Thank you very much dx! Massively appreciate that clean up for me! Thanks for your time! I will inform everybody with the outcome of this!

Hi everybody. Can I just ask, how long does it usually take to hear a response from TFL in regards to my appeal? Just a bit curious as I am not sure how long it’ll take. Thank you

it can take weeks even months.

however the longer you don't get a reply

the greater chance they are investigating things specific to your case rather than applying a 'default' reply.

this normally indicates they are looking at their losses and tabulating their losses in terms of fares not paid.

if they are doing that , then why do it if they are not considering an OOC settlement.

your initial posts indicated this was a couple of times a weeks for a few months or so.....

in all probability this will costs you dearly in an OOC settlement...possibly like this thread..

https://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?456947-TFL-misuse-Freedom-Pass-more-than-once-**-SETTLED-BEFORE-COURT-**

but it was a win...a worthy read.

dx

Great thread you read and that fine is quite hefty! I only used it once a week for about a month or two so in total that’s about 10 times at most. Whatever the fee is, I will be happy to pay it as it will be a short term loss but beneficial in the long term.

Thanks for the reply dx. Will get back to you all not so soon hopefully haha

its you job in the downtime to find and read these things too...cag is self help as well.

I have ready many buddy. Been through many!

anything happened?

Haven’t heard back yet from them. Will let you know as soon as I do for either extra advice or a massive thank you! Hopefully it all goes wel, I’ve been really depressed past month or so because I’m worried of the outcome but I hope they will see my sincerity.

I’ve received the letter from the courts and they intend to prosecute me for £338+£5.90 for the fares avoided.

The court date is towards the end of March.

Please can I get some advice as they have given me to either

plead guilty and not attend,

plead guilty and attend

or not plead guilty.

What do I choose?

What do I do now?

as they say, plead guilty by post, plead guilty but turn up to offer mitigation and hope you get a reduction of the costs they are claiming or turn up and plead not guilty.

If you do the letter you will find it is what is called an absolute offence so you will most likely be found guilty and get clobbered for the amount demanded and some more unless there is something else anyone can point you towards as far as a defence goes.

Now if you are really broke then the guilty plea in person with a request for time to pay would seem prudent,

you then pay a fiver a week or whatever the court decids you can afford and you might get their costs whittled down a bit by pointing out you tried to settle once you realised you were in the wrong and so the investigation and prosecution costs could have been avoided.

Thanks for your reply.

I understand that side but my question was not clear enough.

My question is

how do I try and negotiate an OOC settlement.

I don’t want to end up having to take this to court because I know I will lose the case and end up with a criminal record.

I am trying to avoid a criminal record and trying to see if anybody can guide me on what to do to try speak to TFL and settle it outside of court.

I don’t want a criminal record and I honestly can’t believe it’s lead to this.

I wish I knew all of this before any of this even happened.

My future prospers are all on the line because of this stupid mistake which really annoys me.

The way to try and avoid a court case is to continue to speak to the person at TfL handling your case, as I've probably said before. Other threads here have ended with OOC settlements because the OP talked to the case handler and pleading your case.

There's also the possibility of going along to the court on the day with cash in your hand and speaking to the prosecutor.

HB

Thank you for your reply.

Let’s say that I don’t get an OOC settlement,

how long will I need to serve the criminal record for?

Is it for 1 year or more?

Also, does anybody have the number that I can call TFL with as the letter mainly had the courts papers.

Thanks for all your help it’s greatly appreciated.

Have you had any correspondence that has a phone number for your case handler? Otherwise if you have an email address you could email and ask for a landline number.

HB

as HB and EB says

PESTER THEM.

you know what it costs now.

make yourself a nuisance of the TFL phone line

ask to speak to your case number handler.

its worthy to note

and I know there was one report of them now not being allowed to accept OOC settlements

but there were two elsewhere on Tuesday, so I think that was just one case handler being obstructive.

ring plead your case

if that doesn't work

wait a day or so and try gain.

£400 is pittance to them threy should accept OOC at a monthly rate with no record.

you also stand a very good chance on the day too, find the cae handler, plead with tem you don't want a crimal record, offer full settlement there and then.

there have also been cases whereby once in court, with a guilty plea in person, a criminal record has nor been made.

IMHO you stand a very good chance.

dx

Thank you very much for your replies.

DX, you’ve given me a lot more hope and have made me feel a lot better. It’s time for me to put in as much effort as I can to fix this issue and try get an OOC settlement. I’ll keep everybody up to date throughout the whole process. Thanks again masixvely to everybody.

Good luck, please keep us posted.

HB

Thank you for your reply.

Let’s say that I don’t get an OOC settlement,

how long will I need to serve the criminal record for?

Is it for 1 year or more?

1 year for a fine, and then the provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (RoOA) kick in, and in the majority of circumstances you don't have to reveal the conviction.

For jobs / circumstances where the Rehabilitation of Offenders legislation doesn't apply: rather than 1 year, it is 'never' - you must always disclose it.

So, jobs where an eDBS is required (and the application details will note it is 'exempt' from the provision of the RoOA), such as most of the jobs with patient contact in the health services, or the criminal justice system, as well as for visa applications (for example, the US government don't recognise the RoOA for the purposes of immigration / visa waiver).

Thanks for the reply bazzas.

I’ve been trying to call TFL’s customer service line at 03432221234 but they are telling me to write to the address of my case handler as there is no phone line I can get through to them?

Does anybody know a number that I can call or can direct me of what to do next? I will send a letter if need be but I would rather speak to the case handler and show my remorse than send another letter which may take weeks to get back to me.

Any help here would be massively appreciated.

So their letter doesn't give you a phone number? If not, is there an email address? You could start with an email and follow it up with a letter.

HB

There isn’t an email either. Very surprising that there’s only the case handler’s name and the address. Does that mean my only choice is to send a letter? I would much prefer any number I can try if anybody knows of one or another way.

Thanks for the reply HB

Hi everybody.

Just spoke to someone at the IAP office over the phone. He opened up my case and I heard him take notes of everything I said. I explained to him how it would effect me and my family (mitigating circumstances) etc... he informed me that decisions aren’t made over the phone. I have to email/send a letter to them and they re-review it again and see if it’s in the public’s interest not to continue to this into court.

I am going to write a letter and email to them and keep you all updated.

keep it very brief and don't waffle

have you looked at our examples here already.

info upon the details of email/phone will help others...IAP?

No I haven’t. If you don’t mind, can you point me in the direction of those examples please.

The email for them is: [email protected]

Their phone number is: 02070279158

It’s the investigations, appeal and prosecutors team.