I received a letter this morning from London Collection and Compliance Centre,

a further steps notice, saying I owe £340.00,

it did not state what for so I was shocked,

I have never ever been in debt in my life.

I called the number on the letter and was told this was for unpaid TV License,

I explained that our TV License is paid by DD every month at the start of the month of which I can prove via my bank statements,

I was then told this for some house in London!,

I have never ever lived in london, only warwickshire my entire life.

I have only ever been to London once in my whole life as a child.

Not only that, but our tv license isnt even in my name its in my fiancees name but comes from our joint bank account.

I was given a number to call the courts (Barkingside?) where I tried to explain that there must be some mix up,

the letter obviously has my real and address and dob but it could not possibly be me who ran up this debt

and that I can prove I have lived here all my life, via

tenancy agreements for my council property, council tax bills, employment support allowance, and bank statements.

But I was told I have to make a Statatury Decloration?

I contacted TV Licensing customer support but the lady on the phone and 2 senor managers were puzzled by it all

and told me to send them copies of these court letters along with a cover note

for possible investigation but didnt think they could be of any help...

I have contacted fraud sqaud about possible identity theft, cant for the life of me see how it is anything other than that?

Im rather worried, puzzled, bemused by it all, wondering to myself how utteryly useless the courts/baliffs are at their job

that cant do any real investigations to actually see if they have the right person to begin with?

any help would be much appreciated

Head to your nearest court and file a stat dec asap. Mix-ups happen quite often, especially with the TV tax which is why there are procedures available to sort it out. You need to stay off the phone now unless you can record the call in full and keep a good paper trail. The main priority though is that you get that stat dec filed asap.

I would be accessing my credit file too, if someone is using your identity, they could have done a lot more

Wonder if it is a faulty trace by Collecticarp, or Marstons? That is not unusual when they are trscing debtors for TV Tax,, as in wrong Mr or Mrs Jones. Do a Stat Dec as suggested, to the effect that you have never lived at the address of the named debtor,

I received a letter this morning from London Collection and Compliance Centre, a further steps notice, saying I owe £340.00, it did not state what for so I was shocked, I have never ever been in debt in my life.

 

I called the number on the letter and was told this was for unpaid TV License, I explained that our TV License is paid by DD every month at the start of the month of which I can prove via my bank statements, I was then told this for some house in London!, I have never ever lived in London, only Warwickshire my entire life. I have only ever been to London once in my whole life as a child.

 

Not only that, but our tv license isnt even in my name its in my fiancees name but comes from our joint bank account.

 

I was given a number to call the courts (Barkingside?) where I tried to explain that there must be some mix up, the letter obviously has my real and address and dob but it could not possibly be me who ran up this debt and that I can prove I have lived here all my life, via tenancy agreements for my council property, council tax bills, employment support allowance, and bank statements.

 

But I was told I have to make a Statatury Decloration?

 

I contacted TV Licensing customer support but the lady on the phone and 2 senor managers were puzzled by it all and told me to send them copies of these court letters along with a cover note for possible investigation but didnt think they could be of any help...

 

I have contacted fraud sqaud about possible identity theft, cant for the life of me see how it is anything other than that?

 

Im rather worried, puzzled, bemused by it all, wondering to myself how utteryly useless the courts/baliffs are at their job that cant do any real investigations to actually see if they have the right person to begin with? Any help would be much appreciated

I have re-copied your post above so that it is easier to read.

Surprisingly, yours is actually not that uncommon an enquiry and can arise for a number of reasons. Firstly when a TV Enquiry Agent visits a property and the person answering the doors confirms that no licence is in force...the individual simply has to give a name. There are no checks made to ascertain the true identity. Secondly, (and more common) is that the court used 'tracing facilities' and your address has come up.

Either way, the correct procedure now is to follows LCC's suggestion and call the Magistrate Court and they will allow you to file a Statutory Declaration. Make sure that you tell the court that you live in Warwickshire and they will transfer the matter to that court.

Once the stat dec is filed your name and address will be removed.

