Out of Court Settlement HELP

[sickhead69]

Hello,

Recently I was stopped by southeastern for fare evasion. I admitted to one offence and from that they started an investigation into my Trainline account. I had been shorting my tickets for probably close to a year. I wrote to them a letter essentially grovelling and begging to settle anything outside of court. I have received back their letter and they are allowing me to settle this out of court, but the fine is far heftier than I anticipated.

I am wondering whether it is worth the time and energy to discuss with them my outstanding fares. They’ve claimed I have 260 unpaid journeys, however, I did pay for train tickets, but I had been paying for tickets from Waterloo East to London Bridge whereas I usually get on at Grove Park, so instead of £9/10 I was paying £6/7 for a ticket. Does this give me a leg to stand on, having actually paid for train tickets? Or is it completely invalidated because it was for the wrong journey?

I am also from a low income family, on universal credit. If I were to write back to them explaining my financial situation, including bank statements, UC statements etc., would it be possible that they could alleviate the heftiness of fine?

Or should I just count myself fortunate they have not taken me to court, pay it and get it over and done with? I do not want to make things worse for myself.

Any advice is much appreciated. Happy to provide more info

 

[WesternLancer]

Hello,

Recently I was stopped by southeastern for fare evasion. I admitted to one offence and from that they started an investigation into my Trainline account. I had been shorting my tickets for probably close to a year. I wrote to them a letter essentially grovelling and begging to settle anything outside of court. I have received back their letter and they are allowing me to settle this out of court, but the fine is far heftier than I anticipated.

I am wondering whether it is worth the time and energy to discuss with them my outstanding fares. They’ve claimed I have 260 unpaid journeys, however, I did pay for train tickets, but I had been paying for tickets from Waterloo East to London Bridge whereas I usually get on at Grove Park, so instead of £9/10 I was paying £6/7 for a ticket. Does this give me a leg to stand on, having actually paid for train tickets? Or is it completely invalidated because it was for the wrong journey?

I am also from a low income family, on universal credit. If I were to write back to them explaining my financial situation, including bank statements, UC statements etc., would it be possible that they could alleviate the heftiness of fine?

Or should I just count myself fortunate they have not taken me to court, pay it and get it over and done with? I do not want to make things worse for myself.

Any advice is much appreciated. Happy to provide more info

Welcome
From what we see if you play fair with them then they will be fair - but of course you have been actively evading what you owe them so that is not a starting point that they will see as you playing fair - obviously.

But it is important to be clear - this is not a 'fine' - they are seeking the money they believe you owe then in evaded fares

But I think you certainly should write to them politely and ask if they could provide a break down of the fares they think you have evaded on 260 journeys so that you can 'co-operate with them by checking your own records' - they will then send you and xl sheet table that you can check and comment on if you think some of these are cases when you had a valid ticket. They may then reduce the sum requested.

You can mention you are on a low income for context but I don't think they will be interested in your UC statements etc (there will be other people on v low incomes who don't cheat them after all)

I don't think asking them this will make things worse for you.

 

[Hadders]

Welcome to the forum!

Basedon what you've told us Southeastern are entitled to prosecute you in tghe Magistrates Court if they want to. This would normally be for the single offence where you were caught. If this happened you would have to pay:

- A fine based on your income - normally discounted by a third if you plead guilty at the earliest opportunity
- A surcharge of 40% of the value of the fine
- Compensation for the fare avoided
- Contribution towards Southeastern's court costs

In addition you would have a criminal conviction. The court would probably allow you to pay in installments.

Alternatively Southeastern are offering you the opportunity to avoid getting a criminal conviction if you pay them some money (note technically it's not a fine although paying money in this way feels like a fine!). Southeastern want you to pay the cost of all the fares avoided at the full Anytime rate with no credit given for the invalid tickets you did purchase. In addition they will charge an admin fee. Out of court settlements cannot normally be paid in installments.

It is unusual to get a train company to reduce the amount of the settlement, unless there is evidence that the number of journeys is incorrect. I do sympathise with yor financial situation but I'd be very surprised if the amount was reduced because of this.

