18 days since Thameslink fare evasion incident and still no letter – should I update my address again?

[tracyyey]

Hi everyone,


I’m hoping someone with experience of TfL prosecution/fare evasion cases can advise.


I had an incident with TfL on 25 August 2026, and it has now been 18 days but I still haven’t received any letter/correspondence.


The issue is that I have already changed my correspondence address once because I was moving out of my previous accommodation. TfL confirmed that the address change had been updated.


However, there was subsequently a problem with the address I gave them, and I have now moved out of that address as well. I currently have a new address.


I’m therefore unsure whether I should:

1. Contact TfL again and ask them to update my correspondence address for a second time, or
2. Leave the address as it is because they have already confirmed the first change, and changing it again might cause confusion or delay.

I’m also wondering whether 18 days without receiving any correspondence is still within a normal timeframe, or whether I should be contacting TfL now to check whether anything has been issued.


If anyone has been through a similar situation, what is the best way to contact TfL to check the status of the case and confirm which correspondence address they have on file?


I’d really appreciate any advice or experiences. Thanks.

 

[soccermad]

I would suggest that you DO update them with the latest correspondence address and keep any confirmation which they send of having received it.

An 18 day delay is a very short timescale

TFL prosecute 10,000 plus cases each year so they are always very busy even with the first letter.

Keep an eye out for the correspondence by post and/or email (not sure how that normally corespondent in these cases)

They are likely to contact you within a few weeks

Come back here for advice on how to respond BEFORE you do so

Good Luck

 

[tracyyey]

I would suggest that you DO update them with the latest correspondence address and keep any confirmation which they send of having received it.

An 18 day delay is a very short timescale

TFL prosecute 10,000 plus cases each year so they are always very busy even with the first letter.

Keep an eye out for the correspondence by post and/or email (not sure how that normally corespondent in these cases)

They are likely to contact you within a few weeks

Come back here for advice on how to respond BEFORE you do so

Good Luck

Thank you

 

[Chiltern 165]

Setup a postal redirection.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 12 Sep 2026 ==

I would suggest that you DO update them with the latest correspondence address and keep any confirmation which they send of having received it.

An 18 day delay is a very short timescale

TFL prosecute 10,000 plus cases each year so they are always very busy even with the first letter.

Keep an eye out for the correspondence by post and/or email (not sure how that normally corespondent in these cases)

They are likely to contact you within a few weeks

Come back here for advice on how to respond BEFORE you do so

Good Luck

I fear this will just remind/provoke TfL rather than helpfully informing them.

 

[tracyyey]

Setup a postal redirection.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 12 Sep 2026 ==


I fear this will just remind/provoke TfL rather than helpfully informing them.

ong i just sent them already

 

[Chiltern 165]

ong i just sent them already

folk



If possible could you tell us what your “incident” was, so we can inform you further?

 

[tracyyey]

Sure, I initially purchased a ticket with the 50% Jobcentre Plus discount by mistake, without holding the required card. After the journey, I realised my mistake and purchased a second ticket using the 16–25 Railcard discount, applying for and purchasing the Railcard at the same time. I now understand that the second ticket and Railcard could not be used retrospectively for that journey, which is why the issue arose.

 

[Chiltern 165]

Sure, I initially purchased a ticket with the 50% Jobcentre Plus discount by mistake, without holding the required card. After the journey, I realised my mistake and purchased a second ticket using the 16–25 Railcard discount, applying for and purchasing the Railcard at the same time. I now understand that the second ticket and Railcard could not be used retrospectively for that journey, which is why the issue arose.

Did an RPO inspect you? I am confused at how TfL found out about this…

 

[tracyyey]

Did an RPO inspect you? I am confused at how TfL found out about this…

I was checked by an inspector at the gate

 

[WesternLancer]

ong i just sent them already

That was the right thing to do.
They would not have forgotten about you in any case.

 

[spotify95]

Indeed. From what I've seen on here, TfL tend to get their verification letters out quite quickly, at least compared to other ToCs. So weeks rather than months - although TfL have up to 6 months from the date of the offence to lay papers to the court, if they chose to prosecute.

