Hi everyone,

Please could I ask for your kind help with my response to the upcoming Tfl letter

I am very worried about going court and getting a criminal record

I was stopped by a Tfl inspector for using my husband's discounted student oyster photocard yesterday.

Here is the situation:

I have my own standard oyster card with monthly pass and my husband (aged 25) has his own discounted student oyster photo card with monthly pass (both zone 1-2).

On 17 May my monthly pass expired (there is balance) which I forgot to renew

on 18th morning I took my husband's card (his is on monthly pass) and asked him to buy the monthly pass on my card for me as he has more time during the day.

He bought the monthly pass on my card immediately on that day

however we forgot to swop when we came home in the evening

on 19th I continued to use his card and got caught by the inspector on the bus.

I told the inspector that it was a mistake.

My concern is in order to avoid court and criminal records,

I don't know if I should simply explain it is a mistake with no detailed explanation or if I should tell the whole story as above.

I am worried that the case worker would think I am trying to evade bus fares by using my husband’s pass

- from the look of my oyster card history I started to use his the day when my own pass expired

but actually we spent the same amount of money if I had used my own pay as you go balance.

As we use our own card separately with monthly pass I was not aware of the serious consequences,

I didn't expect to be in such panic and the daunting thought of a possible criminal record.

This is the first time I have been stopped by an inspector and I have not committed any other offences/crimes before.

I would not say that I have NEVER used my husband's discounted oyster for convenience before this happened but my card was covered by a travel pass at the same time, which means we never thought of taking advantage of TfL.

Could you please point me in the right direction?

I am willing to pay reasonable costs and I don't want to go to court or get a criminal record which will severely affect the life we are building in UK.

My husband and I have only been here for 3 years and as English is not our primary language we are not sure about the wording / style that can help us stay out of this. Your help is much appreciated…

what you have said above is absolutely perfect as a response to the letter

maybe slightly shorten the reason why as it reasonably obvious why it happened.

wait until it comes [if it does, they have 6mts, and what it specifically states you might have done]

you wont get a record nor a fine if you are honest, show remorse and DONT WAFFLE!!

in your letter.

dx

Hi dx,

Many thanks for your input, I feel better now.

Sorry but could you please elaborate a bit on 'they have 6mts, and what it specifically states you might have done]'?

Will they say anything more than using someone else's photo oyster?

Thanks again.

they have 6mts to further this

IF they wish too.

then they'll send a letter either specifically stating some rail byelaws that they suspect were breached

or they'll just say this happened, we wish your side of the story/

read a few threads in this forum you found

you'll get the idea pretty quick

there are people here that deliberately used said cards daily for MONTHS and got an out of court settlement and cheaply

[compared in so far as what damage a criminal record would do to their futures!]

yous is nowhere near that league.

dx

Thanks dx, I will wait till the letter arrives. Many thanks for your input!

Yes, definitely wait until you get your letter, but the point that I have highlighted below is the area that you will most likely have difficulty with

On 17 May my monthly pass expired (there is balance) which I forgot to renew

 

on 18th morning I took my husband's card (his is on monthly pass)

This makes perfectly clear to any member of revenue or prosecutions dept. staff reading it that your pass had run out on 17th and that you took your husbands discounted season and used it on 18th to avoid paying your fare that morning

The payment of fares, whether on Oyster, or any other form of travel ticket is timed so payment on to your Oyster can be tracked.

Wait until you get your letter and see what they allege