Free Traffic Legal Advice

Phone the Traffic Enforcement Centre helpdesk at Northampton County Court.

Traffic Enforcement Centre 0300 123 1059 / Opening Times Telephone Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm

Ask them to confirm the address used on the (Local Authority) Warrant of Control that was sealed (issued) on the 5th June? They'll ask for the postcode.
And ask them to confirm when the warrant was re-sealed with your current address? I expect a day or two before the 26th June. Likewise they'll ask for the postcode.


The NoE, that has the OPs current address, was issued on the 26th June. It tells us that the (Local Authority) Warrant of Control was issued on the 5th June. The warrant is an electronic authorisation from the TEC to the Council and from the Council to the contracted Enforcement Agents. The NoE is generated by the Enforcement Agents (Bailiffs) almost immediately, usually within 1 or 2 working days.

So the probability is that the Council applied to the TEC to have the warrant re-sealed with the current address sometime before the 26th June. And that the £75 levied is correct. But it's certainly worth checking.

 

@Enceladus, Would re-sealing give rise to a new date for the warrant of control?

OP, pl don't let this stop you paying.

My understanding is that no it wouldn't. The Enforcement Authority applies to the TEC for a warrant which is called a Local Authority Warrant of Control. In most cases the TEC seems to process these the same day. And (virtually) seals the warrant request and informs the EA. The warrant is valid for a year.

If it transpires that the warrant is unenforceable at the address stated, then the EA can apply to have the existing warrant re-sealed with a new address. Hence the terms seal and re-seal. The clock remains running from the original date.

Since the original warrant expires after a year the EA would need to re-apply to the TEC for a new warrant to continue to enforce.

In theory, in order to have a warrant re-sealed the EA is supposed to adduce evidence, to the TEC, to confirm that the new address is correct and relates to the person or entity named on the warrant. Hence they can't just look at the phone book (if there still is one).