Transport for London - what are my rights with this excessive fine??help

Chris_Willsher

Im not sure if this will arrive to the right person but it out of desperation I write to you.not once in my life have a ever written into any publication to complain about public services or the way a company has dealt with me but I just had to reach out and vent this somehow!

This letter in in reference to how and I'm currently being treated by Transport for London and the people they have sold their debt to, Philips debt recovery management.
I just do not know where to go next, to summarize, last summer at around 6-am after leaving a party in south london I jumped on a bendy bus with an oyster card i had borrowed off a friend, but this time I decided not to swipe it, I was in a stress and in a rush to get home, unluckily a TFL inspector got and and checked my oyster and saw I had'nt swiped the card and not only did he take my address but took away my friends oyster card from me. I was very angry at this as I did'nt feel he had the right to take it. Several weeks later I received correspondence that TFL were taking the matter further and would possibly go to court, then a received a court summons which I was staggered by and outright refused to attend, then last week I get a letter from Philips bailiffs telling me if i did'nt pay 300 odd pounds that they would visit my property and take my possessions, so frightened I contacted them and told them I would write to them and tell them what I could afford and if they would consider some kind of payment plan. They ignored my letter and yesterday showed up at my door, not letting them in a opened the letter they hand delivered and in one week it has risen to £540 and after contacted them again they have decided that they will not accept any payment plan and want the money in full in 7 days else they will be forcing entry to my flat and taking my things.
Im so frightened, im a boy really, in the body of a mid 20s man, and i'm at university, studying music, I'm in my 3rd year, I have a part time job in a music venue in which i only have shifts when there are shows, and this is making me so sad, I have absolutely no money. I only moved to London to go to Uni for the sake of my parents, who both died in 2004 and 2005, my mum being murdered in my living room in front of me, it was my mums wish for me to move to London and try and succeed at a musician, and now the thought of some bailiffs breaking down my door and taking my piano and guitars frightens me to the point of not seeing a life for me without those items.

I wish they would just let me agree to some payment plan, 540 pounds for the sake of a one pound bus journey.
It really makes me sick of TFL and they way they have organized their fines, and do not take into count the in individual. Im now sitting in my room praying they dont break down my door tomorow

Chester85

Chris_Willsher wrote: »

I just do not know where to go next, to summarize, last summer at around 6-am after leaving a party in south london I jumped on a bendy bus with an oyster card i had borrowed off a friend, but this time I decided not to swipe it, I was in a stress and in a rush to get home, unluckily a TFL inspector got and and checked my oyster and saw I had'nt swiped the card and not only did he take my address but took away my friends oyster card from me. I was very angry at this as I did'nt feel he had the right to take it.

Tickets are not transferable. You used someone else's Oyster Card, how do they know it was a friends? You could have picked it up from the street or robbed someone. He's got every right to take it off you.

You've committed simple fare evasion

Several weeks later I received correspondence that TFL were taking the matter further and would possibly go to court, then a received a court summons which I was staggered by and outright refused to attend,

'Staggered?'

Tis fraud and fare evasion. You should have attended and you probably would have got a slap on the wrist and a light fine

then last week I get a letter from Philips bailiffs telling me if i did'nt pay 300 odd pounds that they would visit my property and take my possessions, so frightened I contacted them and told them I would write to them and tell them what I could afford and if they would consider some kind of payment plan. They ignored my letter and yesterday showed up at my door, not letting them in a opened the letter they hand delivered and in one week it has risen to £540 and after contacted them again they have decided that they will not accept any payment plan and want the money in full in 7 days else they will be forcing entry to my flat and taking my things.
Im so frightened, im a boy really, in the body of a mid 20s man, and i'm at university, studying music, I'm in my 3rd year, I have a part time job in a music venue in which i only have shifts when there are shows, and this is making me so sad, I have absolutely no money. I only moved to London to go to Uni for the sake of my parents, who both died in 2004 and 2005, my mum being murdered in my living room in front of me, it was my mums wish for me to move to London and try and succeed at a musician, and now the thought of some bailiffs breaking down my door and taking my piano and guitars frightens me to the point of not seeing a life for me without those items.

I wish they would just let me agree to some payment plan, 540 pounds for the sake of a one pound bus journey.
It really makes me sick of TFL and they way they have organized their fines, and do not take into count the in individual. Im now sitting in my room praying they dont break down my door tomorow

All of this could have been avoided for a couple of quid on a bus fare.

I'm not entirely sure if your on a wind up or not but still....pay up

pmduk

You committed an offence, got caught and are now crying about the fact. Why should the courts have any sympathy at all? I assume you're talking about a fine in the criminal court in which case TfL have no leeway in arranging a repayment schedule. You can always go back to the court and ask them for a repayment schedule.

People behaving like you cost the rest of us a fortune in additional fares.

Speaking for myself I have absolutely no sympathy at all.

CharlieBilly

sorry but you were in the wrong. If you complied with the rules and or paid you wont be in situation you are now in

You have to try and pay some how otherwise you might get into more trouble and have bad credit just when you might need it

fluffnutter

Chris_Willsher wrote: »

my mum being murdered in my living room in front of me

That's the bit that's really freaking me. I'm sorry but I can't get over how incongruous that statement is in a post about fines from TfL. I've seen some mitigating arguments in my time....

hippey

If you disaggreed with the inspector you should of attended court that's why we have them.

Personally you took the risk, didn't touch in and got caught. You have had ample time to defend your case and didn't, now your paying the price. Tough!

gordikin

Start practising 'air guitar'.

Has to be a 'wind up' surely?

williham

Next time swipe your oyster... lesson learnt!

gordikin

williham wrote: »

Next time swipe your oyster... lesson learnt!

Or someone else's!

ForkHandles_2

TBH I don't think it is a wind up, do some Googleing.

I have every sympathy for you but I'm not an expert in these matters.

The thing I do know is that once the debt collectors are involved they start adding their charges to the bill, before you know it it's gone through the roof.

My advice is see if you can contact the courts and ask what can be done, or pay as much as you can, once they start taking goods you'll find that say a £1000 TV will only knock £150 or so off the debt as that's all it will fetch at auction. They'll even charge you for taking your stuff away to sell:eek:

Things will get better eventually, try to get extra work to bring more cash in.

If they do take your stuff there may be charities out there to help you get equipment.

FH

gordikin

ForkHandles wrote: »

TBH I don't think it is a wind up, do some Googleing....

Not the story about the impotent husband stabbing his wife 112 times surely?