SW Trains Penalty Fare & IRCAS reminder notice

[Worried123]

First of all, I'm glad I found this forum. There is a lot of useful information in here!

Now, to the matter - My husband got a penalty fare of £20 in December from South West trains as he did not have a valid ticket for his journey. This was the result of a genuine mistake, and he paid the penalty fare on the spot. We thought that was the end of that matter.

He has now received a reminder letter (dated 22nd day of the penalty fare) from IRCAS saying that he now owes them £50 including an administration fee of £30. He has 14 days to pay this amount.

We contacted SW trains and they said we should contact IRCAS. We will contact IRCAS on Monday with the penalty fare notice/ receipt showing that the amount has already been paid. The receipt clearly shows 'Nil' against the amount due. We just checked the IRCAS website in the appeal and payment options and we can see the same information as in the reminder letter.

We are getting worried about this as I have been reading about people getting prosecution notices when the penalty fare hasn't been paid. Unfortunately, in my husband's case, they incorrectly think he hasn't, and hence the reminder.

Does anyone have any similar experience? How did you proceed in this case and did it get resolved finally?

 

[Bushy]

First thing is don't worry, your husband has clearly settled his liability for the penalty fare.

I suggest that you follow the appeals procedure. There is an online facility for this on the IRCAS website. The time period for payment will be suspended until the appeal has been considered. Having not used it, I assume that there is the facility to upload a scan of documentary evidence, in your case the receipt.

If you appeal by post send a copy of the receipt, not the original.

Regards

Bushy

 

[Worried123]

Thanks Bushy for your response.

I'm sorry, I don't fully understand when you say 'follow the appeals' procedure. The reminder letter says that as we have not appealed in the 1st 21 days we have now forfeited our right to appeal.

Are you saying we can appeal the admin costs?

 

[cuccir]

If you have a receipt and have paid SWT the penalty fare due, then don't pay a penny. It sounds like your husband's details have simply been passed on on error. You'll have to contact IRCAS directly, and hopefully that can resolve this - their reputation for customer service is best described as 'mixed' and if they're not helpful then I'm sure people can comment on what to do next, but until you've tried that then I'm not sure that there's much else to advise.

 

[Worried123]

Thanks cuccir for your reply. We will send an online enquiry to IRCAS attaching the receipt and also call them on Monday.

 

[Bushy]

As the notice indicates the period to appeal has lapsed, contact IRCAS directly. An appeal might be ignored due to the lapse.

There is no phone number on the website (other than the automated payment system). Say No to 0870 gives the ITAL switchboard No. as 01730 235300. You may have difficulty getting transferred to somebody that can help you, but make it clear that you have received a reminder notice for a penalty fare that was paid at the time of issue. They will probably need you to send the receipt but in any case, follow up with a letter to the address given on the website, confirming any telephone conversation. It will be worth using "signed for" service.

Alternatively use the contact form on the website. This has the facility to upload a scan of the receipt. Again, unless you get an e-mail confirming all of the details of your message, follow up with a letter.

In the unlikely event that a summons is issued you already have the evidence that the Penalty Fare was paid. Evidence that you have attempted to contact IRCAS to deal with an obvious administrative will help.

Regards

Bushy

 

[bb21]

As others have said, if the bill had been settled then you have nothing to worry about.

Give them a ring by all means to resolve this misunderstanding, but I wouldn't worry too much about it. IRCAS is run by a bunch of clowns in my opinion (and that's me being nice) if the stories we hear about on here are anything to go by.

You may well have a case of harassment if it carries on. I suggest that if a phone call gets you nowhere, send them a recorded letter explaining that you owe them nothing, then give them a week to stop bothering you.

 

[afyutr]

I would definitely send a letter, with copies of the evidence, recorded. You can then see that they have signed for it and I would leave it at that.

I've had a similar issue with the DVLA trying to fine me £1000 for not declaring a car SORN that I sold 3 years previously (and completed all paperwork at the time) - a pretty strong letter explaining the circumstances and questioning why their system failed worked a treat.

 

[Bushy]

... IRCAS is run by a bunch of clowns in my opinion (and that's me being nice) if the stories we hear about on here are anything to go by. ...

To be fair, the issue of the notice is not IRCAS's fault. They have been tasked with collecting the penalty fare by the company that issued it, SW Trains or their RP company. Whoever entered the details into the system failed to record that the fare had been paid.

IRCAS should be judged by the response they give to the correspondence the OP sends. Ensure all correspondence is polite but firm. State clearly that the liability for the Penalty Fare has been settled and that you therefore do not intend to make any further payment.

Regards

Bushy

 

[Worried123]

Thank you all for your replies.

I am guessing it's probably going to take them a few days or weeks before they (IRCAS) can verify this information at the other end - i.e the revennue officer's copy of the penalty fare notice. We have only until the 21st before the time on the reminder notice runs out.

Any advice on how to make sure they do not proceed to further action (provided they haven't already) before we get a chance to get this resolved?

 

[Mojo]

To be fair, the issue of the notice is not IRCAS's fault. They have been tasked with collecting the penalty fare by the company that issued it, SW Trains or their RP company. Whoever entered the details into the system failed to record that the fare had been paid.

I don't know how SWT administer their Penalty fares, but at my company, which also uses Ircas, then all that happens is:
1. Inspector issues Penalty fare
2. At end of day Inspector sends two copies of all issued Penalty fare notices to the Administrator
3. Administrator keeps one copy for filing within the office
4. Administrator sends one copy to Ircas (by a courier)
5. When Penalty fare notice gets to Ircas then they copy the details off the Penalty fare onto their system

If however SWT don't use Ircas for the full processing like we do, then yes, there would probably be an error outside of Ircas.

 

[Worried123]

Thank you all for your help and advice..

My husband spoke to IRCAS today. They have now made the correction and we can see the updated information on their website (when using the payment option).

They also said they will update South West trains that the penalty has been paid.

I hope this will be the end of the matter.

Now that we have very painfully learned that administrative errors like this can happen, would you recommend that we should do any follow ups with South West trains?

 

[Bushy]

As you have the confirmation that IRCAS have resolved the matter, I would take a screen grab of the relevant information then forget about it.

Regards

Bushy

 

[bb21]

Now that we have very painfully learned that administrative errors like this can happen, would you recommend that we should do any follow ups with South West trains?

I think you can safely move on and forget about it.

Good showing from IRCAS for once. Perhaps they read what I said about them earlier?