I don't know whether it has anything to do with it. But years ago, I bought a new TV and the shop I bought it from sends details to TV licencing with the address of the purchaser. A few weeks later a neighbour who lived down the road received a letter in my name, but with their address. The shop had entered a wrong address on the details sent to TV licencing.

Could it be that at some point you purchased a TV online and somehow they have given a wrong address to TV licencing. You then end up owing a debt at an address you have never lived at.

I don't know whether it has anything to do with it. But years ago, I bought a new TV and the shop I bought it from sends details to TV licencing with the address of the purchaser. A few weeks later a neighbour who lived down the road received a letter in my name, but with their address. The shop had entered a wrong address on the details sent to TV licencing.

 

Could it be that at some point you purchased a TV online and somehow they have given a wrong address to TV licencing. You then end up owing a debt at an address you have never lived at.

Could be the case but the right to give your name at the time of purchase was done away with last year. Thankfully TV Licensing is going to change but I suspect that we will all be made to pay in one way or another.

I have re-copied your post above so that it is easier to read.

 

Surprisingly, yours is actually not that uncommon an enquiry and can arise for a number of reasons. Firstly when a TV Enquiry Agent visits a property and the person answering the doors confirms that no licence is in force...the individual simply has to give a name. There are no checks made to ascertain the true identity. Secondly, (and more common) is that the court used 'tracing facilities' and your address has come up.

 

Either way, the correct procedure now is to follows LCC's suggestion and call the Magistrate Court and they will allow you to file a Statutory Declaration. Make sure that you tell the court that you live in Warwickshire and they will transfer the matter to that court.

 

Once the stat dec is filed your name and address will be removed.

Cheers

I have literally 10000s of pages of proof of who I and where I live because I have a progressive eye disease and have been on incapacity (now ESA) benefit for the last 12 years my medical record alone would do serious damage if I was to drop it on the baliffs head....

My local court cannot do the Stat Dec, the nearest one to me that can is Nuneaton Magistrates Court which is 23 miles away from me, with my eye disease I cannot drive, I am reliant on public transport, cannot read street signs and have never been to Nuneaton....I was even told I cannot claim travel expense back!

I have contacted my local councillor who I know quite well, she helped me get my current house, she also happens to be a councillor for the county, so she is looking into this for me.

This Court in London told me in an email I would still have to attend their court after a stat dec is filled! - eh hmm yea right.

Cheers

 

I have literally 10000s of pages of proof of who I and where I live because I have a progressive eye disease and have been on incapacity (now ESA) benefit for the last 12 years my medical record alone would do serious damage if I was to drop it on the baliffs head....

 

My local court cannot do the Stat Dec, the nearest one to me that can is Nuneaton Magistrates Court which is 23 miles away from me, with my eye disease I cannot drive, I am reliant on public transport, cannot read street signs and have never been to Nuneaton....I was even told I cannot claim travel expense back!

 

I have contacted my local councillor who I know quite well, she helped me get my current house, she also happens to be a councillor for the county, so she is looking into this for me.

 

This Court in London told me in an email I would still have to attend their court after a stat dec is filled! - eh hmm yea right.

I rarely disagree with advice given by court staff but in this case I do !!!

Also only a few weeks ago significant changes were made to applications for Statutory Declarations and if you are OK to wait until tomorrow I will get details sent over to you.

I rarely disagree with advice given by court staff but in this case I do !!!

 

Also only a few weeks ago significant changes were made to applications for Statutory Declarations and if you are OK to wait until tomorrow I will get details sent over to you.

oh? yeah that would be great thanks

I cannot imagine this even needing the stat dec,

I have personally traced the real guy they are after, and his wife, just 18 miles from the court that issued this, I have both their facebook profiles with pictures and the current address of his wife. The County Counsellor for Warwickshire that I know well is calling LCCC on my behalf 2moro and will even give them proof via our council that I have always lived here.

should be game over?

Was Game over, LCCC and the courts apologised.

Was Game over, LCCC and the courts apologised.

Great stuff

Very pleased to see common sense has prevailed.