Also - TfL do not offer out of court settlements, like other rail operators do. They either issue a warning (rare) or prosecute (common).

 

[WesternLancer]

Sure, I initially purchased a ticket with the 50% Jobcentre Plus discount by mistake, without holding the required card. After the journey, I realised my mistake and purchased a second ticket using the 16–25 Railcard discount, applying for and purchasing the Railcard at the same time. I now understand that the second ticket and Railcard could not be used retrospectively for that journey, which is why the issue arose.

I assume you are certain you are dealing with TfL over this?
Where did it happen (station name or on train) and what was the journey?

 

[tracyyey]

The incident happened on 25 August 2026 on my journey from Epsom to Blackfriars.

I assume you are certain you are dealing with TfL over this?
Where did it happen (station name or on train) and what was the journey?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 12 Sep 2026 ==

Indeed. From what I've seen on here, TfL tend to get their verification letters out quite quickly, at least compared to other ToCs. So weeks rather than months - although TfL have up to 6 months from the date of the offence to lay papers to the court, if they chose to prosecute.

Also - TfL do not offer out of court settlements, like other rail operators do. They either issue a warning (rare) or prosecute (common).

Thanks, that’s helpful. Just to clarify my situation, I initially bought a ticket with the 50% Jobcentre Plus discount by mistake, without having the required card. I was then checked by an inspector at the gate, and afterwards purchased a second ticket using a 16–25 Railcard discount and applied for the Railcard at the same time. So I understand the second ticket was also not valid retrospectively. Given these circumstances, would you say prosecution is likely

..

 

[Chiltern 165]

The incident happened on 25 August 2026 on my journey from Epsom to Blackfriars.

I assume this was a Thameslink service? Was your Blackfriars on a glass bridge (there are separate mainline and London underground stations)

 

[tracyyey]

Yes it was Thameslink

 

[Chiltern 165]

Yes it was Thameslink

You are extremely lucky. Unless something extremely bizarre happened, TfL would not be doing revenue protection in a National Rail station.
This means three things;

1. TfL will have nothing to do with this case - whoever read your email noting an address change must be very confused
2. You have a low chance of prosecution - they most likely will offer you an out of court settlement of £100-£200 + price of an any-time single on your route (~£20)
3. There is a chance Thameslink has sent you a letter to your old address, and is starting to get annoyed. . . I think @WesternLancer would be able to tell you what to do for that

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 12 Sep 2026 ==

You are extremely lucky. Unless something extremely bizarre happened, TfL would not be doing revenue protection in a National Rail station.

Are you sure they were TfL staff? As in, did they have lots of TfL logos on them, or did they have Thameslink/southern logos on them.

 

[tracyyey]

I do have the notice/penalty letter from TfL, which I’ve attached below. It has the TfL reference number TSGNMG000983309, and I’ve also been corresponding with TfL’s Prosecutions Team about the case.

 

[Gloster]

I do have the notice/penalty letter from TfL, which I’ve attached below. It has the TfL reference number TSGNMG000983309, and I’ve also been corresponding with TfL’s Prosecutions Team about the case.

The first line says Thameslink Southern Great Northern: they are the ones you need to deal with. Write to them soon, like tomorrow, and tell them your new address and include some sort of apology for not advising them earlier.

I am not an expert.

 

[AlterEgo]

It's not from TfL. It's from Thameslink Southern Great Northern (often called GTR). That is an entirely different company.

 

[tracyyey]

Ah I see, thank you for clarifying. Does that mean my case could potentially be more serious, or does GTR generally handle these cases differently from TfL?

It's not from TfL. It's from Thameslink Southern Great Northern (often called GTR). That is an entirely different company.

 

[Chiltern 165]

I do have the notice/penalty letter from TfL, which I’ve attached below. It has the TfL reference number TSGNMG000983309, and I’ve also been corresponding with TfL’s Prosecutions Team about the case.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 12 Sep 2026 ==

Ah I see, thank you for clarifying. Does that mean my case could potentially be more serious, or does GTR generally handle these cases differently from TfL?

