Help!! Thameslink ticket

[Sambam]

Thank you, just a bit scared will they actually take me to court..also don’t have time to write the letter due to exams and essays! And they have given me 14 days from the 16th when they posted it.

 

[AlterEgo]

Thank you, just a bit scared will they actually take me to court..also don’t have time to write the letter due to exams and essays! And they have given me 14 days from the 16th when they posted it.

A letter takes 15 minutes to write and you already have the structure.

 

[JBuchananGB]

If you do not respond to them, you can be sure they will take you to court. I know exams and essays are important, but which of the options do you prefer, problem completing an essay, or a day with the magistrates?

 

[Sambam]

Welwome to the forum!

A Joc Centre Plus railcard offers a 50% discount compared to 34% for a 16-25 Railcard. This sort of thing is something the train companies take seriously and so you are right to be concerned.

As for what will happen next you will receive a letter from Govia Thameslink Railway. The letter will typically take a couple of months to arrive but can be sooner although it shouldn't take longer than six months. The letter will say that they have received a report, are considering prosecuting you and asking for your version of events before deciding how to proceed. It is important that you engage with and reply to this letter. You might want to include the following in your reply:

- That you are sorry for what has happened
- What you have learned from the incident
- That you are keen to settle the matter without the need for court action
- Offer to pay the outstanding fare and the train company's administrative costs in dealing with the matter

Make sure your reply is short and concise, don't give a sob story - they've heard it all before. GTR are usually one of the more pragmatic train companies when it comes to settling out of court for people who engage with the process and who haven't come to their attention before. There is no guarantee of this and they within their rights to prosecute you in the magistrates court if they wish.

A complication is the fact that you used your friend's account to purchase the ticket. There is nothing wrong in doing this but it does potentially complicate the investigation if they decide to look further into the ourchase history. What they say in the letter will be key, it is likely that they only refer to the one incident where you were caught but you should anywer their questions truthfully but you are not required to incriminate yourself either.

If you are offered a settlement the amount varies depending on the train company and circumstances but tend to be a around £100 plus the outstanding fare. An out of court settlement might appear to be a fine, but it isn't and you won't have a criminal record as a result of accepting one.

Feel free to post a copy of the letter once it arrives (with personal details redacted) along with your draft reply in this thread and forum members will be happy to proof read it. for you.

I have posted the letter should I still follow your steps to reply

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 May 2023 ==

please can someone proof read my letter:
Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing to express my sincerest apologies for my actions on [date] when I boarded the train from Brighton to Three Bridges without a valid ticket, using a discount to which I was not entitled. I deeply regret my decision and the inconvenience it may have caused to Gavia Thamslink Railway.

I acknowledge that my behavior was inexcusable and I have learned a valuable lesson from this incident. I now understand the importance of adhering to the ticketing regulations and the negative consequences that result from non-compliance.

I am genuinely keen to settle this matter amicably and without the need for court action. To that end, I would like to offer to pay the outstanding fare for the journey, as well as the train company's administrative costs incurred in dealing with this matter. I understand that the administrative costs may include the time and effort expended by Gavia Thamslink Railway to address the fare evasion issue.

Furthermore, I would like to highlight that I hold a valid 16-25 railcard and have been utilizing it for my train travels since the incident. This serves as evidence of my commitment to rectifying my mistake and ensuring that such an incident will not occur again in the future.

Once again, I express my sincere apologies for my actions and any inconvenience caused. I hope that we can reach a resolution that is satisfactory to both parties, and I assure you that I will adhere to all ticketing regulations and respect the services provided by Gavia Thamslink Railway moving forward.

Please find enclosed my contact information for further correspondence or clarification if needed. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Yours faithfully,

 

[30907]

The only serious criticism I would make is that you cannot offer to settle - it is for them to do that.
"I wonder if you would be prepared to offer a settlement covering the fare and the administrative costs involved."

Typo - it is GoviaThameslink.

 

[Haywain]

The only serious criticism I would make is that you cannot offer to settle - it is for them to do that.
"I wonder if you would be prepared to offer a settlement covering the fare and the administrative costs involved."

