urgent help needed with private clamping company who wrongly clamped my car

mpullen1

By the way, were you clamped in a car park in Camberwell, London. If so, I had a similar experience but unfortunately I had to cough up Stg 155 to release the clamp as they threatened to tow my vehicle away and incur further charges. I am quite certain that this company are picking on vulnerable people. It is a shame that they can get away with this!

trinidadone

mpullen1 wrote: »

By the way, were you clamped in a car park in Camberwell, London. If so, I had a similar experience but unfortunately I had to cough up Stg 155 to release the clamp as they threatened to tow my vehicle away and incur further charges. I am quite certain that this company are picking on vulnerable people. It is a shame that they can get away with this!

hey Mpullen, yes it is the butterfly shopping centre carpark. I sent them a letter asking for compensation, they ignored the letter, i sent them a copy, looks like they have also ignored that one too. I am now going to be a pain. I am going to contact the south london press and southwark news to see if they will do a story, bad press is my next aim. I am also going to try and find out who the land owners are for the butterfly shopping centre, so i can contact them. i am also going to contact Harret harman, My MP.

I cant let these crooks allow to get away with this, did you get your money back???

mpullen1

Thanks - so my suspicions were right and it would seem that I am not alone. In answer to your question, despite enclosing a stamped addressed envelope and made a number of phone calls, I have so far not received a reply nor got my money back. I am so glad you are going to take the matter further.

trinidadone

mpullen1 wrote: »

Thanks - so my suspicions were right and it would seem that I am not alone. In answer to your question, despite enclosing a stamped addressed envelope and made a number of phone calls, I have so far not received a reply nor got my money back. I am so glad you are going to take the matter further.

thankyou, but why are you also not pursuing this claim, if you were wrongly and illegally charged by this clamper, you must pursue this, it appears this company ignored correspondence, have you heard of the SIA (security industry authority)? I am going to make as much noise as I can, you should do the same

Crabman

You can take steps to jointly sue the land owner and clampers.

Use a Letter Before Action (see the article for a template). Also how did you pay them? If by credit card you can contact the card company and ask for the transaction to be disputed on the basis there was no enforceable contract between you and them.

In the Letter Before Action you need to ask for a response within 14 days failing which you'll commence county court action.

In case you're wondering, the land owner is being sued jointly because the clampers may be hiding behind a PO Box - you've more chance of getting hold of the land owners. They in turn will undoubtedly have influence with the clamping people which may help resolve without the need to go to court for it.

GT60

surely if they damage the car would this not be classed as criminal damage and the police be informed?

trinidadone

you would think so, my course of action is as follows:

1. contact two local newspapers, bad publicity

2. Try and find the landowner address details, and complain to them

3. write to my own MP

4. Contact the SIA

if anyone has any other suggestions, let me know (I am the one who's car was wrongly clamped which they accepted and gave me in writing).

mpullen1

Lee, I have contacted the SIA who inform me that the company is licenced and of course the Bill were not interested. However, I paid by credit card so I will dispute it and Crabman is right the clampers do have a P O Box number I am not sure how to get hold of the land owners. The clampers were unsure what time I arrived there but tell me they have cctv footage. I know I was well within the two hours allowed - at this point I became suspicious.

trinidadone

ok, well firstly from what i understand individual clampers MUST hold the licence. I was present when the clamper removed my clamp, and he was not wearing any form of licence or ID. I have requested this information from the comany, and they ignored my request. I am going to use the phone book or do a search online for the land owners of this site. There must be a manager or something, failing that I might contact southwark council, there parking section might be able to help. We must tell tell the landowner our grivences, if i get any info, i will post for you.

As for the arrival time, the clamper informed me the CCTV coverage records the actual time of arrival of each car, so they have lied to you. Give me a day or two, i will get the landowners details, I am not leaving mine. This company is unprofessional and primary aim is to maximize there profits.

mpullen1

thanks - as for the licence when I telephoned the 0870 number the two guys turned up, one was wearing a navy blue uniform with the company name printed on the back of the jacket, I saw no licence but I was given a vat payment receipt, with the licence number handwritten on it, however it did not have an arrival time, it just had the date, time of release,location and of course the amount.