Speed awareness course offered- no letter received now a fine and points!

[Myfamily]

Hi All,

 

When it rains it pours!

 

Before xmas my husband got a letter from the police saying they had camera evidence of his vehicle speeding in a 30 zone etc, it explained that he might get offered a speed awreness course or fine and point etc. told to fill in the form on the back of the letter and send back with the details of the driver.

 

We sent it back with hubbys name etc as he was the driver, they sent a letter saying that he was doing 37 in a 30 and can do a speed awareness course if he chooses or go to court - obviously we decided he should do the course, had to fill in the form on the back of the letter and return it which we did.

 

so now because both forms were on the back of the letters I had to send them back and I neglected to take a copy of them, I just noted the ref number. I returned the last one in early December and remember that it said he had to bok the course within 4 months. so when I hadn't heard anything after that I didn't think too much of it, thinking they may be busy etc or xmas post a bit slow etc.

 

Today I thought I would give them a ring and check as a friend said that they had this once and the confirmation letter for the course along with detiails of how to book came quite quickly, so she thouhgt I should have had it by now.

 

So looked online and found a phone number and called them, only to be told that a letter had been sent (which we didn't get!) and because we didn't respond the offer is gone and it's moved on to a fixed pen of £100 and 3 points!!

 

She also said a letter was sent at the end of december with a conditional offer of fixed penalty and 3 points which again I didn't receive! I explained I didn't get either of these letters, she just kept saying that the original leter said that if I didn't hear bakc within 7 days I should call them, I explained that I did not realise this and obviously didn't have the letter anymore as I sent it bakc to them as the form is ON IT.

 

She was having none of this and said that there was nothing she could do, the course offer has been withdrawn as we didn't reply, I argued that i responded promptly to the first two so why would I suddenyl not bother to the next one, but she just kept sysing that it states clearly on the letter that I should call if not heard within 7 days!

 

I just don't know what to do now - is there anything we can do, it's not very fair! Can anyone help?

[Aretnap]

Whether or not to offer a course is at the sole discretion of the police, and you didn't comply with the conditions they'd set, so you don;t have a lot of comeback I'm afraid.

 

You could try phoning again, hope to get through to someone in a better mood and do some more grovelling, but I'm afraid that's really all you can do.

[Myfamily]

Hi All,

 

Well I tried calling them again spoke to a manager and they flatly refused to do anything, it's just ridiculous, I can't prove that I didn't get the letter and they can't prove that I did.

 

All they say is that the letter offering the course states that if you don't hear anything within 7 days then you need to contact them, but the form is on the back of this letter which you return so you can't keep the letter etc, so unless you're one of those super organised people, and you have a phtocopier or you take a picture of the letter etc or even just make a note of that then you're stuffed!!! They just will not accept that I missed that part of the letter, they just repeat that it's written clearly blah blah blah!!

 

So fed up!