to the account in 2004, so in the eyes of the court, I knew about it. I guess my hands are tied regarding the fine and Marston's 'administration costs', then.
They did tell me Marston's failure to leave documentation of their visit was out of line and if proven, I can complain to the court. That requires Marston's accepting delivery of my Subject Access Request and complying to it though! Aaaaargh! Let's see where I get with that...

[wales01man]

Re: Marston - TVL

Looks like anther brick wall to beat your head against bit of a joke see the warrant through a piece of glass?