Out of Time witness statement has been rejected.

If your Out of Time witness statement has been rejected, you will receive a letter from the Traffic Enforcement Centre to advise you of the decision. The letter will inform you of your right to have the decision reviewed by the court. An application for review must be made within 14 days of the date of service to the rejection. Such an application is made by way of an N244 Application. 

Why did the Traffic Enforcement Centre reject my Out of Time witness statement?

Sadly, from the many enquiries that we receive on this subject, the reason why the Out of Time witness statement had been rejected is usually because the TE7 and TE9 (or PE2 and PE3) forms had been poorly completed. 

Who decides whether to accept or reject my Out of Time witness statement?

It is actually the local authority, who decide whether or not to allow you to file the witness statement late. If they refuse to grant permission, they should outline the reason in a statement addressed to the Traffic Enforcement Centre. A copy should be sent to you as well. The rejection will be passed to an Officer of the Court. They  can decide whether or not the local authorities decision was the correct one.

Can I appeal the rejection of my Out of Time witness statement?

Yes you can. To do this, you will need to submit an N244 application to the Traffic Enforcement Centre. You have 14 days from the date of service of the decision to submit your application. There is a fee to pay for this application of between £100 and £255. We have an entire page on this subject here.

What happens if I do not file an N244 to seek a review?

Quite simply, the warrant will no longer be on hold and bailiff enforcement can recommence. It is important that you contact the enforcement company as soon as you receive the rejection letter. You may be able to avoid a personal visit being made and an enforcement fee of £235 being added to the debt.

Commentary from Bailiff Advice Online:

We have a great deal of experience with the Traffic Enforcement Centre and Out of Time witness statements and N244 Applications. If you have concerns as to why your Out of Time witness statement has been rejected, you can email a question to Bailiff Advice Online using our online  Enquiry Form.

Alternatively, you can contact our free helpline. Please refer to our  Contact Page for further details.