SAYNOTO0870.COM - Bedford/Hitchin/St Albans County Court

joli

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Bedford/Hitchin/St Albans County Court
Jul 8^th, 2009 at 10:07am

I see that Hitchin County Court has jumped on the bandwagon and changed their (perfectly adequate) 01462 443750 number to 0844 892 0550. When you call the former number you get a recorded message telling you to call 0844 892 0550. I cannot find a geographic alternative to this - can anyone help?

I haven't done a comprehensive search across all courts but wonder whether this is the only court jumping on the rip-off bandwagon. Does Her Majesty's Courts Service have any views on this money making scheme (I see they publicise their HQ number as 0845 4568770 - translated to 020 3334 2860)?

~ Edited by Dave: Thread title amended

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« Last Edit: Mar 15^th, 2010 at 3:50pm by Dave »

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Dave

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Re: Hitchin County Court
Reply #1 - Jul 8^th, 2009 at 10:25am

This page on the Hertfordshire County Council website gives:

Park House
1-12 Old Park Road
Hitchin
Hertfordshire
SG5 2JR
Phone(s): 01462 443750
Fax: 01462 443758

Both phone and fax numbers give a network announcement redirecting to the 0844 number as do other 01462 44375x numbers.

HM Courts gives telephone 0844 892 0550 and fax 01462 445444.

Try telephone numbers similar to the fax number, ie 445440, 445443 etc. Let us know how you get on. If you find a suitable alternative, then please let us know and I will list it for others to use.

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joli

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Re: Hitchin County Court
Reply #2 - Jul 8^th, 2009 at 11:27am

Dave wrote on Jul 8^th, 2009 at 10:25am:

HM Courts gives[/url] telephone 0844 892 0550 and fax 01462 445444.

Try telephone numbers similar to the fax number, ie 445440, 445443 etc. Let us know how you get on. If you find a suitable alternative, then please let us know and I will list it for others to use.

The geographic fax number 01462 445444 still seems to work, although the other numbers you quote all give recorded messages redirecting to 0844. I'll see if I can successfully send them a fax this evening.

I'll try to pop over there this afternoon and ask them about this policy face to face Smiley

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Dave Global Moderator Offline Posts: 9,902 Yorkshire Gender:	Re: Hitchin County Court Reply #3 - Jul 8^th, 2009 at 11:33am joli wrote on Jul 8^th, 2009 at 11:27am: The geographic fax number 01462 445444 still seems to work, although the other numbers you quote all give recorded messages redirecting to 0844. I'll see if I can successfully send them a fax this evening. Did you try 01462 445443, 445440 and others as suggested?
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Dave

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Re: Hitchin County Court
Reply #4 - Jul 14^th, 2009 at 10:35pm

Dave wrote on Jul 8^th, 2009 at 11:33am:

joli wrote on Jul 8^th, 2009 at 11:27am:

The geographic fax number 01462 445444 still seems to work, although the other numbers you quote all give recorded messages redirecting to 0844. I'll see if I can successfully send them a fax this evening.

Did you try 01462 445443, 445440 and others as suggested? Huh

The 0844 892 0550 is currently answered as "Hitchin County Court's Helpdesk" as are 445400, 445440, 445441, 445442, 445443, and probably others. I've added an entry for this in the database.

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joli

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Re: Hitchin County Court
Reply #5 - Jul 15^th, 2009 at 7:25am

Dave wrote on Jul 8^th, 2009 at 11:33am:

The 0844 892 0550 is currently answered as "Hitchin County Court's Helpdesk" as are 445400, 445440, 445441, 445442, 445443, and probably others. I've added an entry for this in the database.

The number is a helpdesk for both Hitchin and St Albans County Courts. Therefore it will probably have a St Albans (01727) number as well. I suggest you update the entry adding a reference to St Albans County Court.

The court staff say this is an experiment to provide a helpdesk front end to these two courts. The helpdesk staff are actually located in Hitchin. If they regard it as a success they plan to roll it out to other courts.

