Penalty Fare Rising. What do I do?

[croft]

So basically, I was travelling from Moulsecoomb train station to Brighton station (5 minute ride, only 2 stops) and I did buy my ticket, and selected the 16-25 railcard. I do have the railcard, and normally have it on my, but that day I left it at my house...

On the train, an inspector came, saw my ticket and when I couldn't show him my railcard, he wrote up all of my details to send a penalty fare to my house.
I then left the country the next day, so had no time (or money) to pay, and have just gotten back to find 2 letters, and the fare has gone up to 60 pounds....

The name on the letter is a letter different than my actual name, and he has made me a man instead of a girl. (Not sure if this makes any difference?) Even though I gave the correct details...

I really just want this to go away, and I do not have the money to pay 60 pound fine for not having my railcard on me the one day out of the year.
Should I just leave it, and hope they don't bring it any further, or what?
I've never had anything like this happen before, and I'm getting scared....

Any advice would help!!

 

[yorkie]

So basically, I was travelling from Moulsecoomb train station to Brighton station (5 minute ride, only 2 stops) and I did buy my ticket, and selected the 16-25 railcard. I do have the railcard, and normally have it on my, but that day I left it at my house...

Yes, that's a mistake for which you are liable to a Penalty Fare unfortunately, as that's how the system works.

I then left the country the next day, so had no time (or money) to pay, and have just gotten back to find 2 letters, and the fare has gone up to 60 pounds....

Sorry to hear that.

I really just want this to go away,

If you pay, it will go away.

Should I just leave it, and hope they don't bring it any further, or what?
I've never had anything like this happen before, and I'm getting scared....

I wouldn't recommend leaving it, as if you continue to refuse to pay, the Company can pursue you through the Courts, and then any amount you are ordered to pay would be significantly higher than £60.

 

[DaveNewcastle]

Unfortunately, being able to present the Railcard is a condition of buying the cheaper ticket - when we don't have a Railcard with us, we must buy the full price ticket.

I really just want this to go away, and I do not have the money to pay 60 pound fine for not having my railcard on me the one day out of the year.
Should I just leave it, and hope they don't bring it any further, or what?

If you "leave it" and do nothing, then it will become an unpaid dept which could be pursued through the Courts, or could become a Criminal Offence of failing to produce a valid ticket.

I very very strongly advise you against doing nothing. It will not "go away".

I then left the country the next day, so had no time (or money) to pay, and have just gotten back to find 2 letters, and the fare has gone up to 60 pounds....

The name on the letter is a letter different than my actual name, and he has made me a man instead of a girl. (Not sure if this makes any difference?)

The minor error on the paperwork is not going to make the fare go away either. I strongly urge you to find the means to settle this immediately, or at the very least, to contact the unit who have written to you with a realistic payment plan and if at all possible, a substantial instalment.

 

[Islineclear3_1]

So what did the first letter say and what did the second letter say? You must have been out of the country a while. Perhaps...because you did not pay when they wrote the first time, the penalty fare went up?

 

[croft]

The first letter said since I had not paid, the fare had gone up to 40 pounds, and the second letter said since i still have not paid, it has gone up to 60.
I was out of the country for a month, so missed both of these letters.

At the time, i asked to pay the full fee of the original ticket, but the inspector wouldn't have it, and said it would be 20 pounds.

I don't mind paying the 20 pounds now, as i do understand not having the railcard was not good, but now having it gone up to 60 because I was not in the country, and could not physically pay it, that is what i am most concerned about...

 

[Monty]

Are you sure you were issued a Penalty Fare? If so you should have received a Penalty Fare Notice which acts as your receipt. You get 21 days from the day of issue to either pay it or appeal. You must of left the country for quite a while for you to return to find the penalty has been raised twice for non payment.

I advise you to pay it, the consequences of not paying could end up being a lot more costly than a mere £60.

 

[WelshBluebird]

Surely if the letter is addressed to someone else (that is not your name), then technically you shouldn't be opening the letter anyway (in which case surely that would work in your favour). Or is it case of the name and address on the letter is correct, but the name in the contents of the letter is wrong?

 

[bb21]

Surely if the letter is addressed to someone else (that is not your name), then technically you shouldn't be opening the letter anyway (in which case surely that would work in your favour). Or is it case of the name and address on the letter is correct, but the name in the contents of the letter is wrong?

I'm not sure trying to be clever is the best way forward.

Just pay it. You are liable for it so why do you think you should be let off? Why would you want to make this worse by ignoring it?

 

[cuccir]

Pay the 60 pound. Beg, steal or borrow the money. This will not go away and will not get cheaper.

 

[MikeWh]

Pay the 60 pound. Beg, steal or borrow the money. This will not go away and will not get cheaper.

This. But maybe not steal.

 

[croft]

I'm okay with paying, but the fact that I was out of the country and it has risen to 60 pounds?
I just moved to the UK in september, so this whole ordeal is really strange for me. I still can't understand that they would charge upwards of 20 pounds for a mistake of not having a railcard on you that day...

I do not want this to go any further... but if I appealed and said i wasn't in the country, but will pay the 20 pounds instead of the 60, will that do anything?

 

[yorkie]

I'm okay with paying, but the fact that I was out of the country and it has risen to 60 pounds?

I don't understand the question.

I just moved to the UK in september, so this whole ordeal is really strange for me. I still can't understand that they would charge upwards of 20 pounds for a mistake of not having a railcard on you that day...

This is because Southern operates a Penalty Fare scheme, which posters at stations advertise:

http://www.southernrailway.com/tickets-and-fares/revenue-protection/penalty-fares/

I do not want this to go any further...

...then follow our advice.

but if I appealed and said i wasn't in the country, but will pay the 20 pounds instead of the 60, will that do anything?

If you pay £20 and not the full £60, I do not know what would happen. But, as you appear to have made your mind up not to pay the full £60, you could let us know what happens...

I don't see any benefits to discussing this further, and it's now simply your choice to make, so I am going to close the thread now. Please let us know if there's any updates and I'll reopen the thread.

 

[bb21]

I'm okay with paying, but the fact that I was out of the country and it has risen to 60 pounds?

That's not the railway company's problem.

I do not want this to go any further... but if I appealed and said i wasn't in the country, but will pay the 20 pounds instead of the 60, will that do anything?

Probably not.