Housemate recieved a summons but isn't here to answer it.

Moredhel

Moredhel

Moredhel

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Gloucester
My housemate recieved a summons today. We only noticed because the envelope has one of those windows in it and it says "<local, not going to say where> Magistrates Court" at the top and underneath his name and address the first line saying "You are hearby summoned to attend court on <date>". The only problem with this is, he's been out of the country for a few days and wont be back until after the date in the letter.

What are the rammifications of this? Can we expect to have the house raided by a SWAT team the next morning if he doesn't show up? I'm guessing not as if it was serious he'd have been arrested by now. But are there any other, lesser, legal ramifications for our household for him not turning up? I'm thinking in terms of credit records etc if it's a debt issue or something. I'd rather not have to go to the trouble of getting a notice of disassociation on my credit record when I'm going to such trouble to keep it shiny and clean.
 
Court summons have to be hand delivered to the actual person afaik... Otherwise it's just a letter in the post.
 
Well, its certainly not that serious, or they wouldn't have let him leave the country ;)

I'd probably get the number of the courts, or talk to your local plod, explain the situation.
 
Might drop them a letter tomorrow. We don't even have any way of contacting him out where he is, so we can't ask him what he wants done.
 
It says what Court it is right?

Find the Court phone number, call it, ask to speak to the Court Manager or the Clerk of the Court. Tell him the date & Time of the "summons" and let him know your friend is out of the country and see what he says.
 
postmanfw said:
Was the letter sent recorded post?
Click to expand...

What difference does that make?

If it's not, they would presume its received anyway, if it is, someone already signed for it so Royal Mail system will just show "delivered".

As far as they are concerned, the letter is delivered.

EDIT- And I want to add, what's this obsession of people keep trying to pretend they never got the mail to get out of their problems? All these keyboard warriors but when something like a letter comes along they hide like chickens.
 
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My last (and only) court summons was sent 2nd class as was delivered without signature being needed. It also arrived the morning of the hearing and was for a courst 200 miles away.

Ring the court for the sake of your friend. You've not opened the letter, so you've not broken the law.
 
Are such things tied to the address though, so that you yourself might have credit problems if you have the same address?
 
Yes Raymond, I have noticed that disturbing trend too, regarless of how many times you say that a leter to a registered address is not the same as a registered and recorded letter, it does not seem to sink in.

Good luck in getting it all sorted Moredhel. :)
 
Any credit black marks are based on name and address, not just address, so even if he has got himself into financial trouble, it won't affect you or your flatmates. I was concerned about bad credit when I moved into my flat, as it had been reposessed before we bought it, but I have never had a problem.

I'd agree with the people who have said that you should call the court and let them know that he isn't there and you can't contact him. Don't worry about it too much anyway. My mum had a similar letter a few years ago for a guy who used to live in her company house, she called to say that he no longer lived there and she had no forwarding address and nothing else ever came of it.
 
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