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Dave

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Re: Hitchin County Court
Reply #6 - Jul 15^th, 2009 at 11:43am

joli wrote on Jul 15^th, 2009 at 7:25am:

The number is a helpdesk for both Hitchin and St Albans County Courts. Therefore it will probably have a St Albans (01727) number as well. I suggest you update the entry adding a reference to St Albans County Court.

Thanks. I've added a reference to St Albans Court as well. If it's based at Hitchin, then perhaps there are only 01462 numbers for the helpdesk.

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joli

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Bedford County Court
Reply #7 - Mar 15^th, 2010 at 3:23pm

Bedford County Court used to be 01234 319001. In the last few weeks they've jumped on the 0845 bandwaggon as 0844 892 0550. This apparently the same number as St Albans and Hitchin County Courts. The database suggests they can be reached at 01462 445400. However I've tried that number numerous times in the last few working days and it just places me in an apparently infinitely long queue with an occasional message saying "whilst you are wating for an operator to help you ..." but no live person actually answers.

It looks as if there's either a glitch in the system or they've changed the routing so as to sabotage the listed geographic number. Has anyone got any suggestions?

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« Last Edit: Mar 15^th, 2010 at 3:35pm by joli »

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Dave

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Re: Bedford County Court
Reply #8 - Mar 15^th, 2010 at 3:48pm

joli wrote on Mar 15^th, 2010 at 3:23pm:

It looks as if there's either a glitch in the system or they've changed the routing so as to sabotage the listed geographic number. Has anyone got any suggestions?

I definately think that they (01462 and 0844) are not answering the same, so the 0844 number probably points to a different 01/02 number.

The 0844 number rings until someone answers it as "County Court Helpdesk". I wonder which court it is answered at.

From what we know, it looks like numbers at each court are of the form:

Bedford 01234 3190xx
Hitchin 01462 4454xx
St Albans 01727 7532xx

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« Last Edit: Mar 15^th, 2010 at 3:49pm by Dave »

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joli

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Re: Bedford County Court
Reply #9 - Mar 15^th, 2010 at 4:04pm

Dave wrote on Mar 15^th, 2010 at 3:48pm:

The 0844 number rings until someone answers it as "County Court Helpdesk". I wonder which court it is answered at.

From what we know, it looks like numbers at each court are of the form:

Bedford 01234 3190xx
Hitchin 01462 4454xx
St Albans 01727 7532xx

I spoke to the Hitchin court staff last year who then said that the call centre for St Albans and Hitchin County Courts was actually based at Hitchin County Court office. I suspect they are still based there. Now they have apparently roped in Bedford County Court. The email address for the helpdesk for all three courts is the same.

Bedford Magistrates Court is housed in the same building as the County Court and is 01234 319000. I have spoken to the switchboard there today but they have refused to transfer me to the County Court although it is clearly an extension of the same switchboard. They insist I need to call the 0844 number.

The fax number 01234 319026 for Bedford County Court still works.

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« Last Edit: Mar 15^th, 2010 at 4:34pm by joli »

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Re: Bedford County Court
Reply #10 - Mar 16^th, 2010 at 10:10am

joli wrote on Mar 15^th, 2010 at 4:04pm:

I spoke to the Hitchin court staff last year who then said that the call centre for St Albans and Hitchin County Courts was actually based at Hitchin County Court office. I suspect they are still based there. Now they have apparently roped in Bedford County Court. The email address for the helpdesk for all three courts is the same.

I came across this publication:

http://www.justice.gov.uk/equality-impact-assessments-2009ii.pdf

Ministry of Justice
Equality impact assessments 2009
September 2009

Quote:

EIA 14/09 Policy: Setting up a telephone helpdesk at Hitchin County Court
The service is to introduce a telephone helpdesk pilot within the Bedfordshire, Essex and Hertfordshire area and this assessment has been based around the impact of the existing staff, judiciary and customers. No actions have been identified as a result of the completion of this EIA.

I believe Hitchin County Court's phone numbers to be 01462 445400 to 479.

I suspect that the number you are looking for is one of these.

The 400 numbers starts off with the "Whilst you are waiting for an operator to help you…" recording, whereas the 0844 number rings until someone answers. So I suspect the others that have this recording on are also the never answered queue. The ones I've found are 440, 441, 442 and 443.

