'Notice of Seizure' received out of the blue!

[gimble]

Morning all, thx in advance for any help!...

 

I received a Notice of Seizure thru my door this morning from 'Task Enforcement' at 11.20am. There was also a notice stuck to the windscreen of my car saying it will be removed at 12pm today!

 

This is following on from a Transport For London fine for being in a box junction in London, which I wanted to dispute anyway (my son was driving the car at the time).

 

So far:

 

1. The original 'offence' occurred in around Nov last yr. The 1st 'notice to owner' or whatever it is, was not received, so I phoned TFL on receipt of the '2nd' one, saying I had not received the 1st, and also because there is no provision on the form for amending the drivers' name & we wanted to dispte it (my son was driving).

 

2. TFL apologise and say a new form will be sent out which will also contain a section where you can say who was driving and note down if you want to dispute this claim. They said 'you do not need to do anything until this arrives'. They cite the postal strikes as the reason for 'thousands' of people not receiving their notices.

 

3. NOTHING received since. It was assumed that they've just written it off / not dealt with it yet so obv it hasn't been chased.

 

4. Notice thru door this morning & warning note stuck on to windscreen of car saying it is an offence to remove clamp etc (there was no clamp on there - good job eh). On the top, someone has written 'police aware'.

 

5. I phone task enforcement asking wtf is going on. They say they have been instructed by TFL who should have sent 'three or four' letters by now advising of this action. Tell me to phone TFL.

 

6. I phone TFL who say there is 'nothing they can do' & pretty much give the usual I-am-not-helping-you crap... they say Task Enf. have been instructed now, it's too late, the only way to dispute it is to pay the £400 and dispute the claim after that LOL. Basically the usual baloney that leaves the poor sod lumbered with the fine with no way out.

 

7. My son has now scraped the notice off the windscreen & moved the car (I am picking up my son & his 3 yr old from Heathrow airport tonight). Fk letting them take the car today.

 

I figured that unless they drive around for an hour looking for the car, they aren't taking it today causeit's now been moved & that this can now be disputed in the meantime.

 

So:

Has anyone had one of these & what was outcome/did you dispute it?

 

Would trading standards / anyone else ombudsman-like be able to assist with this?

 

Does anyone know of any specific letters that need to be sent to them about this to ensure the wording is correct?

 

Will they just keep coming back at all hours to get the car? Or will they apply for a different notice to seize something else (no way will I let them in my house anyway)?

 

And - this is a genuine dispute, we are not trying to get out of a fine. The original amount was for £80. We wanted to dispute this anyway although would have paid £80 if we really had to & was prepared to do so in writing etc. The next correspondence received lists several added charges which amount to over £400! (Which we can't afford to pay).

 

You see and hear so many stories like this, that there must be people that know how to dispute this with them properly.

 

I'm aware as part of a dispute process that I have the right to receive copies of all tel.conversations & proof that letters were 'sent', but I fear that this will take too long, I need something to go on asap before they start coming back trying to seize the car!

 

Thx in advance !

[lamma]

Lock the car in a garage - they use ANPR. TfL lied, they can call off enforcement anything they like - they just don't even when they know its all messed up. file a stat dec asap. like Now. Ring the TEC. and google the last three words in this sentence, bailiff advice online

[gimble]

Thank you, will do.

 

TEC = ?

 

 

My main concern is I genuinely do not have ANY money to pay for this either (even getting the £80 would be a struggle at the moment).

 

I've googled it but there are loads of sites it seems

 

can you point to where I can find a stat dec?

 

Sorry to be thick about this! Thank you

[gimble]

Oh, one last question

 

If they do seize the car, ie if they find it

 

how will the 'debt' be affected? Would this cancel it out or would they then try and sell it & keep chasing me for payment of the rest of the money?

 

I hope it doesnt get to that, but it's good to know these things.

 

Thank you.

[gimble]

Ok sorry to keep posting but I just phoned the TEC (worked it out) and listened to the automated message

 

I have to file an 'out of time' statutory declaration within 36 hours, so I will do this now & keep this thread posted

 

anyone that knows about the above qs then let me know, thanks

[lamma]

do it electronically/ by fax - now ! they log them same day, it stops the enforcement process. of course bailiffs may try to 'ignore' it so get written confirmation back. sounds like you found the TEC - Info about - County Court Bulk Centre - Traffic Enforcement Centre

[gimble]

Thank u v much for this lamma

 

- I spoke to TEC

 

- they mailed me the forms

 

- I filled them out but I have to get them witnessed at my local county court (good job I hid the car!), going there now

 

- they then fax them to TEC

 

- who then contact TFL

 

- who then suspend the bailiffs action

 

 

... and then I've no idea what happens, they have to re-send all forms again I assume?

You mentioned ANPR, does this mean I could get pulled over by the police or something if i get unlucky and they flag me up?

 

Thanks for all your help, very useful.

[lamma]

good man. well done taking control. keep a copy of the fax to wave at the bailiff is they turn up. Bailiffs known to use ANPR and to clamp wherever they find the car - though they shouldn't. they have been known to bend the rules a bit now and again. do that google next - good info there.

[pin1onu]

You mentioned ANPR, does this mean I could get pulled over by the police or something if i get unlucky and they flag me up?

It doesn't normally happen that you would get pulled over by the old bill. There have been a couple of cases. 1 involved Greater Manchester Police and the other was the Met. These are isolated examples.

 

There are a couple of things you should know.

 

1. TFL parking tickets are de-criminalised so nothing to worry the police. They don't have any grounds to pull you.

2. Warrants are supposed to be executed at the address specified on the warrant not out on the street.

 

What this should mean is that if the police pull you over you can politely tell them to Foxtrot Oscar. Similiarly if they clamp you away from your property you have grounds for a complaint against the bailiff.