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Reparation to Victims
Information about reparation.
The Court can order an offender to pay you money if you have suffered emotional harm or had property damaged or lost as a result of a crime. This is known as 'reparation'.
The amount of reparation ordered is based on how much damage, loss or costs you have incurred and the offender's ability to pay.
How the reparation process works
- After the court case, we will send you a letter detailing the Reparation Order. This letter tells you how much the offender has been ordered to pay.
- The offender has 28 days to pay the Court in full or to arrange payments by instalment.
- The Court then receives the payment on your behalf and forwards it to you.
- If the reparation is paid in full, we will send you a cheque for the full amount.
- If payments are being made by instalments, we will send your payments as they clear.
If they don't pay
We will look after this for you. The Court has a number of ways of collecting payments from people who don't pay. They include making compulsory deductions from their wages, benefit or bank account, seizing and selling their property and stopping them from leaving the country.
Reparation gets priority
Getting your reparation to you is important to us, so even if the person already owes fines, any money we collect from now on will be paid to Reparation Orders first.
Changed your address?
Please call us on 0800 909 909.
It is important that you tell us if you change your name or address, so we can continue to process your reparation payments.
Need more information?
Please see the list of frequently asked questions below or call 0800 909 909 or visit your nearest District Court.
Reparation FAQs
- Why aren't I receiving payments?
- Why are my reparation payments so small?
- Will reparation be paid if the offender is in prison?
- What if the offender can't pay?
- Can I pick up payments from my local District Court?
- Can payments be made automatically into my bank account?
- What happens if I don't have a bank account?
- What if I have insurance cover?
- Why can't the court pay me and then get the money from the offender?
- What if the offender pays me directly?
- Can I appeal the amount of reparation?
Why aren't I receiving payments?
There are several reasons why you might not be receiving payments, such as:
- A number of people are receiving payments from the same offender.
- We will continue to forward payments to people as they are received.
- The offender is in prison.
- We will still try to collect reparation. If the reparation order can not be paid, further enforcement action will be taken when the offender is released.
- The offender cannot be found - some offenders try to avoid paying or move address without telling the Court.
- We will try to trace them, but this can take time.
- You have changed address and we don't have your details.
- Please call us on 0800 909 909 to update your details.
Why are my reparation payments so small?
If the offender is paying reparation to several people or on a low income, you may receive small payments over a period of time.
Will reparation be paid if the offender is in prison?
The Court will still try to collect the reparation. It may be necessary to take enforcement action such as seizing and selling personal property. If the reparation order can not be paid, further enforcement action will be taken when the offender is released.
What if the offender can't pay?
Those people who have no income or assets to seize will be summonsed to appear before a judge. The judge may replace the Reparation Order with an alternative sentence of community work or imprisonment. If this happens, we will send you a letter and cancel the Reparation Order.
Can I pick up payments from my local District Court?
No. Currently payments can only be posted by cheque.
Can payments be made automatically into my bank account?
No. However, the Ministry is working to introduce a direct credit option in 2009.
What happens if I don't have a bank account?
You need to call 0800 909 909 and discuss your options.
What if I have insurance cover?
If you have insurance to cover the damages you have suffered, you need to tell your insurance company about the Reparation Order. If necessary, you can arrange for reparation payments to be paid directly to your insurance company.
Why can't the Court pay me and then get the money from the offender?
The Court is not funded to make advance reparation payments to people. The offender must first pay the Court so we can record this and then we will forward the payment to you.
What if the offender pays me directly?
Please tell us if you receive any money directly from the offender so we can adjust our records.
Can I appeal the amount of reparation?
No. But you could take civil action for any extra amount you think is owed. You would need to talk to a lawyer or your Community Law Centre about this option.