Typo - it is GoviaThameslink.

I disagree, the wording that @Sambam has used is fine.

 

[Hadders]

I think the letter is fine, it comes across as genuine and sincere.

 

[Sambam]

@Hadders hello or anyone who can help, I sent the letter on time and till now haven’t got a reply I’m not sure what I’m meant to do! I move out the house next month

 

[Fawkes Cat]

@Hadders hello or anyone who can help, I sent the letter on time and till now haven’t got a reply I’m not sure what I’m meant to do! I move out the house next month

You need to set up redirection for your post: see https://www.royalmail.com/personal/receiving-mail/redirection#top

This is a cost, but I think it is worth it to avoid the matter ending up in court without you knowing about it - that's very complicated to sort out.

 

[Sambam]

You need to set up redirection for your post: see https://www.royalmail.com/personal/receiving-mail/redirection#top

This is a cost, but I think it is worth it to avoid the matter ending up in court without you knowing about it - that's very complicated to sort out.

Promblem is I move in to a new one a month after I won’t have a stable place ! Is there a number I can call, and how can it be settled with court if I have replied. This is causing so much stress, how long r they meant to take to reply to my letter anyway?

 

[MotCO]

Promblem is I move in to a new one a month after I won’t have a stable place ! Is there a number I can call, and how can it be settled with court if I have replied. This is causing so much stress, how long r they meant to take to reply to my letter anyway?

Have you considered getting the Post Office to hold your post at a Post Office for the month you are between address, then set up a mail redirect from your current to your future (in a month's time) address? Details https://www.postoffice.co.uk/mail/poste-restante You specify a Post Office, and you can pop in regularly to pick up your pos. Not totally ideal, but a workaround.

 

[island]

Have you considered getting the Post Office to hold your post at a Post Office for the month you are between address, then set up a mail redirect from your current to your future (in a month's time) address? Details https://www.postoffice.co.uk/mail/poste-restante You specify a Post Office, and you can pop in regularly to pick up your pos. Not totally ideal, but a workaround.

I very much doubt the train company will send mail to a Poste Restante address.

 

[AlterEgo]

I very much doubt the train company will send mail to a Poste Restante address.

I agree - not in a case where they need a physical address where they can, in theory, find you, because the case is being investigated as a crime to be heard in a court.

 

[Darandio]

They still charge a fee for a service (split tickets) that trainsplit offers for a smaller fee, or one you can do manually by using trainsplit, then buying the tickets individually on other apps for the cheapest option.

I know. That is completely different to what I quoted.

 

[MotCO]

I agree - not in a case where they need a physical address where they can, in theory, find you, because the case is being investigated as a crime to be heard in a court.

I've never used a poste restante service, but assumed, like a post redirect, that your home address would still be used- it's just that the Post Office would hold it at a Post Office and not deliver to your home. From what you're implying, you would actually address your post to a Post Office - is that the case?

 

[AlterEgo]

I've never used a poste restante service, but assumed, like a post redirect, that your home address would still be used- it's just that the Post Office would hold it at a Post Office and not deliver to your home. From what you're implying, you would actually address your post to a Post Office - is that the case?

It would indeed be delivered to a post office. From the PO site:

Let your friends, family and business contacts know the Post Office address you’ll be picking up your mail from. This is how it should be written:

Your name
POST RESTANTE
Post Office name
Full address of the Post Office
Postcode of the Post Office
Country (if applicable)

Your Poste Restante address will be active straight away.

 

[AlbertBeale]

I've never used a poste restante service, but assumed, like a post redirect, that your home address would still be used- it's just that the Post Office would hold it at a Post Office and not deliver to your home. From what you're implying, you would actually address your post to a Post Office - is that the case?