444 is published as a fax number, although when I called it (not from a fax machine), it rang with no answer. 479 is sometimes unobtainable and sometimes drops out straight away.

These may be useful in eliminating those which it is not.

The e-mail address is behcchelpdesk@hmcourts-service.gsi.gov.uk

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Dave

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Re: Bedford/Hitchin/St Albans County Court
Reply #11 - Mar 16^th, 2010 at 8:05pm

Now that they are closed, the 0844 number is unobtainable and this is the same as it was last night.

At the same time, those numbers such as 445400 and 445440 still go through to the "Whilst you are waiting…" message (that suggests calls are put in the never ending queue). I wondered if any others between 400 to 479 do so as well as they could be eliminated.

I was quite surprised to find this message on the majority of the numbers: 00, 02-09, 14-19, 21-43, 48-55, 57-67, 70-78

Crucially, this gives a short list of only 12 numbers: 01, 10, 11, 12, 13, 20, 45, 46, 47, 56, 68, 69

The helpdesk could be one of these, and it will require some calls during the day when it is open to see. joli, give them a try and let us know how you get on.

Perhaps, as it's a new number, it might be one of the highers, so you might start off with the highest one. Undecided

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Dave Global Moderator Offline Posts: 9,902 Yorkshire Gender:	Re: Bedford/Hitchin/St Albans County Court Reply #12 - Mar 22^nd, 2010 at 12:23am joli, please can you provide some feedback on what you've found so I can update the listings accordingly?
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joli

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Re: Bedford/Hitchin/St Albans County Court
Reply #13 - Mar 22^nd, 2010 at 11:43am

Dave wrote on Mar 16^th, 2010 at 8:05pm:

At the same time, those numbers such as 445400 and 445440 still go through to the "Whilst you are waiting…" message (that suggests calls are put in the never ending queue). I wondered if any others between 400 to 479 do so as well as they could be eliminated.

I was quite surprised to find this message on the majority of the numbers: 00, 02-09, 14-19, 21-43, 48-55, 57-67, 70-78

Crucially, this gives a short list of only 12 numbers: 01, 10, 11, 12, 13, 20, 45, 46, 47, 56, 68, 69

I've tried some of the suggested numbers mid-morning. So far 01, 10, 11, 12, 13, 20 56, 68 and 69 produced no answer. I did get a response on 46 which turned out to be the Hitchin bailiffs office. They questioned me as to where I got the number from and said I need to speak to the helpdesk. As a special favour they offered to transfer me but, after a minute or so wait, this was unsuccessful for unknown reason (perhaps they couldn't afford the 0844 call charge?). They told me to re-dial the helpdesk!

It is possible that all the people on the other extensions were unavailable at the time or had been told not to answer external calls, so it may be worthwhile a go at another time.

This seems to give one number 01462 445446 for Hitchin County Court Bailiffs.

I haven't yet tried 45 and 47 as they're a bit close to 46 Wink

Another line of enquiry I'm following up is the complaints process via the regional director listed here:
http://www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/infoabout/complaints/directors_region/directo...
So far I've had a written acknowledgement and await further progress.

Maybe others would like to take this up also?

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« Last Edit: Mar 22^nd, 2010 at 11:48am by joli »

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Dave

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Re: Bedford/Hitchin/St Albans County Court
Reply #14 - Mar 22^nd, 2010 at 12:28pm

I think that the 0844 number will just direct to one of the 01462 numbers. Thus, an internal transfer to the helpdesk will be to another extension.

I appreciate that in a court they may well be naturally guarded in what they say to unknown callers, but if someone was asked and they told you what extension number they are putting you through to, then that will probably help very much in working out its direct dialling in (DDI) number (the respective 01462 number).

You would also be well advised to withhold your number when doing this so it doesn't appear on the displays of different extensions, in particular, so they don't ignore you because you are that nuisance caller ringing every phone!

The other way to do it is to spread it out by sticking to maybe one number per day. So try one number at various times until you get an answer. Then once you have, leave it while the next day to try another and ascertain its purpose. This would make them less suspicious as extensions wouldn't be ringing sequentially for long periods.

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« Last Edit: Mar 22^nd, 2010 at 12:29pm by Dave »

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