Unpaid court fine - Notice of arrest

jimlufc

Unpaid court fine - Notice of arrest
Hope I'm posting in the correct place. I have received a letter this morning regarding a fine I received last year. I was set up on a payment plan to pay £15 a week until it is cleared. The letter states "a court enforcement officer is in possession of a warrant for you arrest because you have failed to comply with the above court order." There is a phone number for the court enforcement officer which I have tried but he has finished for the day so I contacted the central finance unit. They told me that I am £15 in arrears and there is nothing they can do and I must speak with the enforcement officer. I have missed a couple of payments but always made sure I caught up the following week which is obviously my own fault. The letter states I must pay the remaining balance for £475 immediately or I will be arrested. How quick is immediately? When I contact the enforcement officer tomorrow what is likely to happen to me? There is a slim possibility I could get the money together by Monday, or could the officer put me back on my repayment plan providing I pay the 1 weeks arrears straight away? The letter is from the HM court.

Any help or advice would be great!

BillJones

jimlufc wrote: »

I have missed a couple of payments but always made sure I caught up the following week

Was the court order that you had to pay it each week, or did they say that you can pay some weeks, when you feel like it, and catch u when it suits?

If the former, then you have indeed breached the rems that were imposed and I recommend that you take some proper legal advice.

What can you do to pay tomorrow?

jimlufc

It wasn't a case of when and if it suited me. I get paid in cash and because of my hours I couldn't always get straight to a bank with it. They were informed each time this had to happen and we're fine with me paying double the following week. But thanks for the sarcastic helpful message.

antonic

I hope you get this sorted out BUT you need to remember that as you have failed the previous arrangement what guarantee does the court have you will stick to a new one (if given).

This sort of arrangement ISNT a pay as you want one, its one where you have to make the payments as agreed or suffer the serious consequences.

I hope you get this resolved satisfactorily for you.

Seanymph

If they let you go back to £15 a week perhaps if you paid £30 the first week you would be paying a week in front, rather than a week in arrears, and if you were a few days late then you wouldn't be falling off the agreement, because you'd be in front not behind IYSWIM.

One £30 payment, and you will have bought yourself a breathing space every week.

Lensman_2

Jim. While post #2 seems sarcastic to you, it contains a grain of truth. While the person you were talking to at court may have been fine with your informal flexing of the agreement, someone else decided that you have defaulted on it.

Technically and practically, that is exactly what has happened. You have defaulted on your agreement.

If I was in your shoes I would be finding a way to get this paid in full within 7 days. (7 days might just be achievable. Tomorrow would be better).

Anything else will see you back up in court in front of a hostile bench probably being handed a prison sentence. Suspended hopefully.

My personal experience in your situation was the Magistrates pronounced a sentence of "6 weeks imprisonment... (long pause) ... suspended for 12 months". It scared the sh*t out of me and I paid it religiously until it was gone.

jimlufc

I rang them every time I was having to pay late to explain it to them, and they said as long as I was caught up the week after it would be fine. Would was I to not believe this to be totally true. As it goes, I can have this paid off on Monday. Will mean a totally skint few weeks but will be worth it. My main concern is the "paid immediately" part of the letter. How soon is immediate? I received the letter today and the enforcement officer has been out of the office today. Am I likely to receive a visit from them tomorrow or the weekend?

Lensman_2

Possibly they might visit you over the weekend. I suspect not - that is the domain of desperate DCAs.

Even if they do and drag you off to court, "payment by Monday" should be acceptable since court doesn't open over the weekend.

jimlufc

Well if they drag me in over the weekend I won't be able to work over the weekend to pay the money so let's hope not. I'll call the officer tomorrow morning and see what he says.

savingmummy

jimlufc wrote: »

I rang them every time I was having to pay late to explain it to them, and they said as long as I was caught up the week after it would be fine. Would was I to not believe this to be totally true. As it goes, I can have this paid off on Monday. Will mean a totally skint few weeks but will be worth it. My main concern is the "paid immediately" part of the letter. How soon is immediate? I received the letter today and the enforcement officer has been out of the office today. Am I likely to receive a visit from them tomorrow or the weekend?

Did you have it in writing that paying it late would be acceptable?
Never just take a verbal as there is no proof for you.


Did the person you spoke to today make a note that you had called the office?
What did they suggest once telling you the officer wasn't in today?
If they are closed tomorrow, I`d call first thing Monday morning.

[Deleted User]

jimlufc wrote: »

I rang them every time I was having to pay late to explain it to them,

You've obviously done this once too often. Treat this as a warning not to be tardy with payments again.