There's a difference between a service called (I think, these days, given all their services have been changed to trendy names from the long-standing ones) MailSafe, on the one hand, and Post Restante, on the other hand. The former is where you pay for your post to your address to be held (rather than delivered) for a period - eg while you're away from home and you don't want it sitting on the mat for ages). It's a similar system to the paid-for redirection service, though I think it's a bit cheaper. That's different from the traditional Post Restante service, where a traveller could receive post on their travels by someone sending it to "Post Restante, Trieste Post Office, Italy", or whatever, and you'd go in with your passport as ID and collect anything waiting for you. It was a normal part of travelling back in the day. Though you had no choice of where to collect it - usually only the main PO in any city would hold PR items. (It was once the - then - 24-hour PO by Trafalgar Square for items sent for collection in London,)

Assuming the PR system still exists in this country [the privatised mail here has scrapped some services, especially ones to do with international mail, that are still available in other countries], you couldn't use it in a situation like that here; you'd have to pay for MailSafe instead. In this situation, the railway would know nothing about it, since they'd just use the address they had, and wouldn't know it was being intercepted and held for you to collect. However, I don't think you can use MailSafe as a kind of Post Restante, where you pop in every day to collect stuff - you say how long you want it held back for and then collect it all at the end of that period. If you tried to use it as a regular pick-up option, you'd have to pay for a PO Box instead - though you need a viable "real" address in order to arrange a PO Box.

UPDATE - having seen the last post... So PR is still available in this country. But, as said, it's where stuff is sent to a Post Office for collection, for people travelling. Which is quite different from having mail sent to your normal real address, but being held back at the sorting office for a period, for collection or bulk delivery at the end of that period.

 

[Llanigraham]

Beware; not all Post Offices now offer Poste Restante.

 

[skyhigh]

There's a difference between a service called (I think, these days, given all their services have been changed to trendy names from the long-standing ones) MailSafe

It's called Keepsafe.

 

[fandroid]

It's called Keepsafe.

That system does seem like a solution for the OP. Use Keepsafe (based on their current address) until they have a permanent address and then both organise redirection for a while and also write to the railway company with the new address. End the redirection when all important mail is arriving at the new address

 

[Fawkes Cat]

That system does seem like a solution for the OP. Use Keepsafe (based on their current address) until they have a permanent address and then both organise redirection for a while and also write to the railway company with the new address. End the redirection when all important mail is arriving at the new address

Although the OP will need to try to pick up their mail regularly - there are quite frequently short time limits and it would be far easier to abide by them than try to argue for permission to be late.

I don't know if the OP has an address they could be contacted at while they're between their permanent addresses. I'm thinking things like a parent's address or that of a (reliable) friend. If so, write to the railway asking them to use that address, and explaining why.

The thing is, if the OP drops out of contact with the railway, the railway will take that as the OP not trying to co-operate, and the matter will almost certainly end up in court. So it's worth the OP making particular effort to keep in touch.

 

[Hadders]

The OP would be best writing to GTR advising them of a new contact address. Send the letter by 1st class Signed For so in the event that GTR try to prosecute there is an audit trail of what has happened.

I realise the OP says they won’t have a permanent address they’re moving to but there must be someone, somewhere that they can direct post to.

 

[Sambam]

Hello I got this letter, a while back I used a discount card I didn’t have on a ticket gave my info. Then got a letter about what happens I replied back. Then I moved house and didn’t hear from them since and now I get this letter in the post. I don’t know what to do and I don’t have that money I’m a student. @Hadders posted it here now

 

[skyhigh]

Did you advise them of your new contact address?

 

[Sambam]

Did you advise them of your new contact address?

No I didn’t but I just wasn’t sure if I was moving them a lot of time passed. I’m really unsure what to do because I of course would have payed I even wrote the letter back, with my phone number.

 

[island]

The court has found you guilty of fare evasion and you now have £455.50 to pay.

Did you set up a mail redirection like you were advised to do?

 

[Sambam]

No I didn’t I completely Forgot too

 

[island]

Did you at any stage receive a single justice procedure notice or other notice to attend court?

 

[Sambam]

Did you at any stage receive a single justice procedure notice or other notice to attend court?

No I got a letter about the incident which I replied to straight away saying I will pay the fine then never got a letter for a few months then moved house and got this letter in my new house.

 

[island]

No I got a letter about the incident which I replied to straight away saying I will pay the fine then never got a letter for a few months then moved house and got this letter in my new house.

So you said you will pay the fine, now you've got the fine notice and instructions how to pay it. What's the issue?