Notice to Prosecute Thameslink

[twotea]

Hi
I recieved a notice to Prosecute in post yesterday. The name was not mine but the address was mine. Which I noticed after opening. I had made no rail trips recently so someone had given my address when Challenged for no ticket.
Today I popped in to Citizens Advise. They recommended filling in the dispute section, sending photocopies of my picture driving Licence and a Council Tax bill to verify my name, address and single house occupancy. I will send recorded post tomorrow as Post Office closed early today.
Am I handling this correctly?
Thanks for responses.
Sorry that should be an Intent to Prosecute Letter.

 

[Puffing Devil]

The advice from Citizens Advice is the most effective way to resolve this situation quickly. When a rail operator issues an Intent to Prosecute letter, they act on the information given at the time of the fare evasion. If someone gave a false address, the operator cannot know the details are fraudulent until the legal resident provides proof.

Providing a driving licence and a Council Tax bill is the standard way to prove residency and identity. The driving licence confirms who lives there, while the Council Tax bill with a single person discount shows no other adults are registered at the property. Sending these "signed for" creates a clear audit trail. This is vital because if the rail company continues with the prosecution, the resident has dated evidence that they informed the company of the error, which would usually lead to the case being dismissed at court.

Opening the letter was the correct move. While there is a general rule against opening mail for others, the Postal Services Act allows it for a legitimate reason, such as verifying the sender to return it or, in this case, preventing a legal summons from being ignored and bailiffs arriving.

 

[z444z]

What do you mean by “filling in the dispute section”? If this is on a letter you’ve received could you please show us the letter (redact personal details)?

 

[WesternLancer]

Hi
I recieved a notice to Prosecute in post yesterday. The name was not mine but the address was mine. Which I noticed after opening. I had made no rail trips recently so someone had given my address when Challenged for no ticket.
Today I popped in to Citizens Advise. They recommended filling in the dispute section, sending photocopies of my picture driving Licence and a Council Tax bill to verify my name, address and single house occupancy. I will send recorded post tomorrow as Post Office closed early today.
Am I handling this correctly?
Thanks for responses.
Sorry that should be an Intent to Prosecute Letter.

Welcome

The CAB advice is no doubt sound but you should (in theory) not have to do more than re-seal the envelope write 'Not known at this address - please return to sender' and drop it in a royal mail post box.

Loads of people no doubt give false details so the train company will be used to this, and as there s no requirement to carry ID in the UK even if they ask for ID it can be refused and they have no option other than to record what the passenger tells them.

However, making it clearer to the train company is probably in your interests, as per CAB advice, to prevent letters keeping on coming to your address about this and the risk of matters escalating, but if they do keep sending stuff I'd use the return to sender approach I outline above for other such letters after your initial advice as per the CAB.

I'm not sure I'd send all the council tax bumpf myself - I would write a short letter along the lines of 'post opened in error before releasing that the person this is addressed to does not live at this address. I am the only resident at this address' enclosing copies of the things CAB advise - I would do this rather than filling in the form / letter from Thameslink that is not addressed to your name.

The reason for potentially including a copy of some photo ID is that if the railway ticket inspector did a thorough job when they stopped the person who was evading their fare they will have either taken a very brief description of said passenger or maybe a screen grab image / body cam of them - if you then show you do not match that discretion or image with your own photo ID it may close things down more quickly.

More broadly - it could well be someone who knows you that is using your details for this - or a stranger who has pinched post or your details from some source.

I expect CAB advised you but more broadly I guess keep a close eye on any post that arrives at your address that you do not recognise / make sure you open hard copy post that arrives promptly as standard precautions against identity theft etc.

I assume you have the Thameslink prosecutions team postal address on the latter you opened by mistake - but of you need it for any reason please ask.

EDIT - I see I have cross posted with sound advice from @Puffing Devil

 

[twotea]

Many thanks for prompt replies and easing my mind. I have the Prosecutions Team address from the letter and confirmed it online from Thameslink website independently searched just incase it was a phising for details attempt. WesternLancer could you just verify address as a triple check. Better safe than sorry these days.

 

[WesternLancer]

I have the Prosecutions Team address from the letter and confirmed it online from Thameslink website independently searched just incase it was a phising for details attempt. WesternLancer could you just verify address as a triple check. Better safe than sorry these days.

from copies of original letters that people have uploaded here in the past seeking help on fare irregularities it would be:

Prosecutions Department, Govia Thameslink Railway, Eastside Offices, Kings Cross Railway Station, London N1C 4AX.

 

[twotea]

Thank you once again for the assistance.

 

[LYradial]

I would take Photos of the envelope and letter before sending, otherwise it’s possible that the train company will just put your name in place of the false one and send more letters

 

[twotea]

What do you mean by “filling in the dispute section”? If this is on a letter you’ve received could you please show us the letter (redact personal details)?

Hi
I have not included a picture, but an Intent to Prosecute letter contains a section you can fill in to dispute the facts contained in the letter. I disputed the fact that the named person was not me and had used my address. Also giving evidence I lived at the address and nobody else did. Also in that sections instructions it does state do you dispute you are the person mentioned in this letter.
Hope this helps. As a bit of an old fossil I prefer not to include a photo as redacting skills not up to it.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 5 Feb 2026 ==

I would take Photos of the envelope and letter before sending, otherwise it’s possible that the train company will just put your name in place of the false one and send more letters

Many thanks, I have indeed copied the letter and statement before enclosing it.

 

[z444z]

Your approach sounds good to me too. As has already been said, you may be providing a bit more information than is absolutely necessary, but it’s up to you how you want to balance keeping your personal info out of GTR’s hands vs avoiding this dragging on and if you prioritise having this over with quickly then what’s been suggested by Citizens Advice is definitely a good way to do that.