 

[sickhead69]

Welcome
From what we see if you play fair with them then they will be fair - but of course you have been actively evading what you owe them so that is not a starting point that they will see as you playing fair - obviously.

But it is important to be clear - this is not a 'fine' - they are seeking the money they believe you owe then in evaded fares

But I think you certainly should write to them politely and ask if they could provide a break down of the fares they think you have evaded on 260 journeys so that you can 'co-operate with them by checking your own records' - they will then send you and xl sheet table that you can check and comment on if you think some of these are cases when you had a valid ticket. They may then reduce the sum requested.

You can mention you are on a low income for context but I don't think they will be interested in your UC statements etc (there will be other people on v low incomes who don't cheat them after all)

I don't think asking them this will make things worse for you.

Thank you for getting back to me swiftly. I appreciate the advice a lot.

I counted through all my Trainline bookings and I have made 179 bookings in total. Where else could they have got the other 81 journeys from?

I will send them an email today requesting a breakdown. Thank you again, that’s really useful.

 

[OpalStar]

Hi - I’m in a similar situation to you, I’ve been buying tickets from Lewisham to CX once or twice a week for 18 months. Getting pulled over this week was horrid, and frankly not worth the little money I saved as a result. So I sympathise. I’m yet to receive my letter but it’s coming and my repayment required will be close to £2k assuming they offer me settlement.

I’ve read every thread going on southeastern and prosecutions, from what I can tell it’s very unlikely they will give you the option of a payment plan, I also doubt they will reduce the figure by much, unless you can prove line by line which fares were valid?


They do not care that you have already paid for half the trip (sad times) they will require you to pay back every trip you’ve shorted on in full at the anytime day rate.

Maybe make a spreadsheet using you trip history on Trainline and provide them with evidence that way?

Good luck, I know this is horrid but you’re not alone.

 

[Haywain]

I had been paying for tickets from Waterloo East to London Bridge whereas I usually get on at Grove Park, so instead of £9/10 I was paying £6/7 for a ticket. Does this give me a leg to stand on, having actually paid for train tickets?

You have been travelling without a ticket from Grove Park to London Bridge and the train company want that paid for. As the fare is the same to either London Bridge or Waterloo East it makes no difference whether the ticket you purchased is taken into account as covering part of the journey, but the value of it won't be. In this respect, you really don't have a leg to stand on.

I will send them an email today requesting a breakdown.

This is perfectly acceptable. Train companies do tend to make adjustments if people are honest and not seen to be trying it on.

They do not care that you have already paid for half the trip (sad times)

As pointed out above, what has been paid for is a small part of the overall journey, but at a high price. It was paying over the odds for that short journey that made it clear what you were doing. Now they just want you to pay for the rest of the journey.

 

[sickhead69]

Hi - I’m in a similar situation to you, I’ve been buying tickets from Lewisham to CX once or twice a week for 18 months. Getting pulled over this week was horrid, and frankly not worth the little money I saved as a result. So I sympathise. I’m yet to receive my letter but it’s coming and my repayment required will be close to £2k assuming they offer me settlement.

I’ve read every thread going on southeastern and prosecutions, from what I can tell it’s very unlikely they will give you the option of a payment plan, I also doubt they will reduce the figure by much, unless you can prove line by line which fares were valid?


They do not care that you have already paid for half the trip (sad times) they will require you to pay back every trip you’ve shorted on in full at the anytime day rate.

Maybe make a spreadsheet using you trip history on Trainline and provide them with evidence that way?

Good luck, I know this is horrid but you’re not alone.

The consequences of our own actions..

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 26 Jun 2025 ==

Thank you all for reaching out to my predicament with such haste.

I am wondering if this is an appropriate email to send to request the breakdown:

Dear Prosecutions Team,


Thank you for allowing me to settle this matter out of court. I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity and I am more than willing to pay all of my outstanding fares as well as a contribution to the investigative costs conducted by Southeastern.

