Should I pay..Civil Enforcement Ltd?

give_them_FA

Good man, but keep them in case they provide you with grounds to sue for harassment, if threats are being made against you but you were not driving.

Meantime edit out details of place and driver

RumPunch_2

First letter from Civil Enforcement Ltd received today, PCN Issue Date 29/02/2012. Pizza Hut Car Park.

Before reading all of this thread, we contacted Pizza Hut to complain, Pizza Hut have said they will contact CEL to deal with the parking charge notice.

It will be interesting to see whether they have any success!

Having now read all of this thread, I will, of course, be ignoring any letters from CEL!

However, I'm very tired now (lots of reading), please would some one be kind enough to summarise answers to questions below?

1. Roughly, what are the timescales involved - from first letter to when they finally give up?

2. Do CEL ever make telephone contact?

2. Do CEL usually go as far as appointing a debt collecting agency?

Thank you to everyone who has posted informative and supportive posts on this thread, it has been really helpful and reassuring reading.

esmerobbo

1. Roughly, what are the timescales involved - from first letter to when they finally give up? Its not set in stone sometimes quick sometimes goes on a while!

2. Do CEL ever make telephone contact? Not usually!

2. Do CEL go as far as appointing a debt collecting agency (I'm hoping to get an opportunity to sing the Lion Sleeps Tonight!) Usually Newlyn, but have been known to issue fake court summons instead!

Never gone any further then empty threats!

give_them_FA

Who would care if they do contact a debt collection agency anyway? They are totally toothless and all they do is write more pointless threatening letters. These people rely entirely on scare tactics. They do that because they have no actual power to do anything. So their only recourse is to write pathetic letters. There will be NO court, NO CCJ, NO bailiffs, NO credit report. They are professional liars.

RumPunch_2

Thanks esmerobbo, just helpful to be informed and therefore prepared!

give them FA - Actually I would care!

I know now that DCAs rely on scare tactics and don't have real authority, which means I am now in position to deal accordingly! However, last night when I opened CEL's letter I didn't have the wealth of information I do now.

My friend also received a letter, we had been to Pizza Hut together, and was initially quite panicked and distressed. I like to think we are 'reasonably' intelligent people, but unless you have previous experience of this type of behaviour most people would care and be anxious.

taffy056

RumPunch wrote: »

give them FA - Actually I would care!

And that is why give them FA replied in the way he did, with an explanation what DCAs are, a bunch of lying, cheating scumbags, basically the same as private parking companies, they are two peas in a pod and suit each other perfectly.

give_them_FA

Yes, I can understand how some people will get alarmed, RumPunch, they do LOOK disturbing to someone who isn't used to them. But as a veteran of over 80 tickets seen off (not all mine, friends come to me for advice!) I have seen every debt collector letter under the sun.

80 tickets; amount paid zero; court cases zero. It is all bull, you have to learn not to take it seriously my friend! As I love pointing out your chances of winning the Lotto jackpot are far more than of getting taken to court by a PPC. (Debt collectors can't take it to court anyway as it isn't a debt, it is "alleged" to be a breach of contract.)

RumPunch_2

Thanks give them FA.

And that is the crux of the problem, to the uninformed (which I am no longer) and the vulnerable they can be extremely alarming.

You're a veteran but there will be so many people out there that have no experience of this and will be very frightened and pay up.

I did my research, many, for a combination of reasons, will not, will be intimidated and will pay them!

LisaPea

Ok had 3 letters today. Letter from the debt team saying if I do not pay £185 solicitors will be instructed and it will submitted to the court on 14/03/12. If it goes to court my costs will be £345 + interest and any other fees eg bailifs etc if I do not pay, They also sent through a draft 2 page Court claim form for Northhampton CC with everything completed apart from the Claim number and issue date and seal. The claim interestignly states "damages arising from a breach of contract." The second court letter details the "contract" to park at the carpark. Interestingly it says the cameras at the car park have automatic number plate recognition built in.

I would post the scans of the letters but it wont let me as a new user

still not going to answer but getting worried now to be honest has anyoen actually seen this through ?

Kite2010

Post the links removing any personal details and not put in any http at the front of the links.

Sounds like the sending of pre-completed court-forms is a new tactic with a threat of "if you don't pay, we might give it to someone else", as they have shot themselves in the foot by trying to say "damages arising from a breach of contract" as any judge would want to see how they have come to those damages they have suffered by your breach, and in the majority of the time the damages are zero or a few pounds (if you overstay a Pay & Display car-park for example).