Hello. A few months back, my wife was taken to the local magistrates for non-payment of TV Licence. She made them an offer of £10 a week to clear the fine. She has made payments to clear the fine (But she missed a few, but not fell majorly behind) and the sum is now down to £25. we get a letter today (After she already paid this week's payment) saying that her account has been passed on to Collectica. We gave the court a call saying that it's unfair that the fine has been passed over with such a small amount remaining. The fella who we spoke to at the courts insisted that a letter was sent out in July, warning that if the fine isn't cleared, it would be passed over. My wife then insisted that she hasn't received a letter of this nature. I said that we'll give Collectica a ring to see what they have to say. We caledl Collectica, (And get put through to rudest person I've ever had the misfortune to speak to) and they say that it's gone up to £110 now, due to their fees being added up on top. I reluctantly agree to offer to pay it, if I can pay them £10 a week, just like we've been doing with HMCS. They said no, we want the full amount by the end of the month, or we'll get a visit, adding more fees on top. I thought that if you make a bailiff an offer of payment, they have to accept it? I'm just a bit worried that they're going to try and catch us out and try to send someone out before we expect them.

My Apologies if this has been posted before, but as this forum deals with Bailiff issues, the following may be of help and provide a clear (albeit detailed) explanation of how bailiffs and HMCS should perform when recovering unpaid court fines. http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/85933/response/217629/attach/4/Schedule%204%20contract%20specification.pdf or http://www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/information-access-rights/foi-disclosure-log/courts-tribunals/outstanding-court-fines-annex-a.pdf Schedule 4 Specification for the provision of private enforcement services Having read either of the above, you may wish to take note of the following http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmpublic/criminal/071122/pm/71122s04.htm in which Clause 57 having been ammended and added requires that where the court or its officers are informed or discover that a convicted person falls or is likely to fall into a vulnerable category any warrant of distress issued will be suspended and returned to the court for further consideration

Hi All I have been browsing and so far looks an excellent community to be involved in My wife has had a vist to day from the court saying she will be arrested if she don't pay a fine for failing to give information when stopped or caught by camera. She has been told she must pay in full, some £600. What are our options? Don't have the money to pay in one go, don't remember any paperwork relating to this, date etc, where. Is there a way I can get the information, take it back to court? File for statutory declaration? Thanks in advance Slates

Hi, I am new to this forum and have been reading through some previous threads so hoping you can offer me some advice.. I recently (Saturday 7th Aug) received a distress warrant from Philips recovery agents..When I opened it I was obviously shocked as I had no idea what it was for or about.. I called Philips to enquire about it and the only information they could provide me with was that it dated back to an unpaid Magistrates Fine instructed by HMCS NW London dating back to November 2008. I called the HMCS on Monday (09th August) as I was still puzzled by this and as I previously mentioned had not received any prior communication about the matter until now. I spoke with a very helpful Area Enforcement Officer and he explained to me that it was for a bus fine dating back to May 08 that was unpaid and then went to court on November 2008. I asked him why I had only received the Distress Warrant now and nothing previous. He explained that all previous communication had been sent to an address (in which I no longer live, nor have lived in for over 2 years) they had now since traced me and thus sent the Distress Warrant to my current address. He put the Distress Warrant on hold temporarily to allow me to sort it out. I am now trying to determine what my next course of action should be. I have been advised to go to court to make a Statutory Declaration..stating that I was unaware of the court summons dating back to Nov 2008. Is this advisable? What will making the stat dec do for me? I really want to get this sorted out but I am also concerned that an original £20 bus fine is now a £200 matter of which I knew nothing about up until Saturday!! (I do remember the offence, the inspector told me that the fine "may or may not be issued" so I thought nothing more of it) Whats more - I provided the correct identity details/address but I happened to move from that address shortly after.. Any help or advice would be much appreciated. Many thanks!