I am writing to you as I wish to discuss the outstanding fares. If it is at all possible, may I request a breakdown of the 260 unpaid journeys so I may co-operate with you by checking my own records.

 

[OpalStar]

The consequences of our own actions..

I’m done beating myself up. I was convinced I would loose my job; the people on this forum have been a lifeline I don’t deserve. I bought a season ticket today and am making it my mission to put bad behaviour behind me.
Just a thought were any of your tickets returns? Perhaps they have counted each journey up rather than the transactions themselves?

 

[sickhead69]

I’m done beating myself up. I was convinced I would loose my job; the people on this forum have been a lifeline I don’t deserve. I bought a season ticket today and am making it my mission to put bad behaviour behind me.
Just a thought were any of your tickets returns? Perhaps they have counted each journey up rather than the transactions themselves?

Truly, I am everlastingly grateful for this forum and the people on it. This experience has been reforming to say the least.

All of my shortened journey tickets were returns, it makes sense as to where they got the number 260 from now. Thank you.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 26 Jun 2025 ==

I’m yet to receive my letter but it’s coming and my repayment required will be close to £2k assuming they offer me settlement.

Good luck to you too my friend. Only a matter of time before it stays in the past

 

[WesternLancer]

The consequences of our own actions..

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 26 Jun 2025 ==

Thank you all for reaching out to my predicament with such haste.

I am wondering if this is an appropriate email to send to request the breakdown:

Dear Prosecutions Team,


Thank you for allowing me to settle this matter out of court. I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity and I am more than willing to pay all of my outstanding fares as well as a contribution to the investigative costs conducted by Southeastern.

I am writing to you as I wish to discuss the outstanding fares. If it is at all possible, may I request a breakdown of the 260 unpaid journeys so I may co-operate with you by checking my own records.

some possible amends. I think its best to avoid suggesting you will talk to them about this - it's almost never in your interests to enter into discussions as you can not know what might be said which can risk incriminating yourself further


Dear Prosecutions Team,

Insert Ref Number:

Thank you for considering allowing me to settle this matter out of court. I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity and I am more than willing to pay all of my outstanding fares as well as a contribution to the investigative costs conducted by Southeastern.

I am writing to you as I wish to discuss the outstanding fares. If it is at all possible, may I request a breakdown of the 260 unpaid journeys that you believe have been undertaken without the correct ticket so I may co-operate with you by checking my own records of travel.

Yours faithfully

 

[sickhead69]

some possible amends. I think its best to avoid suggesting you will talk to them about this - it's almost never in your interests to enter into discussions as you can not know what might be said which can risk incriminating yourself further


Dear Prosecutions Team,

Insert Ref Number:

Thank you for considering allowing me to settle this matter out of court. I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity and I am more than willing to pay all of my outstanding fares as well as a contribution to the investigative costs conducted by Southeastern.

I am writing to you as I wish to discuss the outstanding fares. If it is at all possible, may I request a breakdown of the 260 unpaid journeys that you believe have been undertaken without the correct ticket so I may co-operate with you by checking my own records of travel.

Yours faithfully

You’re such a legend. Thank you.

 

[alholmes]

I counted through all my Trainline bookings and I have made 179 bookings in total. Where else could they have got the other 81 journeys from?

They will be counting a return ticket as two single journeys. So if your Trainline bookings are all returns then they are only looking at 130 of them.

 

[island]

I am wondering whether it is worth the time and energy to discuss with them my outstanding fares. They’ve claimed I have 260 unpaid journeys, however, I did pay for train tickets, but I had been paying for tickets from Waterloo East to London Bridge whereas I usually get on at Grove Park, so instead of £9/10 I was paying £6/7 for a ticket. Does this give me a leg to stand on, having actually paid for train tickets? Or is it completely invalidated because it was for the wrong journey?

If you were travelling from Grove Park to London Bridge, you are unlikely to be given credit for buying a ticket from Waterloo East to London Bridge, as the journeys don't overlap in any way.