Read this

This means three things;

1. TfL will have nothing to do with this case - whoever read your email noting an address change must be very confused
2. You have a low chance of prosecution - they most likely will offer you an out of court settlement of £100-£200 + price of an any-time single on your route (~£20)
3. There is a chance Thameslink has sent you a letter to your old address, and is starting to get annoyed. . . I think @WesternLancer would be able to tell you what to do for that

 

[tracyyey]

View attachment 211503

Sorry my bad( for confusing, tysm for you helppp

 

[Chiltern 165]

According to Thameslink's website;

If you are concerned you may have missed some correspondence, for example if you have moved address, you can e-mail the Prosecutions Team at gtr.prosecutions@gtrailway.com with the details you gave the inspector at the time and the date you made the journey, and we can look into this further for you.

You will now have to write emails saying you moved address to Thameslink, and to TfL that you contacted them by mistake, and didn't know who to contact.

I would advise you to ask here for any steps you take in relation to this, and to send your emails to both companies so we can proofread it.

 

[Gloster]

Ah I see, thank you for clarifying. Does that mean my case could potentially be more serious, or does GTR generally handle these cases differently from TfL?

Unless you have been very unlucky and Thameslink have acted very quickly, you have a much better chance of avoiding prosecution with Thameslink (than with TfL). The experts on this forum will advise once Thameslink contact you. However, you must make sure that Thameslink know how to contact you and you check your mail and e-mail, including spam.

There should be an address on the slip saying something like prosecutions@… (or a postal address). Use that, not the general customer services address.

 

[Chiltern 165]

Unless you have been very unlucky and Thameslink have acted very quickly, you have a much better chance of avoiding prosecution with Thameslink (than with TfL). The experts on this forum will advise once Thameslink contact you. However, you must make sure that Thameslink know how to contact you and you check your mail and e-mail, including spam.

I believe the OP had moved house? Some of the experts should also comment on how to contact TfL on this, and if GTR typically mail or email further.

Another thing to keep in mind is Train Operating Companies (which Thameslink is, whilst for our purposes TfL isn't) LOVE taking a long time to contact you.

 

[tracyyey]

Ah, I’m sorry for the confusion! I’ve actually already emailed GTR Prosecutions at gtr.prosecutions@gtrailway.com to update my correspondence address. I mistakenly referred to them as TfL because I couldn’t remember the name correctly. So yes, it is actually GTR. Thank you for clarifying!

Unless you have been very unlucky and Thameslink have acted very quickly, you have a much better chance of avoiding prosecution with Thameslink (than with TfL). The experts on this forum will advise once Thameslink contact you. However, you must make sure that Thameslink know how to contact you and you check your mail and e-mail, including spam.

There should be an address on the slip saying something like prosecutions@… (or a postal address). Use that, not the general customer services address.

 

[Chiltern 165]

Ah, I’m sorry for the confusion! I’ve actually already emailed GTR Prosecutions at gtr.prosecutions@gtrailway.com to update my correspondence address. I mistakenly referred to them as TfL because I couldn’t remember the name correctly. So yes, it is actually GTR. Thank you for clarifying!

To clarify, you have not been talking to the TfL team at all, right?

 

[tracyyey]

Yes

 

[Chiltern 165]

Yes

Okay, good.
For now just wait, they may contact you tomorrow, they may contact you in 5 months. They are extremely unlikely to prosecute you, unless you have been caught many times/are being rude or extremely suspicious to the revenue protection team.

Please message in this thread again with their full email/letter, and do not respond without asking us for advice.

Fare evasion crimes have to be prosecuted within 6 months from the offence, meaning they have to stop investigating at that point. If they have not contacted you 5 months after your offence please message here for further advice.

 

[tracyyey]

Thank you soo much for taking the time to explain everything and for your advice. I really appreciate it!