Urgent help please! Warrant for arrest regarding unpaid monies!!!

vixxxen

Hi, panicking a bit here people! :eek:

I got a letter this morning dated the 15th October, fromt he central finance and enforcement unit - saying "the court has issued a warrant for your arrest because you have not paid money you owe" and saying that to avoid arrest, I must contact them to pay in full (£250) or attend court.

I had no clue what it was about, as I haven't had any letters relating to this matter at all; so I phoned them straight away (post came at 11am) and it turns out it's relating to a previous address I was living at 3 years ago, ith an ex partner - I was just staying with him, he was the tenant and one night, a man came to the door from tv licensing saying my ex hadn't paid his license.
I explained that the license was in my ex's name and knew nothing about it - and he was at work - so he cautioned me and it turns out that this is what has now happened. The lady on the phone said they'd been writing to me at my old address all this time, and had only just traced me here as I'm paying my tv license at this address.

Anyway - I agreed to pay £40 today and £15 per week, went down to town to pay the £40 into my bank account, came home...and forgot I had to phone them to pay!

I'm not panicking that something will happen tonight, or if I leave it until the morning they'll no longer accept my offer of a payment plan, and I'll have to go to court!

It does say on the letter, that you can pay by going online (directgov website) or phone an automated number 24 hours a day, but on the phone earlier, the woman never mentioned that and said I should phone her to pay and arrange the payment plan after I'd paid this £40.

So - what do I do?! Should I pay the £40 now using the automated line, or wait until tomorrow and phone them?
They don't open until 8.45am so I'm wary of waiting that long to contact them - but if I pay the £40 online, will it be registered as it's not a full balance payment?

I'm sooo worried here, someone please help!

scaredy_cat

i don't know that as the tv license was in your ex's name, why you should have to pay it?

vixxxen

Because the tv license guy that came round that night (3 yrs ago - at 9pm at night and me with a crying baby which I wasn't impressed about!) said that whoever is in the house gets cautioned. It was only me in there, so I got the blame...

I did tell the woman on the phone earlier this as well, and she said (and I quote) "yes, they do tend to caution whoever is in the property whether the license is in your name or not, even if you're babysitting you're liable".

Lovely.

BUt - what do I doooooo....is it safe to leave paying until the morning when I can do it over the phone??

determined_new_ms

I would get advice on this, it wasn't ur tenancy therefore he is liable not you. Do you have a forwarding address for him?

vixxxen

I think they're definitely right on this unfortunately - he may have been the tenant but I lived in the property, so am also liable.

I'm still in touch with my ex and he says he'll pay the £15 a week for me - but what I'm worried about now is getting arrested tonight, as the arrest warrant has been out for a week, or if I phone them first thing tomorrow they may refuse to accept part-payment and then I'll have to go to court (which I REALLY am petrified of doing).

It says on the tv licensing website (think that's where I found the info anyway), that only genuine visiting persons or babysitters won't be prosecuted. So - I lived there, I got the caution and now CCJ (I'm assuming it's now a ccj registered against me?)

Can anyone please advise as to the actual arrest thing though, as I'm scared to go to sleep tonight in case the police break in! which apparently they can do if there's an arrest warrant out on someone.

scaredy_cat

make an appt with CAB and get some advice.

vixxxen

I AM going to pay it and I'm NOT disputing it - what I'm asking, is simply if I will be arrested tonight as I forgot to make the payment earlier on!

vixxxen

I am actually s******g myself here - got 2 kids at home and really dont want someone forcing entry to my home tonight or tomorrow before I can pay the court their £40!

I know how quick they are to enforce non-payment of tv licenses and council tax, aI have to take my little boy to nursery for 8.30, so wont be home to ring the courts and pay until 9.15-9.30am. Worried they won't give me that much time, and I haven't even got any credit on my mobile (and no landline) to ring anyone to check I won't be arrested tonight!

Dont need sarky comments, just advice!

saltnvinegar

Hi Vixxxen

Can't say I have any experience in this matter other than to look at things from a perspective of how likely is this to happen.

If a warrant has been out for a week they would have done it already. With police resources stretched as they are its not likely they are going to come looking for someone who's not paid their TV license as a priority.

If you're that worried is there a friends you can go to or family for the night til you can pay it in the morning?

If not my only suggestion would be to close all the curtains etc, turn all lights off and make it look like no-ones home and don't answer the door bell.

Sorry I can't give you any more advice.

SnV

ps. Ignore Exchange53. They are a TROLL who are posting unhelpful comments on many threads not just this one. They have been reported to the moderators.

DVardysShadow

scaredy_cat wrote: »

i don't know that as the tv license was in your ex's name, why you should have to pay it?

If there was a TV licence in anyone's name, there would be no problem. This has only arisen because there was not one in anyone's name.

determined_new_ms wrote: »

I would get advice on this, it wasn't ur tenancy therefore he is liable not you. Do you have a forwarding address for him?

Unfortunately, this is not true. The offence is watching an unlicenced TV, I believe

vixxxen wrote: »

Because the tv license guy that came round that night (3 yrs ago - at 9pm at night and me with a crying baby which I wasn't impressed about!) said that whoever is in the house gets cautioned. It was only me in there, so I got the blame...

I did tell the woman on the phone earlier this as well, and she said (and I quote) "yes, they do tend to caution whoever is in the property whether the license is in your name or not, even if you're babysitting you're liable".

I believe that they have indeed done a baby sitter in just this manner.

ROSIEGLOW255

I'm afraid can't be much help but hope someone who can will be along soon.

Did the letter give any sort of time frame, i.e. if payment not received by x date then arrest warrant will be carried out?

To be honest I don't think carrying out such a warrant will be a high priority so think it is probably highly unlikely that they will be calling round tonight or first thing in the morning. Maybe the frustration of fogetting to make payment is making you panic and imagine worse case scenario (I know I would). Think you need to just take a few deep breaths and try to relax (easier said than done I know).

You could try making a payment on the automated line if it states on the letter that this is allowed, if anything it might help you get a good nights sleep.

Take Care

Rosie