TONY HETHERINGTON: Kingston-upon-Thames County Court would not pay up

Tony Hetherington is Financial Mail on Sunday’s ace investigator, combating readers corners, revealing the reality that lies behind closed doorways and profitable victories for individuals who have been left out-of-pocket. Find out learn how to contact him under. 

What a joke: You gained the case however the courtroom retains the money

C.I. writes: I issued a courtroom declare for £350 towards LG, a white items maker, referring to a washer assure. 

The agency didn’t put up a defence to the declare and it was paid after I engaged bailiffs at Kingston-upon-Thames County Court. 

Bailiffs collected cost final November and the cash is, they are saying, now with the courtroom. 

Despite quite a few emails, the cash remains to be excellent and the courtroom’s cellphone goes unanswered.

I’ve additionally emailed the Courts and Tribunals Service complaints division, to no avail.

Tony Hetherington replies: It is sort of a unhealthy joke. You make a declare on the courtroom, and also you win. Bailiffs acquire the cash. They hand the money to the courtroom – and the courtroom retains it. 

You referred to as within the bailiffs on November 1 final 12 months, and in mid-December you requested them what had occurred. Had they succeeded in accumulating your cash? The bailiffs replied: ‘This was paid on November 15. If you haven’t obtained the cash, it is advisable contact Kingston County Court. The bailiffs’ workplace doesn’t take care of funds out.’

You emailed the courtroom on December 13 and once more the following day. Nobody replied. The bailiffs informed you to anticipate a response inside ten working days, failing which you need to strive writing to the courtroom. You wrote on January 9. Nobody replied.

After you contacted me, I emailed the Clerk to the Court on January 14. Nobody replied. On January 20, I emailed once more, and this time I concerned the Ministry of Justice. After all, what’s the level in a justice system that merely would not work.

The Ministry slowly moved into motion, and it took till February 9 for officers to push the courtroom into contacting you. An unsigned e mail defined: ‘On behalf of Kingston County Court, I can verify the cash is at the moment going by means of our cost system. Unfortunately, we’ve moved to a brand new system which has precipitated some points and delays with the payout course of.’

I went again to the Ministry. Could I’ve a remark from the Justice Minister Alex Chalk MP, please? On February 13, the Ministry promised me that you’d be paid inside a few days, however on the identical day it additionally informed me your cash was truly ‘launched’ on January 30. Released? After three months within the clutches of Kingston County Court, I reckon it escaped.

Two days handed and your cash was nonetheless on the run. A variety of Ministry of Justice work has been outsourced to a non-public firm referred to as Liberata, so I contacted it and requested whether or not employees there knew who had your money. They did. Within 24 hours, Liberata’s chief govt Charlie Bruin informed me: ‘Liberata manages funds for HM Courts and Tribunals Service, and we are able to verify all vital procedures had been adopted with the utmost care and a spotlight. A cost has been disbursed in accordance with the contractual necessities.’

The Liberata boss helpfully defined his firm holds no cash. Courts ask Liberata to make a cost from the courtroom’s personal checking account. So when did Liberata obtain the request at hand over your cash? It was on February 12, nearly three months to the day because the bailiffs had handed it in on the courtroom.

On February 19, you obtained a cheque for £433, together with prices. But this was not fairly the tip of the story.

Every week in the past you obtained an apology from the Ministry of Justice, on behalf of the Minister, Alex Chalk. An official defined: ‘I contacted the courtroom and so they knowledgeable me they’ve skilled issues with processing the cost as a result of points with the pc system.’ I’ve at all times resisted the phrase ‘Broken Britain’, however typically they’re the one phrases that apply.

You’d want a pool for this water invoice

A.B. writes: Thames Water rang me out of the blue to say I had an unpaid steadiness of virtually £4,400 on my account.

I dwell in a small North London flat with my spouse and two younger kids, and the costs relate to an ‘anomalous’ meter studying by a Thames Water worker in 2020, displaying we had used 2,000 items of water. 

In reality, our utilization is about 100 items a 12 months.

Tony Hetherington replies: Back in 2020, once you first noticed the massive meter studying, you contacted Thames Water and had been informed an engineer would examine inside days. Of course, no person did, irrespective of what number of instances you referred to as. 

Then in 2021, you had been informed Thames Water would rebase future payments, with a recent place to begin. The earlier incorrect studying can be ignored. Suddenly, nearly three years later, Thames Water resurrected the clearly improper studying and once more informed you that an engineer would go to. 

Meanwhile, it claimed you owe £4,494. This time, the engineer did flip up, and after analyzing the meter he defined to get the studying proven on payments, you’d have needed to open a swimming pool.

Thames Water informed me: ‘Our customer support groups have investigated and located this was as a result of an irregular meter studying.’ Your account has now been recalculated and the result’s that you’re now £500 in credit score!

If you imagine you’re the sufferer of economic wrongdoing, write to Tony Hetherington at Financial Mail, 9 Derry Street, London W8 5HY or e mail [email protected]. Because of the excessive quantity of enquiries, private replies can’t be given. Please ship solely copies of authentic paperwork, which we remorse can’t be returned.